Journey Into Your Rainforest Mind: A Field Guide for Gifted Adults and Teens, Book Lovers, Overthinkers, Geeks, Sensitives, Brainiacs, Intuitives, Procrastinators, and Perfectionists

by Paula Prober

Selected posts from the popular blog Your Rainforest Mind--Support for the Excessively Curious, Creative, Smart, & Sensitive along with specific strategies and resources to guide your journey back to authenticity, purpose, love, and to finally deciding what color to paint your living room.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Self Help

178 pages, Paperback

Published June 18, 2019

About the author

Paula Prober is a licensed counselor in private practice in Eugene, OR, USA. She counsels gifted adults in Oregon and consults with parents of gifted children and with gifted adults internationally. She's been a teacher and presenter with University of Oregon, Oregon State University and Pacific University. Paula has presented on the topic of the social-emotional needs of the gifted at various conferences and webinars. Paula's blog Your Rainforest Mind can be found at http://rainforestmind.wordpress.com.

Reviews

[Noe · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say, You read too much. I say, So many books, so little time.

[Paige Kieding · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - well-written and insightful, thought-provoking, helped me learn a lot about myself and feel seen in a way i very rarely do. it’s given me a lot to think about (and a lot to talk to my therapist about), which is amazing. what i didn’t like is how a) at times it felt very elitist (though i know she said she did her best to make it not sound like this). it’s a hard topic to tackle without sounding a bit condescending, and though i did relate to all the examples in the book, it feels a bit wrong to see others who don’t identify as rainforest minds as more simple-minded and in some ways oblivious. and b) though i know mental health misdiagnoses are common for HSPs, as a HSP and as someone with a mental health condition (and as someone who works with people with mental health conditions) it feels very clear to me that having a rainforest mind is something that very often coexists with mental illness. just because we may be more complex, more sensitive, more perceptive, more passionate, etc and these are all super awesome qualities doesn’t mean we can’t also have our neuroses and our “issues” that we are very much responsible for working through.

[bee! ʚɞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. While it felt repetitive at times, the message resonated with me deeply. The right book truly has a way of showing up at the right time. ♡

[Berlyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

god I hate this book. I can tell she is trying to do some good, like the intention is there. This just is not my thing in the slightest. I feel like if this woman were my therapist she would just gaslight me into thinking that I don't have anxiety or ADHD and that its all a result of my rAiNfOReSt mINdddd. Also, not taking the time to get someone to properly edit your work is not quirky, its just annoying and cringy

[Annika Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reads more like an instruction manual / workbook more than a novel, but I tore through it quickly and will likely reference it again when I feel the need.

I love Paula’s conversational tone throughout. I love that she wrote a book devoted to gifted people in teens and adulthood. I wish there were more resources like this!

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. loved. this. book!

Will definitely reread it some time! Thank you Paula Prober, for making me feel understood!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fairly light quick read, with some useful gems of information. I've some useful leads to follow up on now.

[Cambria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed. 💚

[Esmé Boom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feeling pretty ambiguous about this. Some good stuff, often times very very very cringe.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's like a devotional for the gifted. A nice compact collection of suggestions, resources, and sympathy. I like the books with more case studies better because it makes things seem more immediate and connected. The only thing I would change in this book is a little extra editing to distinguish it as a book on its own beyond a collection of blog posts.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book existed 25 years ago and that I'd read it then.

[Kendra Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and insightful read into myself!

As soon as I read the story of the mother of the 8 year old (which I happen to be right now), I knew this book was for me. Reading it gave me so many aha moments. I have gained a newfound sense of appreciation for myself and my child. I now enjoy a deeper understanding of who I really am and why I can never accept things as they are. Why I've never been satisfied with the status quo. I definitely recommend this for anyone who struggles with never accomplishing anything because of being a perfectionist coupled with have the potential to do so much because they know how to do so much. This is my biggest struggle. I'm extremely happy I found this book!

[Katy L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I realized that this is a collection of blog posts, as other books that I’ve read with this format have seemed to lack depth. However, I have enjoyed the author’s Facebook posts, so it was a great read for me. I have read dozens of books about raising and teaching asynchronous learners (I’m not a big fan of the term “gifted”), but very few that guide adults with similar characteristics. I appreciate the efforts made by the author to help readers see the many benefits of being deep-thinking, sensitive, and curious adults! A great tool for self-acceptance for those that feel that their adorable quirks make them feel like outsiders.

[Chandni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I most definitely felt seen as soon as I started reading this book and I am extremely grateful for psychotherapists who are taking the time to provide more help to this group of humans. However, I did feel (a lot of times) that this book could have been a much better read with some editing. I understand that posts from a blog could contain the same keywords and information over and over but it would make for a more enriching and enjoyable reading experience with the least amount repetition. Or may be it was just me? I really don't know. Either way, I highly recommend this to anyone who identifies with many of those terms in the title :) It helps a lot, actually.

[Andreea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reached me in the middle of a burnout recovery and for the first time in my life, it made me feel fully seen, understood, fully accepted as I am. I truly enjoyed the case studies, the fluid way of writing, the journal prompts and the many many resources and books and communities to further investigate after reading this book. The only wish I would have is that the next book feels less a collection of blog posts and more as a text structured for a book flow. Either way, content wise, amazing, and it came in my life when I needed it the most. Never too late to increase your self awareness and to help with your healing journey. <3 Thank you Paula for writing this book!

[Danny Lloyd-jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read a book that felt like it was speaking directly to me. So much practical advice and it’s really helping me to reframe my life. It’s like I saw my upbringing with blurry vision and this book gave me glasses to finally see for the first time what was actually going on. I took a star away for some editing errors and some assumptions that I wasn’t a huge fan of but overall I really enjoyed the book. Also, I really don’t like either of the terminologies “giftedness” or “rainforest mind”. I wish there was another terminology that could be used that doesn’t sound elitist and embarrassing.

[Sampada Chaudhari · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I discovered I’m introverted, intuitive and highly sensitive I felt understood. Now reading about rainforest minds I’m feeling deeply understood. It’s put into perspective many things in my life and work. I now know why I excel at my things and necessarily go deep into anything I take up. I understand why I struggle with taking up one interest and making that into a career. This book has been amazingly relatable, insightful and enriching for me. Thank you Dr Paula Prober for writing about Rainforest Minds.

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Paula’s work. I knew I needed this work when I stumbled upon the “gifted community” a few months ago after having recently been diagnosed with neurodivergence in my mid 30s. I love the description of RFM and identify with so much of it. It has helped me feel seen and understood. A wonderful and integral tool for anyone with a rainforest mind on their journey of healing and self development and integration x

[Ginny Kaczmarek · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as self help books go, I found this one cozy and comforting like a warm blanket. It’s a bit thin as far as getting into nitty-gritty science & psychology, but I enjoyed the writing prompts and the overall message: you’re different, and that’s okay. It’s a good workbook for folks who journal and want to explore their oddness from a positive angle.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of blog posts, and it certainly reads that way. Love the topic, the posts. Wish it were a more cohesive narrative. Read the other book first, but this is a nice companion.

[Leen Speller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this to be a better parent to my kids, ended up learning a lot about myself.

[Sara Pollet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want more.
It's just as if the writer is in my head.
Thank you for the insides and the paradime switch.