[Image] A light purple, animated platypus with dark purple feet standing by itself. Madeline Stein offers individual counseling for gifted children and gifted teens in Denver, CO.

Individual Counseling

Supporting gifted children and gifted teens in exploring and understanding their experience of self in relationship with the world, their values, and their body.

 
[Image] A group of light purple, animated platypus with dark purple feet standing in a group. Madeline Stein offers group counseling for gifted children and gifted teens in Denver, CO.

Group Therapy

Bringing gifted children and gifted teens together with like-minded peers their age to figure out what being gifted means and how it impacts their world.

 
 
 

Being smart is hard, especially as a kid or teen who seems smarter than their peers or adults. 

If this sounds like you or your child, chances are that you’re probably gifted. Being a gifted child or gifted teen means that you are experiencing the world, and your development, in a fundamentally different way than those around you. This intense inner experience can lead to a lot of challenges: anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, perfectionism, and more. 

A gifted kid or gifted teen needs someone who knows and understands the many complexities of what it means to be gifted. That's where I come in.

 
 
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About

Madeline Stein MA, LPC.0018325

 
 
[Image] Madeline Stein standing in front of a graffiti wall with her hand on her head, the image is in a shape of a star. Madeline Stein offers individual counseling and group counseling for gifted children and gifted teens in Denver, Colorado.

I don’t know about you, but the teachers and counselors I had growing up seemed to be easily duped. And it wasn’t even really their fault, it was technically mine…because I am what they call gifted. For some, being gifted is a thirst for knowledge with a set of particular sensitivities and the innate capacity to do whatever you set your mind too. For others, being gifted is an immense amount of energy and a deep care for others. 

But at its core, being gifted is an experience that can make life a little more complex.

As a gifted person myself, my childhood and youth was no exception. No matter what advice was offered to my loved ones or even myself, I struggled.  From school to peers to family…I battled with being hyper-sensitive, the inability to focus, and trying to perfect anything and everything. These challenges made my life hard, and consequently, my loved ones’ lives hard. As a gifted counselor, I am now empowered to use my own experience growing up gifted to empathize with you and your child, and to help you both achieve the support you’re looking for.

Together, we will focus in on you and your child through a person-centered approach. First in what you and your child are feeling in the moment, and next in what can realistically be done to achieve concrete changes in your child’s life. Allowing us to ultimately bring an awareness to your child and their life in order to better face the rollercoaster of giftedness.

 
[Image] A stamp of a purple platypus inside a geometric circle next to text that reads “Madeline Stein MA, LPCC.0016952.”
 

+ My Credentials

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC.0018325)

A Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC) holds the necessary licensing educational degree and is in the process of completing the required clinical hours and supervision for licensure.

+ My Education

MA in Clinical Mental Health: Tranpersonal Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Mindfulness-Based Counseling
Naropa University | Obtained May 2019

Bachelor of Arts
Evergreen State College | Obtained June 2016

+ Publications

Madeline V. Stein & Barbara S. McCann (2022) A pilot survey of clinicians’ experiences, attitudes, and interests in hypnosis, American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 64:3, 239-247, DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2021.1937035

Stein, MV. (2021). Vulnerability and violence: Female group leadership, the social unconscious, and the #MeToo movement. In Kane, YI., Masselink. S., Weiss, AC. (Eds), Women, Intersectionality and Power in Group Psychotherapy Leadership (pp. 171- 184). Routledge

+ My Honors & Awards

Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis' Presidental Award
Received in 2021

Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis' Presidental Award
Received in 2020

American Group Psychotherpay Association's Scholarship
Received in 2020

Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis' Stanley Krippner Award
Received in 2019

Saybrook University Presidential Scholarship
Received from 2019 to 2023

American Society of Clincial Hypnosis' Presidental Award
Received in 2019

American Group Psychotherapy Association's Saul Scheidlinger Scholarship
Received in 2019

Colorado Group Psychotherapy Society Merit Scholarship
Received in 2018

Naropa Honors Scholarship
Received from 2016 to 2019

Puget Sound Community School's Spangler Leadership Award
Received in 2012

 
 
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Individual Counseling

for gifted children and gifted teens

 
 
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Child Individual Counseling

Parenting a gifted child is a bit of a unique experience. All those parenting books that are supposed to help prepare you for certain developmental milestones just don’t seem to fit your child. In fact, those milestones seem to have come way earlier than you expected. It’s almost as if you have a small adult living in your house instead of the child everyone said you would have. And as the parent, you’re left struggling to meet your child’s needs while also dealing with the pressure that parenting a gifted child should be easier than it really is.

Together, you and I will work alongside your child to navigate the complex dynamics of which you both endure. I’ll help identify the various challenges they are going through and then help teach both of you how to advocate for your child’s needs, build their confidence, and manage their emotions so that you and your child can get back to a joy-filled life.

The most common concerns I help parents and children with are:

★ Withdrawn ★ Hyperactive ★ Perfectionism ★ Giftedness & 2E ★ Hyper-focus & Lack of Focus ★

★ Existential Crises ★ Academic Concerns ★

 
 
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Teen Individual Counseling

The teen years are rough. Adults seem annoying, peers make no sense, school seems like such a chore, and everyone wants you to plan for your future when you’re already too busy dealing with what’s on your plate. You can’t worry about the future when you have to live in the present. And who even knows what the future looks like anyway?

But being a gifted teen is even more rough. You are constantly being told that you are too sensitive, too moral, too argumentative, too smart... too much everything. After all, you’re smarter than most of the adults who want you listen to them and your intelligence stops you from being able to make friends. All of this makes life way more overwhelming than it needs to be.

As your therapist, I won’t tell you what you should do, who you should be, or how you should be feeling. Instead, I’ll meet you where you’re at. This way, you can learn how to embrace your giftedness and build those necessary skills so that life makes sense and is way less overwhelming.

The most common concerns I help parents and children with are:

★ Anxiety ★ Existential Dread ★ Identity Development ★ Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) ★ Social Skills ★

★ Sex Ed ★ Depression ★ Self-Harm ★ Giftedness & 2E★

 
 
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Group Counseling

for gifted children and gifted teens

 

An online, bi-weekly social skills group for LGBTQIA+ middle school teens.

This teen social skills group is for rising 6th - 8th grade teens who are looking for a safe, but brave space to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity as well as gender expression. All while being able to practice social skills with other LGBTQIA+ youth, just like them.

 
 
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Let’s Chat.

 
 

For the safety of my clients and the community, my services are only offered through HIPAA-compliant video.

Frequently Asked Questions

+ How much does a session cost?

For a standard 45 minute session, I operate on a pay-what-you-can fee between $40 and $100 per session for individual counseling.

Youth between the ages of 12 and 18 years old are eligible to receive individual counseling for $25 per session.

At this time, I do not accept insurance or medicaid. However, I can provide a superbill upon request.

+ Do you work with people who aren't "gifted?"

If you're interested in working with me and either don't identify as gifted or haven't been identified as gifted that's totally fine! Set up a free 15-minute consultation so we can get to know each other and see if we'd be a good match.

+ Are your services LGBTQIA+ Friendly?

I offer LGBTQ+ inclusive and fluent services. I am also a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community!

+ Is your office ADA Accessible?

You always reserve the right to accommodation when working with me. My private office is accessible and will be arranged to meet any specific needs. It is important to note that any activities done out in the community may not always be accesible. Therefore, I ask that you let me know ahead of time if you need accommodations so that we can work to make sure your accessibility continues to be my priority in our work together.

+ What's with the platypus?

Platypuses are weird, rare, and super cute. I find them highly relatable. For me, being gifted has meant feeling like the odd-one out, having trouble making friends and trying to learn how to navigate a world that I don't always fit in with. That's why I chose the platypus as my logo.