Beyond Perfection: Psychological Flexibility and well-being in gifted education

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Gifted learners are often encouraged to aim high, work hard, and excel—but what happens when the pursuit of excellence becomes a source of fear, exhaustion, and self-doubt? This keynote invites educators, counselors, and school leaders to look beyond perfection and reimagine gifted education as a space where brilliance and well-being grow together. Drawing on the framework of psychological flexibility from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), the keynote explores how gifted learners can be supported to pursue challenge, creativity, and high achievement without becoming trapped by rigid standards or fear of failure. With insights from research and practice, including work with Chinese gifted learners in high-pressure contexts, the session will offer a hopeful vision for schools: environments that nurture courage, humanity, resilience, and sustainable excellence in every gifted student.