As a psychologist specializing in helping people with the Highly Sensitive Person trait (HSP), I’ve observed that HSPs are prone to pushing themselves to do more, do it better, and make a positive impact on their own lives and the world around them. I love this quality of HSPs. This push towards growth is a sign of health, creativity, and being well-adjusted. But it can come with a dark side if we do not manage our HSP tendencies to overthink and to feel too deeply. We need an HSP growth mindset to balance our drive to grow and our need to do it sustainably.... Read More
9 Best Sleep Practices for the Highly Sensitive Teen
Highly Sensitive Teenagers often have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep. Between all of the physical changes, brain growth, academic challenges, and social-emotional pressures of adolescence, these special kids are dealing with a lot on top of being highly sensitive. In this article, we'll look at best sleep practices for the highly sensitive teen.... Read More
14 Self-Care Ideas for the Highly Sensitive Person
Self-care ideas for the Highly Sensitive Person is an incredibly important topic, one that needs revisiting on a regular basis. Also known as the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Trait, being highly sensitive doesn't mean that you have a disorder or medical diagnosis, it means that you have more mirror neurons in your brain which cause you to pick up on more stimuli in your environment. ... Read More
Speaking and Leadership Skills for the HSP [Essential Guide]
The past three years have taught us so much about leadership, self-care, how valuable everyone's story is. As we emerge from lockdown to a well-rounded life, many Highly Sensitive Leaders have found that they need to speak up and step out of their comfort zones in myriad ways. Speaking and leadership skills for the HSP are no longer optional, they are integral.... Read More
6 Ways to Hold Space for Highly Sensitive People
The Highly Sensitive Person has a finely attuned nervous system, which means they can get easily overwhelmed or overstimulated by their environment. The trait of sensitivity comes with many gifts; however, highly sensitive people often feel the need to ‘hide’ their sensitivity - being told that it is a weakness or they need to ‘toughen up’. Many HSPs can struggle with low self-esteem or a sense that there’s something wrong with them, often pushing aspects of their sensitivity into the shadow. The more a person understands themself as an HSP, the more they can hold space for themselves as well as hold space for highly sensitive people in their lives.... Read More
3 Gifts and 2 Challenges of Highly Sensitive Parents
Parenthood is a nonstop, relentless, physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding job, so when Highly Sensitive Persons (HSP) become parents, they can find that their sensitivity can start to feel like a heavy burden. Over the years, nearly all highly sensitive parents that I’ve worked with has admitted to feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and emotionally and physically spent. This might be your story as well.... Read More
Start Speaking the Language of the High Sensation Seeking, High Sensory Person
The Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) research and subsequent publications have done a considerable service in putting sensitivity on the map to the point where millions of people across the world who connect personally to the Highly Sensitive Person trait have some framework from which to start owning their gifts. But as someone who has both the High Sensation Seeking trait (HSS) and the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) trait in abundance, my own process of owning my sensitivity has been an unusual one. ... Read More
3 Key Secrets from Early Childhood Mental Health for Highly Sensitive Parents
The field of early childhood mental health is exciting and holds much hope for those of us blessed with Highly Sensitive Children (whether we know they are sensitive or not). Through my work in this field, I've helped many parents overcome challenging situations and find joy in parenting again by uncovering sensitive behaviors in their children and addressing needs, early on. In this article, I'll share three key secrets from early childhood mental health for Highly Sensitive Parents.... Read More
4 Strategies to Avoid Holiday Overwhelm as a Highly Sensitive Person
Are you wondering how to avoid holiday overwhelm as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)? As a young woman who didn’t fully understand what it meant to be an HSP, my way of coping was to embrace my inner grinch. It’s going to be so stressful, I would think, so much commotion, so many demands, so many disappointments.... Read More
Finding Your Freedom as a Highly Sensitive Person
It can be hard to find your freedom in being highly sensitive. Before understanding the Highly Sensitive Person trait, I felt as though my sensitivity was a trap and something I couldn't handle well. I was afraid that I'd cry unexpectedly if someone criticized me at work. I was fearful that my boss would give me too many projects and I'd feel so quickly overwhelmed that I'd lose my cool. I avoided confrontation at all costs, knowing it would send me into a tailspin. Until I discovered the HSP trait in midlife, I had virtually no understanding of what it meant to be highly sensitive. Today, Finding your freedom as a Highly Sensitive Person is a reality within reach.... Read More