Highly Sensitive People

What is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?

You spend a lot of time reflecting about the world and your experiences.
You tend to be conscientious and want to do the ‘right thing.’
You have a lot of empathy and tend to take on the feelings of those around you.
You feel like you’re easily overstimulated and have difficulty managing when there’s a lot on your plate.
You tend to have strong emotional reactions and feel more impacted by both positive and negative events.
You are observant and tend to notice details others may not.
You feel more sensitive to sensory stimuli, things like large crowds, noisy environments, fluorescent lighting, strong smells, and certain textures.

Because HSPs want to think everything through, they can have difficulty making decisions. (Think Chidi from A Good Place)
Their ability to empathize and desire to do the right thing can cause them to overextend themselves in social and work relationships.
Their desire not to hurt others and avoid conflict can make it hard to express their own needs.
Chronic overarousal can lead to feeling stressed, burnt out, and overwhelmed.
Since HSPs feel things deeply, they’re sometimes labeled as being “too sensitive” or “overreacting,” which can cause you to feel different and misunderstood.
Because HSPs are conscientious and tend to have strong emotional reactions, they can struggle with feedback/criticism.
As intellectual, deep thinkers, HSPs can struggle with small talk and forming connections.
Due to being more impacted by sensory stimuli, they can feel more uncomfortable in communal work environments or social spaces.

Therapy provides space where you can process your feelings without fear of judgment or labeling.
Explore how much stimulation is right for you and learn how to structure your day/week to prevent overarousal.
Learn how to say ‘no’ and set boundaries.
Gain tools for managing stress/overarousal.
Learn better ways to express yourself and meet your needs.
Explore your strengths as an HSP.