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Psychological and Educational Services for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional (2e) Kids, Teens, and Adults

Summit Center provides assessments, counseling, coaching, and consultation for gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) children, teens, adults, and families. Our team of psychologists, educators, and consultants uses a collaborative, strengths-based approach to understand the “why” behind a person’s behavior and provide a roadmap for personal, parenting, school, and life decisions. We have offices in the East Bay area, (Walnut Creek), in the North Bay area (Mill Valley), and Southern California (Torrance), and offer many services virtually.

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What services does Summit Center offer?

Assessments

We conduct tailored evaluations to map out an individual’s unique cognitive and emotional landscape. These assessments investigate key areas of daily functioning, including intellectual capacity, academic achievement, neuropsychological processing (like attention, executive functioning, and memory), and social-emotional development. We tailor every evaluation around your specific goals to ensure the findings provide meaningful, actionable answers.

Counseling

We provide individual, family, couples, and group therapy utilizing a strengths-based, developmental framework. Our clinicians support clients navigating a range of clinical and life challenges, including anxiety, depressive symptoms, perfectionism, asynchronous development, neurodivergence, and social-relational difficulties, focusing on building resilience and adaptive coping strategies

Coaching &
Consultation

Targeted support for navigating neurodivergence, ADHD, executive functioning, and the unique realities of raising or being a gifted or 2e individual. We provide professional development, career coaching, and consultation for parenting, school fit, major life transitions, and professional growth.

Educational
Therapy

Distinct from tutoring, our educational therapists support individuals with learning differences (such as dyslexia and dyscalculia) and the unique challenges of asynchronous development. We target organization, time management, and foundational gaps to help unevenly developing learners build confidence and independence.

Parent
Education

Workshops, classes, webinars, and discussion groups where parents share concerns and gain support from others with similar experiences.

Do you work with neurodivergent children, teens, and adults?

Yes. Summit Center provides neurodiversity-affirming assessments, counseling, and coaching for neurodivergent children, teens, and adults, including those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning and processing differences, from offices in Walnut Creek and Torrance, California, and through telehealth. Many of the people we work with are neurodivergent, gifted, or both.

Neurodivergence represents a natural variation in how the brain functions. Our assessment process is strengths-based and empowering, designed to identify both your innate cognitive assets and the underlying challenges or deficits that may be getting in the way. Rather than focusing solely on what is difficult, we evaluate how you or your child learn, feel, and experience life. This comprehensive understanding allows us to help you adapt your home, school, and work environments to better fit your unique profile.

Why is my child struggling?

Nobody knows your child better than you do. If you sense that something is going on, you may be right, even if teachers or pediatricians have not seen it yet. Bright children can struggle with reading, writing, attention, friendships, anxiety, or big emotions, and the reasons are not always obvious. Children are complex, developing at many levels at once. An assessment can uncover what is really happening so you can stop guessing and start helping.
Read more: Why is my child struggling?

Is my child gifted or twice-exceptional (2e)?

You might notice advanced vocabulary, an excellent memory, heightened emotional depth and sensitivity, or unusual math ability. Gifted children are often described as “too much”: too intense, too sensitive, too curious. A child who is both gifted and has a learning, attentional, emotional or behavioral challenge is called twice-exceptional, or 2e. Because the strengths and challenges can mask each other, 2e kids are frequently missed at school and sometimes misdiagnosed.
Read more: Is my child gifted and/or 2e?

How do I know if my child needs an assessment?

If your child is bright but not performing in school, melting down at home, avoiding schoolwork, or struggling with friendships, an assessment can explain why. A comprehensive assessment at Summit Center looks at cognitive abilities, academic skills, executive functioning, processing, memory, personality, and behavior. Each one is tailored to your family’s questions, and you leave with a clear picture of your child’s strengths and challenges plus specific recommendations.
Read More: How do I know if an evaluation is needed?

Are you a gifted adult feeling misunderstood at work or in relationships?

Are you a gifted adult feeling misunderstood at work or in relationships? Whether you are navigating childhood challenges, exploring a new diagnosis, or facing questions about identity, career, and parenting, we can help. We provide tailored assessment, counseling, and coaching to help neurodivergent, gifted and 2e adults navigate sensitivity, intensity, ADHD, and the pursuit of meaningful work and life experiences.
Read More: Services for gifted adults

Our Expertise

Summit Center’s team of professionals offers a wide array of expertise to help children, teens, adults, or families deal with these issues:

Reach an expert
ADD/ADHD Anxiety Asynchronous development Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Dyslexia Executive-functioning issues Giftedness Learning and attention issues Perfectionism Sadness and depression Stress Twice-exceptional (2e)

Where is Summit Center located?

Summit Center has offices in Walnut Creek (San Francisco Bay Area) and Torrance (Los Angeles area), with counseling available in Marin. Many of our services, including some assessments, consultations, and counseling, are available virtually for families throughout California. Call (925) 939-7500 in Northern California or (310) 478-6505 in Southern California, or email inquiry@summitcenter.us.
Walnut Creek
East Bay · main office
(925) 939-7500
Torrance
Southern California
(310) 478-6505
Marin
Counseling
(925) 939-7500
Contact Us

Common Questions

What is the difference between gifted and 2e?
A gifted person has advanced cognitive abilities. A twice-exceptional (2e) person is gifted and also has a learning, attention, emotional, or developmental challenge such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, or anxiety. 2e individuals possess both high-ability strengths and unique neurodivergent challenges.
Do you offer virtual appointments?
Yes. Many consultations, counseling sessions, and portions of assessments can be done virtually. Our doctoral trainee program also offers reduced-fee evaluations and counseling, virtual when possible.
Do I need a referral or diagnosis to start?
No. Most families come to us with questions, not diagnoses. An initial conversation helps us recommend the right starting point. We also, however, offer consultations for those who are wondering about their evaluations from other professionals.
What ages does Summit Center work with?
We work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. It is never too early or too late to understand how you or your child learns and experiences the world.

Read more of our common questions here.

PODCAST

Make It A Great One with Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Peters invites you to discover your purpose, explore new possibilities, and live in alignment with your authentic self. Each episode features inspiring interviews with thought leaders and experts designed to ignite hope, deepen self-awareness, and provide actionable guidance and wisdom to empower you to become a better version of yourself and make a positive impact on the world around you. Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, or the show page.

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In Crisis?

For a behavioral or mental health crisis, call or text 988 or chat on 988lifeline.org

Trevor Project Lifeline (LGBTQ youth): 866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678