Highly Sensitive Persons (HSP)

Psychologist, Dr. Elaine Aron, first coined the term Highly Sensitive Person to describe a neurodivergent individual who often has an increased or deeper central nervous system sensitivity to social, physical, or emotional stimuli.

Does this sound like you?

• You feel everything deeply and often have strong emotions

• You tend to get overwhelmed easily by stress at work or in relationships

• You withdraw/isolate when you’re overwhelmed, perhaps retreating to solitude or a public bathroom to cry or regroup

• You are a perfectionist or people-pleaser, and can be strongly self-critical

• You are more impacted by busy places/large crowds, hot/cold temperatures, scratchy fabrics or tags, loud noises, or strong smells than other people

• You struggle with changes/transitions and making decisions (especially under time pressure)

• You need alone time to decompress after a busy day or social outing

• You struggle to let go of things that have happened or been said, chewing it over a long time

• You frequently feel worried, anxious or emotionally exhausted and don’t know why

• You have trouble getting to sleep because of everything on your mind

If these resonate with you, you may be a highly sensitive person. This isn’t a disorder diagnosis, but rather a normal trait that occurs naturally as part of an inborn temperament. It exists not only in humans, but across over 100 other species studied, and is believed to be perpetuated because it is helpful for survival from an evolutionary standpoint. (Every tribe needs some members who can pick up on potential dangers and subtitles - like good food sources - that others miss).

While being “sensitive” may feel like a burden to you or even frustrating at times, with the help of therapy, you’re going to learn that it’s actually a superpower to embrace!

WHAT IF YOU COULD…

• Learn to manage your strong emotions without getting overwhelmed or withdrawing

• Get off the emotional roller coaster and stay calm even when things feel intense

• Stop worrying and feeling stressed so your natural intelligence can shine through

• Choose when you want to let something go so that you can fall asleep more easily or relax

• Stop feeling like you’re broken, have to hide your sensitivity or “toughen up”

• Learn how to work with your sensitivity so that you can improve your relationships

• Embrace your sensitivity and find your unique gifts / strengths so they can work for you!

These are all possible! Book a consultation and we can talk about what therapy might look like for you!