The Wisdom Within

Have you ever been told... that you are too sensitive? too shy? that you are overreacting?

Have you ever wondered why... you are so affected by the moods of others? you think too much and too deep? you have a hard time with conflict and criticism?

Have you been diagnosed with or wonder if you have... social anxiety disorder?
generalized anxiety disorder? perfectionism? depression? low self-esteem?

You may relate to being a highly sensitive person.

This innate trait (not a mental health diagnosis) has been researched by psychologist Elaine Aron and others and has since helped many individuals gain more understanding of themselves.
Unsure if you relate?
Here is a link to Elaine Aron's highly sensitive self-test.
This is also a link to the self-test for children where you can answer the questions from the perspective of you as a child.

There are four characteristics of high sensitivity, placed within the acronym D.O.E.S

Depth of Processing

Highly sensitive individuals have a nervous system that processes physical, mental, and emotional stimuli at a deeper level compared to those who are not as sensitive. They tend to think more about things, and also look for deeper meaning in them. This can result in longer decision making, being more reflective with life decisions, and also looking for hobbies and careers that they find meaningful. Sometimes on an unconscious level, a highly sensitive person will use their gut instincts and intuition more.

Overarousal

Highly sensitive individuals take in every little detail of their environment, whether it be that noises are louder, smells are stronger, or the crowd is just too big. This overstimulation can easily lead to overarousal and exhaustion, and happens at a quicker rate than for those who are not as sensitive.

Emotional Responsiveness
& Empathy

Highly sensitive individuals feel emotions more intensely, having an elevated response to both negative and positive stimuli. Beautiful aspects of life may fill one up with deep pleasure, but on the contrary, highly sensitive individuals will often feel the pain and heaviness of the world.

Highly sensitive people may also be more in tune with how others feel, causing them to be easily affected by and absorb the moods of others.

Sensing the Subtle

One may notice tiny details that other people miss, like being more attuned to non-verbal cues, small sounds, a fabric texture, or if something changed in the environment.

Hi, I'm Steph!

After discovering that I too am a highly sensitive person, I found that life became easier. My high sensitivity did not go away, but my ability to navigate and accommodate it increased.

People pleasing and social anxiety symptoms lessened. My feeling of being different from peers and colleagues made more sense. Further, my self-confidence also started to shine through more.

Because of this, I now specialize in helping those who are highly sensitive as well, both clients and fellow therapists.

If anything on this page seems like it is speaking to you, please feel free to reach out for a complimentary consultation. I would love to meet you and see how I can assist!

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