Hopelessly Gifted Podcast

Mark Talaga
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Why can gifted kids excel at the complex but struggle with the simple? Hosted by Mark Talaga, The Hopelessly Gifted Podcast helps families understand how to bridge the developmental gaps gifted children face everyday. Through personal, human stories and conversations with insightful specialists the Hopelessly Gifted Podcast, sometimes irreverently, addresses issues with the gifted that bring parents both pain and joy and offers relief and resources to help find humanness in the extremes.

  1. MAR 2

    31: How Do Parents of Gifted Kids Reduce Burnout? with Jen Merrill

    Mark Talaga talks with writer and parent advocate, Jen Merrill, about how burnout is a common reality for parents of gifted and complex, neurodivergent kids. Jen shares what helps parents of gifted kids, herself included, and discusses the challenges these parents face as they scaffold and support their kids. Host: Mark Talaga Music: Petren J Music Contact Mark Talaga: Email: marktalaga@live.com ⁠Website⁠ IG:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopelesslygifted⁠ | FB: ⁠@hopelesslygifted Contact Jen Merrill: Website: laughingatchaos.com IG: @jenlaughs | FB: @LaughingAtChaos

    36 min

  2. FEB 16

    30:  What If My Complex Kid Needs an Escalated Level of Care? with Caroline Gulick and Julie Kastelan

    Mark is joined by Caroline Gulick & Julie Kastelan to discuss the realities of elevated care for gifted and neurodivergent individuals. They talk through what it means to be in residential treatment, partial-hospitalization, or intensive outpatient programs and how parents can determine what level of care their child may need. Host: Mark Talaga Music: Petren J Music Contact Mark Talaga: Email: marktalaga@live.com ⁠Website⁠ IG:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopelesslygifted⁠ | FB: ⁠@hopelesslygifted Contact Caroline Gulick: LinkedIn Contact Julie Kastelan: LinkedIn

    42 min

  3. FEB 2

    29: What Role Does the Mind-Body Connection Play in My Gifted Kid’s Progress? with Jen Bluske

    Occupational Therapist and Parent Coach, Jen Bluske, joins host Mark Talaga to explore the mind-body connection that often goes overlooked in gifted children and adults. Jen provides wonderful insights into how to practically help create bodily awareness and the lasting impact that has on our children. Host: Mark Talaga Music: Petren J Music Contact Mark Talaga: Email: marktalaga@live.com ⁠Website⁠ IG:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopelesslygifted⁠ | FB: ⁠@hopelesslygifted Contact Jen Bluske: Children’s Therapy Network Thriving Parents Collective Where They’re Planted Podcast

    35 min

  4. JAN 19

    28: How Can I Feel Less Alone While Parenting My Gifted Kid? with Teresa Nair

    Mark Talaga speaks with Teresa Nair, an expert in cognitive diversity education who empowers parents to see their child’s struggles not simply as deficits. Mark and Teresa discuss Teresa’s journey from tech to teaching, her work supporting neurodivergent families, and offer insights on advocacy and community building for parents of neurodiverse kids. Host: Mark Talaga Music: Petren J Music Contact Mark Talaga: Email: marktalaga@live.com ⁠Website⁠  IG:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopelesslygifted⁠ | FB: ⁠@hopelesslygifted Contact Teresa Nair: Website: https://www.reel2e.org/ Instagram: @reel.2e

    33 min

  5. 12/22/2025

    27: How Can I Support My Gifted Child's Unique Path? with Orion Couling

    Mark Talaga is joined by Orion Cooling, the award-winning founder and specialist in project based learning who has found career success by being “eclectically employed” and personal success by advocating for creativity in inclusion. Mark and Orion discuss how to help gifted children follow their own authentic paths while working with and through systems to achieve their goals. Host: Mark Talaga Music: Petren J Music Contact Mark Talaga: Email: marktalaga@live.com ⁠Website⁠ IG:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopelesslygifted⁠ | FB: ⁠@hopelesslygifted Contact Orion Couling: Website: www.orioncoulingnola.com Instagram: @nawlins_crawlins Email: orion.cooling@gmail.com Movie: No Easy Target Podcast: Shadow Carriers

    53 min

  6. 12/08/2025

    26: How Do I Navigate the Holidays with My Gifted Kid?

    Mark discusses strategies for managing holiday stress when traveling and attending family gatherings with gifted, neurodivergent children. He offers specific strategies to help prepare, set expectations, and support emotional regulation for the whole family to lead to a joyful and fulfilling holiday season. Host: Mark Talaga Music: Petren J Music Contact Mark Talaga: Email: marktalaga@live.com ⁠Website⁠ IG:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopelesslygifted⁠ | FB: ⁠@hopelesslygifted

    27 min

  7. 11/24/2025

    25: How Can Parents Plan for the Big Transition to College? with Julie Murphy

    Mark is joined by college consultant and business owner, Julie Murphy, to share about college transitions from the perspective of the families at home as their child launches. Mark and Julie discuss how parents and siblings can scaffold to prepare this big family change to set the whole family up for success. Host: Mark Talaga Music: Petren J Music Contact Mark Talaga: Email: marktalaga@live.com ⁠Website⁠  IG:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopelesslygifted⁠ | FB: ⁠@hopelesslygifted Contact Julie Murphy: Website: www.waverly-consulting.com/

    36 min

  8. 11/10/2025

    24: Why Won’t My Kid Talk About Their Day?

    Mark discusses why many kids struggle to answer the question "how was your day?" and how the reasons behind these processing and recall challenges are more developmental than parents may think. He explores the issues of how to help support kids who can't express what they're going through or push people away who are trying to help and offers prompts for reflection to help parents model these skills for their kids. Host: Mark Talaga Music: Petren J Music Contact Mark Talaga: Email: marktalaga@live.com ⁠Website⁠  IG:⁠ ⁠⁠@hopelesslygifted⁠ | FB: ⁠@hopelesslygifted

    29 min
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5
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Why can gifted kids excel at the complex but struggle with the simple? Hosted by Mark Talaga, The Hopelessly Gifted Podcast helps families understand how to bridge the developmental gaps gifted children face everyday. Through personal, human stories and conversations with insightful specialists the Hopelessly Gifted Podcast, sometimes irreverently, addresses issues with the gifted that bring parents both pain and joy and offers relief and resources to help find humanness in the extremes.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Talaga
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mark Talaga
  • Show Website
    Hopelessly Gifted Podcast