Highly Sensitive Person Support
Helping you deal with overwhelm and let your gifts shine through
Do any of these sound like you?
You feel things deeply and often have strong emotions
You tend to get overwhelmed easily by stress in relationships or at work
You are a people pleaser or a perfectionist, and can be strongly critical of yourself
Your inner world is alive and present, you think deeply.
You are more impacted by hot/cold temperatures, loud noises, or strong smells, busy places/large crowds, than other people
You are perceptive of and deeply moved by beauty, art & nature
You were told to “not be too sensitive” or to “toughen up” growing up
You struggle with transitions/changes and making decisions
You frequently feel anxious, worried or emotionally exhausted and don’t know why
You might be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
Don’t worry, there is nothing wrong with you and you’re not alone! Highly sensitive persons make up at least 20% of the population, and there are certain brain differences that make us (yes, I am one too) more susceptible to stress, depression, anxiety, feeling misunderstood in relationships and overwhelming emotions. We are born with these super-sensing brains, but no one has taught us to use it well and bring out our gifts.
Until now.
Don’t worry, there is nothing wrong with you. It is not a disorder or a diagnosis, it is a completely normal trait around 20 percent of humans are born with. It is well studied and is thought to serve important evolutionary benefits. HSPs are the members in a group who are finely tuned to the emotional states/needs of others and can pick up on subtleties in the environment that don’t even register for other people. Being an HSP is actually a gift!
While every HSP is different, it’s most likely that you process things deeply, you are highly emotionally responsive/empathetic to others, sense subtleties, and tend to get overwhelmed with too much stimulation.
Given how much we (yes, I am one too) pick up on everything and process things deeply, it is easy for HSPs to become emotionally exhausted or overstimulated. This can result in anxiety, intense emotions, feeling misunderstood/relationship challenges/isolation, and an overall feeling of overwhelm. But this doesn’t have to be the whole story! With the proper tools and emotion regulation techniques, HSPs can live with ease and bring out their gifts!
Imagine, What If You Could…
⁍ Learn to slow down the emotional roller-coaster and stay calm even when your emotions are strong.
⁍ Stop the anxiety and stress cycles, so your natural calm and intelligence can come through.
⁍ Learn to set healthy boundaries/limits with others (e.g., saying “no”), prioritize yourself.
⁍ Fall asleep more easily and relax.
⁍ Stop feeling like you’re broken somehow, that you must hide your sensitivity or "be tough"
⁍ Learn to work with sensitivity in order to improve your relationships
⁍ Embrace sensitivity and find your unique personality gifts and strengths so they can serve you!
Being an HSP is a gift!
Being an HSP can be a gift - once you know how to work with it! It is certainly true that the over-stimulation and high tempo of modern life can weigh on HSPs. But when we know how to live in a way that honors our special nature, the strengths of being an HSP come out. When in their element, HSPs tend to be;
Very empathetic, compassionate, and concerned with the feelings of others
Intelligent, intuitive, and insightful, often noticing nuances that others lack
Dedicated colleagues/students
Creative in one or multiple areas of life (art, writing, music, problem-solving, etc.)
Deeply moved by art or nature and connected with animals
Deep thinkers and fast learners.
It’s really more of a superpower when you know to harness it.
As a mental health counselor and an HSP myself, I specialize in supporting Highly Sensitive People in; understanding and accepting their unique nature, overcoming the HSP specific challenges they are experiencing, having personal, romantic, and professional lives where their sensitivity gifts shine through.
These abilities make HSPs especially good problem solvers that see things others don’t, good leaders and valuable group members, creative people who can see/feel deeper than what is readily present, and caring and attentive friends/partners when they are in their element. It is actually a gift when we know how to harness it.
What does counseling/coaching look like for HSP?
A lot of people never heard about the highly sensitive trait until we started working together, so I usually start by providing as much information and resources about this trait as possible. Often, clients come to me feeling that they are “just different” or “something is wrong with them”. So, finding out what the trait of high sensitivity really means will clear up a lot of the myths and lies that Western society breeds about sensitivity. You don't have to fix it!
With that said, there may be some areas in your life that might be giving you discomfort not knowing how to deal with your sensitivities (e.g. you experience stress, anxiety, depression, etc.). It's very common because our society doesn't do a very good job of understanding - let alone teaching - people about sensitivity and how to handle it. I work with each client to define what your challenges are and teach you how to manage your sensitivity so that it no longer leads to over-stimulation that gets in the way of your life or work.
Learning to work with your unique sensitivities can take many forms, and together we'll assess which one is best for you. I often teach clients mindfulness/awareness practices to help create a deeper understanding of emotions and patterns in their lives that may not be working, then we add skills and techniques to handle things more effectively.
Don't worry, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to do a formal sitting meditation! I incorporate a variety of methodologies into my practice, including the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to work with negative thought patterns, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) to work with strong emotions, and mindfulness-based techniques to calm the nervous system. You always have a choice of how we approach your treatment, and I work with my clients to determine what works best for each person. If you want to learn more and get a personalized plan, sign up for the free consultation call below to explore your options.