Therapy for Highly Sensitive People

Here is a self-test to see if you may have the Highly Sensitive Trait: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/

Please note that being a Highly Sensitive Person, or HSP, is not a medical diagnosis or disorder. It is a naturally-occurring trait that makes up a minority of the population.

As an HSP, you absorb the world around you much more intensely than others.

You may feel immense joy in the small subtleties and details of life. The warmth of sunshine, the smell of blooming flowers, reading a good book, or petting a cat.

You may feel more prone to overwhelm and absorbing negative parts of life, from uncomfortable sensory elements (e.g., bright lights, loud sounds) to being more affected by stress, arguments, trauma. You may need more downtime to decompress than other people.

You may feel misunderstood or undervalued.

I strongly believe that sensitivity can be a beautiful trait, and at the same time, it is important to build self-understanding, self-compassion, and craft your environment to best fit your life.

It is possible to identify as a Highly Sensitive Person AND neurodivergent in another way, such as being autistic or having ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, and more.

So much can overlap as a Highly Sensitive Person and other types of neurodivergence, and truthfully, there is much that is unknown that providers and researchers are only beginning to understand.

Your lived experiences in the world are valid. Many people find solace, understanding, and community in the term Highly Sensitive Person, which tends to be much more strengths-based as a concept.

If you are interested in learning more, I highly recommend starting with Elaine Aron's book The Highly Sensitive Person. She also has books on children, parenting, love/relationships, and more.