Salt Lake City & Utah Neuro-Affirming Resources for Twice-Exceptional (2e) and Gifted Kids

Supporting a twice-exceptional or gifted child can often feel overwhelming. As parents, we are constantly searching for resources that can challenge and nurture our child’s amazing strengths, while also offering the right support for areas where they struggle. Of equal importance is finding spaces where they feel truly seen and safe—where they can be themselves without fear of being misunderstood, judged, or othered.

For families of gifted and 2e children living in the Salt Lake City area, finding the right professionals and services can be daunting. That’s why we’ve compiled this guide: to connect families with resources that not only cater to the intellectual and emotional needs of 2e and gifted children, but also embrace a neurodivergent-affirming perspective in their practices. In this post, we’ll introduce a variety of services available throughout the greater Salt Lake City area—including Salt Lake City, Sandy, Murray, Park City, and beyond—and explain why each is important for families with neurodivergent kids.

Why Neuro-Affirming Resources for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids Are So Important

When we talk about neuro-affirming resources, we’re referring to professionals and practices that recognize and celebrate neurodiversity. Neuro-affirming professionals do not view neurodivergent children through a deficit-based lens, where their challenges are seen as problems to be “fixed.” Instead, they take a strength-based approach, focusing on the child’s talents and abilities while providing the necessary support for areas of challenge. The goal is not to change the child to fit into neurotypical molds, but rather to create an environment where the child’s unique wiring can thrive.

For twice-exceptional and gifted children, this approach is especially important. Because they have strengths in certain areas while also facing challenges in others, a traditional educational or therapeutic approach that focuses primarily on “fixing” their weaknesses can unintentionally overlook or undervalue their talents. This can lead to negative self-perceptions, where they begin to feel defined by their difficulties rather than empowered by their strengths. A neuro-affirming approach ensures that both aspects of their identity—strengths and challenges—are recognized and supported, helping them grow in a way that nurtures their whole self.

As parents of 2e children, seeking out neuro-affirming resources is an active and conscious choice we need to make in order to ensure that they are not only supported in their challenges but also celebrated for their strengths. The right professional can make all the difference in their educational and emotional journey.

DISCLAIMER — While we’ve made every effort to ensure the quality of these resources, some of whom are colleagues of Mr. Sam, the resources mentioned in this blog are for informational purposes only and are not endorsed or guaranteed by Young Scholars Academy. We encourage you to do your own due diligence in selecting the right fit for your family. Young Scholars Academy is not responsible for any outcomes or experiences resulting from the use of these resources. It’s important to choose professionals and organizations that align with your values, understand your child’s unique needs, and create an environment where your child can truly thrive.

Neuropsychologists & Testing for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

For families of gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) children, working with neuropsychologists who specialize in the unique cognitive and emotional profiles of 2e kids is essential. These specialists conduct comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations that go beyond traditional assessments to uncover both strengths and challenges. These evaluations help families gain a deeper understanding of how their child’s giftedness may intersect with neurodivergences like ADHD, learning disabilities, or anxiety, and inform the creation of customized educational and emotional support strategies.

Here are some neuropsychologists and testing resources for families in the Salt Lake City area:

Neurodiverse Psychological Services — Founded by Dr. Kristina Cottle Feldman, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist with over thirteen years of experience working with neurodivergent clients and their families through assessment, intervention, and research programs. Dr. Feldman is passionate about working with neurodiverse individuals and their families, focusing on helping clients alleviate difficulties while celebrating their strengths. The practice provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for referral questions related to autism, anxiety, mood disorders, learning differences, and inattention, with therapy and consultation also available for newly diagnosed individuals.

Gale & Associates — Center for Assessment and Psychotherapy — Co-founded by Dr. Jennifer Gale, PsyD, a pediatric neuropsychologist, and Dr. Max Gale, PsyD, a clinical psychologist, this Park City practice has been serving families since 2008. Dr. Jennifer Gale has specialized in evaluating children and adolescents with developmental, medical, psychiatric, neurological, and cognitive/learning differences since 2003, offering diagnostic assessment for autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities including dyslexia and ADHD, and comprehensive evaluation of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Their team also includes Dr. Sari Soutor, PhD, a pediatric neuropsychologist whose specialty training covers neuropsychological, psychological, learning differences, and autism assessments for children and families.

Wasatch Learning & Wellness — A Sandy-based team of committed professionals providing top-quality psychological evaluations by experienced psychologists. Their individualized test batteries are tailored to each client’s referral concerns, helping families understand their child’s profile in areas including ADHD, autism, anxiety, learning differences, and more. They also offer therapeutic services for children, adolescents, and adults in a safe, welcoming space.

Psychologists for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Psychologists specializing in giftedness and twice-exceptionality offer families deeper understanding of their child’s unique cognitive, emotional, and behavioral needs. These professionals provide both diagnostic clarity and therapeutic support, helping children build resilience and navigate the academic, social, and emotional landscapes they encounter every day.

Here are some excellent psychologists in the Salt Lake City area to check out:

Divergent Psychology — Dr. Courtney Pflieger, PhD, NCSP — Dr. Pflieger is a licensed psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist who has always been drawn to people with uniquely built brains. She focuses on evidence-based practice to serve the complex needs of individuals with ADHD, autism, and other neurodevelopmental differences from childhood through adulthood. Her approach is steeped in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, informed by neuropsychology and behavioral science, and she brings her own lived experience as an ADHD clinician to every client relationship. As she puts it: neurodivergent people deserve something different—and better.

Neurobehavioral Center for Growth (NBCG) — Founded in 2011 by Dr. Natalie Cardinal, NBCG offers comprehensive neuropsychological assessments and evidence-based treatment across the lifespan. Dr. Cardinal’s clinical expertise spans ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, Tourette syndrome, and executive functioning, and her ongoing research focuses on executive functioning interventions and technology-enhanced autism support in school settings. NBCG operates clinics in Bountiful, Salt Lake City, and Layton, making them one of the more geographically accessible options for greater Salt Lake area families.

Mental Health Therapists for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Mental health therapists who specialize in gifted and 2e children play a crucial role in addressing the emotional and psychological needs of these students. These professionals offer therapeutic support for concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma, and school-related challenges, while also helping children and families navigate their unique complexities through individualized, relationship-based approaches.

Here are some great mental health therapists in the Salt Lake City area to check out:

Shade Tree Family Counseling — Josie Bohling, LMFT — Josie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over twenty years of experience supporting teens, families, and neurodivergent individuals. As a parent of neurodivergent children herself, Josie brings both clinical expertise and genuine lived insight to her work. She specializes in neurodivergent-affirming care, trauma recovery, family systems, and teen mental health, using modalities including EMDR, somatic psychotherapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Josie is known for her warm, direct approach that seeks practical solutions while honoring the whole family’s experience.

The Neurodiversity Clinic — A Millcreek-based multidisciplinary clinic built specifically around the belief that every nervous system deserves affirming, personalized care. Their interdisciplinary team offers psychotherapy, occupational therapy, diagnostic assessments for children and adults, medication management, life coaching, and specialized programs including a Neurodivergent Intensive Program and a Neurodivergent College Success track. They specialize in autism, ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, CPTSD, and more, and also offer free support groups and a free social group. Their approach is radically inclusive—welcoming all identities, neurotypes, and backgrounds—making it a particularly safe landing place for families whose kids exist at multiple intersections.

Educational Therapists & Executive Functioning Support for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Many families with gifted and twice-exceptional children find educational therapists and executive functioning professionals to be invaluable resources. Educational therapists work with children to address specific learning challenges using specialized techniques, while executive functioning coaches help students build skills like organization, time management, self-regulation, and problem-solving. Both types of professionals are dedicated to helping students understand how they learn best. For gifted and 2e kids, these experts are especially valuable because they tailor their approach to the child’s individual strengths and learning style.

Here are some skilled educational therapists and executive functioning support professionals in the Salt Lake City area:

Click on Learning — Mariam Herriman, Board Certified Educational Therapist — Mariam earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Utah and a Master’s degree from Northwestern University, and her expertise covers neurodevelopment with a particular focus on language, perception, integration, and executive function. Click on Learning is a private educational therapy clinic serving children, teens, and adults with mild to moderate learning challenges, including dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning deficits, language processing delays, and visual/auditory processing issues. Their goal is to help every person meet their potential by becoming a lifelong learner who understands how they learn best.

Dyslexia Therapy Utah — Kathy Tenney, MS, CALT — Kathy is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and qualified instructor with over thirty years of experience helping children, teens, and adults with dyslexia and related challenges, including those who also have ADHD or autism. Founded in 2021, Dyslexia Therapy Utah serves families through Orton-Gillingham-based approaches including Take Flight, Alphabetic Phonics, and Lindamood Bell, and is a Children First Education Fund approved provider, meaning scholarship funding may be available for private or homeschooled students. Kathy also trains teachers in evidence-based literacy intervention programs.

Heart Vision Coaching — Emily Argyle, MSEd, ACC — A Utah-based certified ADHD and executive function coach and former educational psychologist who specializes in strengths-based support for teens, college students, and neurodivergent individuals navigating school, career, and life transitions. Emily’s coaching approach focuses on identifying the tools and strategies that work with each person’s neurotype rather than against it—helping clients build confidence, academic habits, and self-advocacy skills. She also offers parent support for families of neurodiverse individuals, and provides virtual sessions statewide.

Utah Center for Evidence Based Treatment (UCEBT) — A respected Salt Lake City practice offering evidence-based treatment for ADHD, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and executive functioning coaching to help clients build focus, organization, and practical daily skills. Their team is skilled at working with children, teens, and adults with ADHD and co-occurring challenges, and they offer parent coaching and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) when behavioral support is also needed at home.

Occupational Therapists (OT) for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Occupational therapy is a vital resource for twice-exceptional and gifted children, particularly those who experience challenges with fine motor skills, sensory processing, self-regulation, or daily living tasks. OT helps children build essential life skills, enhance independence, and boost confidence—creating a strong foundation for emotional, social, and academic success.

Here are some great OT resources for gifted and 2e kiddos in the Salt Lake City area:

University of Utah Life Skills Clinic — The Life Skills Clinic at the University of Utah offers specialized occupational therapy to children and adults with autism, ADHD, sensory difficulties, feeding challenges, developmental delays, and other neurobehavioral diagnoses. Their therapists create personalized plans—provided in individual and/or group sessions—designed to help each child become more independent, confident, and fully engaged in their daily routines.

Children in Motion — A family-centered, evidence-based pediatric occupational therapy practice serving children ages 0–18 in the Salt Lake area. Children in Motion specializes in sensory processing, fine and gross motor skills, handwriting, self-care skills, eating and feeding differences, and executive functioning and cognitive skills. What sets them apart is their commitment to involving parents, caregivers, and family members directly in every therapy session, goal-writing process, and treatment decision.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Speech-language therapy is an important resource for many 2e and gifted children, particularly those who experience challenges with social communication, language processing, articulation, or the pragmatics of conversation. For neurodivergent children—especially autistic kids or those with language-based learning differences—working with an SLP who takes a neurodiversity-affirming approach can make all the difference.

Here are some great SLP resources for gifted and 2e kiddos in the Salt Lake City area:

Heyday Speech & Language Therapy — A neurodiversity-affirming, play-based speech therapy practice located in Holladay, UT, with teletherapy available statewide. Heyday specializes in supporting autistic children and other neurodivergent kids, incorporating the gestalt language processing framework, AAC devices, and sensory supports into every child-led session. Their therapy space is thoughtfully designed for regulation—featuring a climbing wall, trampoline, swing, crash pad, and calm lighting—because they know that regulation is the foundation for learning new skills. They serve children ages 2–12 and offer comprehensive speech and language evaluations.

Elevate Speech & Language Therapy — Founded by Elyse Flynn, a neurodiversity-affirming pediatric speech therapist who draws on her personal connection to the Deaf and disability community to provide informed, compassionate care. Elevate specializes in articulation and phonological disorders, receptive and expressive language delays, and feeding challenges, with parent coaching built into every session. Elyse believes that every individual deserves to communicate effectively and independently, and her family-centered approach ensures caregivers feel fully supported and equipped to help their child at home. Online therapy is available to families anywhere in Utah.

Schools for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

For many 2e and gifted children, traditional schools may not provide the specific support they need. Fortunately, there are schools in the greater Salt Lake City area designed to address the unique challenges and strengths of 2e learners, creating environments where children can thrive academically while receiving the individualized support necessary for their development.

Here are some great school options for gifted and 2e students in the Salt Lake City area:

Spectrum Academy — A public charter school and the premier educational option in Utah for students with autism and other neurodiversities. With campuses in North Salt Lake and Pleasant Grove, Spectrum Academy offers small class sizes, individualized instruction, and an innovative social skills curriculum designed to help students reach their fullest potential academically, socially, and emotionally. Founded in 2006 by a group of parents determined to ensure the academic success of their children, Spectrum Academy is built on the belief that a supportive, research-based environment is transformative for neurodiverse learners.

Realms of Inquiry — Founded in 1972, Realms of Inquiry is one of Utah’s most distinctive schools for bright, gifted, creative, and twice-exceptional students in grades 7–12 (with 6th graders considered on a case-by-case basis). Their experiential learning model challenges students to take intellectual risks through hands-on projects, community engagement, outdoor exploration, and international travel. With class sizes capped at 14 students, each student designs a program tailored to their individual interests and learning style, making Realms an especially meaningful fit for 2e learners who need both acceleration and flexibility.

Young Scholars Academy (Virtual) — For Salt Lake City homeschool families seeking rigorous, engaging enrichment classes in subjects their child is truly passionate about, YSA’s virtual platform is a natural fit. From conceptual physics and AP Psychology to Minecraft, Dungeons & Dragons, and anime, YSA’s courses go deep into niche areas while placing your child alongside like-minded peers who share their interests. For homeschooled 2e kids, this can be where the magic happens—finding their people, their mentors, and their confidence, all from home.

Secular Homeschool Groups for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Many families of gifted and 2e children find that homeschooling—or hybrid homeschooling—is the right path for their child, whether because of sensory needs, asynchronous development, school avoidance, or simply a desire for greater flexibility and depth. Finding a secular, inclusive community to homeschool alongside can make all the difference, providing both social connection for kids and support for parents navigating this journey.

Here are some secular homeschool community options for Salt Lake City area families:

Homeschool Enrichment Community of Salt Lake County (HECSLC) — A welcoming, flexible homeschool enrichment hub serving Salt Lake County families, designed around the idea that homeschoolers deserve a community of their own. HECSLC offers academic and extracurricular classes on an à la carte basis, including core academic support, enrichment classes in art, music, STEM, and foreign language, life skills workshops, and interest-based clubs. This allows families to customize their child’s education without sacrificing the freedom that makes homeschooling special. Founded by homeschool parents who couldn’t find what they were looking for, it’s a space where students build friendships, collaborate on projects, and parents build meaningful community together.

Homeschool Hub Utah — Not a group itself, but the most comprehensive free resource directory for Utah homeschoolers, with a searchable database of co-ops, support groups, and enrichment programs across the state filterable by location and type. For Salt Lake City families actively searching for secular or inclusive groups, this is the most practical starting point, as the landscape shifts frequently and the directory stays more current than any static list.

Advocates / IEP Help for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Many families with gifted and twice-exceptional children find advocates and IEP support professionals to be crucial partners in navigating the educational system. Having a knowledgeable advocate in your corner can make all the difference in securing appropriate accommodations, services, and educational plans that truly honor your child’s full profile—both their gifts and their challenges.

Here is a key resource for IEP support in the Salt Lake City area:

Utah Parent Center — A statewide nonprofit organization that has been bringing hope and opening doors for Utah families since 1984, all at no cost to families. The UPC is staffed primarily by parents of children with disabilities who carry out the philosophy of parents helping parents. They provide training, information, referral, and assistance to parents of children and youth with physical, mental, learning, and emotional struggles. The UPC sponsors a cadre of trained IEP coaches who can help you prepare for IEP meetings, understand your rights, navigate school systems, and advocate effectively for your child. They also offer workshops statewide, fact sheets, and one-on-one support from a parent consultant.

IEP Student Center — A Utah-based advocacy organization that takes a bold stance on the state’s special education funding crisis and its impact on children with disabilities. The IEP Student Center focuses on protecting parent and student rights under IDEA, identifying school noncompliance, and providing expert guidance and ideas for getting children the services they deserve. For families who have hit a wall with their district and need more than coaching, the IEP Student Center offers a more assertive form of advocacy specifically focused on Utah’s unique funding and compliance challenges.

Disability Law Center (DLC) — Utah’s designated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agency, a private nonprofit organization with a mission to enforce and advance the legal rights, opportunities, and choices of Utahns with disabilities. The DLC can provide assistance with special education access, disability-based discrimination, and rights under IDEA, and represents families in administrative hearings when needed. For families whose situation has moved beyond informal advocacy into legal territory, the DLC is the most authoritative free legal resource in the state.

Your Education Advocate — A private education advocate serving families in Utah, Arizona, and Colorado who specializes explicitly in special education, gifted education, and twice-exceptional placements. Services include comprehensive records review, phone consulting, and attending IEP or school meetings alongside parents to facilitate and advocate. For 2e families specifically, having an advocate who understands both sides of the 2e profile (the giftedness and the disability )can be transformative in getting schools to honor both in the IEP.

Tutors for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Many families with gifted and twice-exceptional children find tutors to be an invaluable resource in supporting their child’s academic journey. Tutors who understand 2e learners can adapt to each child’s individual learning style, providing the right level of challenge while offering support to overcome specific academic hurdles. Whether it’s advancing in a beloved subject or building confidence in a challenging area, the right tutor helps these students shine.

Here is a tutor resource for gifted and 2e students:

KoolMinds Academy of Learning — A Utah-based learning center with multiple locations in the Salt Lake Valley (including Sandy and Draper) specializing in bright students with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and other learning differences. KoolMinds offers one-on-one and small group tutoring in reading, writing, and math using explicit, multisensory, Orton-Gillingham-based approaches, as well as a 26-week cognitive skills program called BrainWorks that targets focus, working memory, tracking, and auditory discrimination. They also run a micro-private school option for students who need more intensive, full-day support. Their language reflects exactly the right framing: they see these kids as bright first, and their challenges as things to address — not define them. KoolMinds is also an approved provider for the Children First Education Fund special needs scholarship.

Literacy Utah — A reading and dyslexia therapy clinic offering group and private sessions both in-person (Heber City area) and virtually statewide, with a sliding scale fee structure based on financial need — a meaningful differentiator for families already stretched by the costs of 2e support. Their approach is data-driven, using baseline testing to pinpoint exactly where a child’s reading skills break down, then building a customized, science-of-reading-based intervention plan. For the many 2e and gifted children whose reading or decoding struggles mask their true ability, Literacy Utah offers rigorous, targeted support that empowers both child and parent.

Made for Math (Virtual) — Made for Math offers online math intervention specifically designed for 2e students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, or autism. Everything is one-on-one and provided online with highly trained math specialists who understand the unique learning profiles of twice-exceptional kids. This is a wonderful virtual option for Salt Lake City families seeking specialized, neurodivergent-affirming math support without geographic limitations.

Mind Outlet (Virtual) — Michelle Ptacek primarily serves highly and profoundly gifted students in the Davidson Young Scholars program through daily M-F online homerooms covering creative thinking, social-emotional learning, and executive functioning. Her approach draws on research into extreme cognitive profiles and bibliotherapy, giving HG/PG students both the intellectual community and the social-emotional scaffolding that is so rarely available to them in traditional settings. For families whose schedules don’t align with the group homerooms, she also offers 1:1 instruction.

Food / Nutrition / ARFID Support for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Feeding challenges and ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) are significantly more common in neurodivergent children, and they are often deeply tied to sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and the need for sameness and predictability that many 2e kids experience. Finding professionals who approach food and eating through a neurodivergent-affirming lens—without pressure, force, or shame—is essential for these families.

Here are some resources for feeding and nutrition support in the Salt Lake City area:

Primary Children’s Hospital CAFE Clinic — Comprehensive ARFID and Feeding Evaluation — The CAFE Clinic at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital is Utah’s premier multidisciplinary resource for children ages 3–18 with pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) or ARFID. Their well-rounded team includes a pediatric gastroenterologist, behavioral health specialist, pediatric speech and occupational therapists, and a dietitian, all working together to create a customized care plan for each child. For children who qualify, the clinic offers intensive co-treatment sessions combining in-person feeding therapy with virtual behavioral health coaching to help families move toward a more normalized and relaxed approach to mealtimes.

Positive Nutrition — A Salt Lake City-based registered dietitian practice with a specialist approach to ARFID and eating disorders. Dietitian Taylor Dunn, MS, RD — who trained at the University of Utah — has a particular passion and expertise in working with ARFID clients, specializing in building trust and rapport with teens, tweens, and young adults as they work toward a more peaceful relationship with food.

Empathy Nutrition Therapy (Virtual, licensed in Utah) — A virtual neurodivergent-affirming nutrition practice specifically built for ARFID, sensory-based selective eating, autism, and ADHD. Their dietitians use sensory-friendly approaches that honor each client’s food preferences, never force uncomfortable foods, and support families at whatever pace feels right — with gentle, gradual food exploration only if and when the client is ready.

College Applications for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Students

The college application process can be especially challenging for 2e students, whose spiky profiles, unconventional academic paths, and executive functioning challenges don’t always fit neatly into standard application frameworks. Working with a consultant who truly understands twice-exceptionality—someone who knows how to help these students present their authentic strengths and find colleges that will actually support them—is invaluable.

Here are some college application resources for 2e students:

Top College Consultants (Virtual) — Founded by Dr. Eric Endlich, a clinical psychologist and educational consultant who has worked extensively with twice-exceptional, gifted, and neurodivergent students, Top College Consultants is one of the most respected virtual resources for 2e college prep in the country. Dr. Endlich has presented on 2e college preparation for Young Scholars Academy, the Learning Disabilities Association, and dozens of other organizations, and maintains an extensive database of neurodiversity-friendly colleges. Their team helps students with learning differences, ADHD, autism, anxiety, and other challenges navigate the application process, find best-fit schools, and advocate for themselves in college disability services. They offer free resources, recorded webinars, and personalized consulting services.

University of Utah — Center for Disability & Access (CDA) — For 2e students planning to attend the University of Utah, the CDA is the on-campus resource for accommodations, and it’s worth knowing about before you arrive. The CDA has a dedicated Neurodiversity Services manager and offers individualized accessibility consultations, peer-to-peer mentorship, sensory spaces, and classroom accommodations for students with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and other neurodivergent profiles. Connecting with the CDA is one of the most important steps a 2e student can take before their first semester begins — and families preparing college applications should research this resource early so they can ask the right questions during campus visits.

Parent Support Groups & Consultants for Families with Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Parent support groups and consultants are invaluable resources for families of gifted and 2e children, offering community, guidance, and expert advice. These resources empower parents with the knowledge and tools to advocate for their child, foster their child’s strengths, and effectively manage the unique challenges of raising a 2e child—while also reminding parents that they don’t have to do this alone.

Here are some great parent support resources to check out:

Dr. Lori Baudino, PsyD, BC-DMT (Virtual) — Dr. Baudino is a licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified dance/movement therapist with over twenty years of experience supporting children, families, and parents. She specializes in children with sensory processing differences, neurodivergent profiles, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, learning differences, anxiety, and behavioral or emotional challenges—offering both psychological support and a distinctive movement-based, mind-body approach to understanding children’s needs. For parents, she provides comprehensive family treatment, behavioral observation, and parent coaching that helps families not just manage challenges but deeply understand and celebrate their child’s development. She offers virtual services, making her accessible to Salt Lake City families.

YSA Parent Social Club (Virtual) — Young Scholars Academy’s Parent Social Club offers a welcoming virtual space for parents of gifted and twice-exceptional children to connect, celebrate successes, and share challenges. Through engaging activities and supportive discussions, the club fosters a strong sense of community, providing valuable support for parents on their unique journey. It’s a place to build lasting friendships, find encouragement and understanding, and know you’re not navigating this path alone.

Utah Association for Gifted Children (UAGC) — Utah’s statewide nonprofit advocacy and community organization for gifted children and their families, based in Salt Lake City. UAGC advocates for gifted children with policymakers, educators, and community leaders, and provides parents with a network of information, resources, and community connection. Membership benefits include a bi-monthly newsletter with parent and educator resources, conference discounts, a legislative liaison who represents gifted families at the state capitol, and opportunities to connect with local UAGC affiliate chapters.

Social-Emotional and Intellectual Enrichment for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Kids

Gifted and twice-exceptional children thrive in environments that support their intellectual, social, and emotional growth. Enrichment programs offer 2e kids the opportunity to build friendships, explore their passions, and be fully celebrated in a neuro-affirming setting.

Young Scholars Academy is a virtual village that offers strength-based enrichment courses and community for gifted, twice-exceptional, and bright, differently-wired kids ages 5–18, empowering them to develop their strengths, make like-minded friends, and thrive under the loving care of mentors!

With a wide range of subjects from math and science to arts and humanities, YSA challenges students at their own pace while fostering skills like time management, independent learning, and creative thinking. Students connect with like-minded peers and passionate mentors, forming friendships over shared interests such as World War I submarines, Dungeons & Dragons, Minecraft mods, and so much more. These neuro-affirming courses allow 2e children to dive into their passions, build confidence, and thrive socially—all from the comfort of home, fitting perfectly into the busy lives of Salt Lake City families.

Picture a place where your child fits in, is celebrated, mentored, and loves learning the unique content they crave. That is happening every day at YSA for nearly 400 families, and it can happen for your family too!

Conclusion

Supporting twice-exceptional (2e) and gifted children requires a thoughtful, holistic approach that honors both their strengths and challenges. By connecting with neuro-affirming resources such as neuropsychologists, educational therapists, parent support consultants, and occupational therapists, families in the greater Salt Lake City area can create a nurturing environment where their children feel seen, understood, and empowered to reach their fullest potential.

In the Salt Lake City area, a growing network of specialized professionals and support organizations is available to guide families through the complexities of 2e and giftedness. From comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations to IEP advocacy, experiential schools to virtual enrichment, these resources help ensure that children are not only supported in areas where they struggle, but also celebrated for their remarkable gifts.

By embracing a neurodivergent-affirming perspective, parents can empower their children to flourish—academically, socially, and emotionally—while fostering an environment of acceptance, growth, and self-advocacy. With the right resources, every 2e and gifted child can thrive, embracing their unique potential and becoming confident, resilient individuals ready to make their mark on the world.

Remember, the path to success for 2e and gifted children involves recognizing both their strengths and challenges. By seeking out resources that respect neurodiversity and embrace a strengths-based approach, you can provide your child with the support they need to flourish—just as they are.

We want to find the best resources for 2e and gifted kids in as many cities as we can. Did we miss anyone you think we should add to our Salt Lake City list? What city should we explore next? Let us know in the comments!

DISCLAIMER — While we’ve made every effort to ensure the quality of these resources, some of whom are colleagues of Mr. Sam, the resources mentioned in this blog are for informational purposes only and are not endorsed or guaranteed by Young Scholars Academy. We encourage you to do your own due diligence in selecting the right fit for your family. Young Scholars Academy is not responsible for any outcomes or experiences resulting from the use of these resources. It’s important to choose professionals and organizations that align with your values, understand your child’s unique needs, and create an environment where your child can truly thrive.