top of page
Snowy Landscape.jpg

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.

How does this impact day-to-day life?

  • 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.

How can therapy help?

  • 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.  

bottom of page