I’m Steph. A Registered Psychotherapist, wife, dog mom, and highly sensitive person.
If you’ve found your way here, chances are you share this sensitivity too.

 

I would love to say that I always embraced my sensitive qualities in a positive way, but this unfortunately was not the case. It was only in my mid-twenties that I started to recognize the positives of being sensitive, instead of only seeing it as a drawback. As most of you can probably relate, this can happen when you are told multiple times growing up that you are too sensitive (and not in a nice way).

 

It was then a few years later that I learned that 'Highly Sensitive Person' is a recognized temperament, one that 20-30% of the population is inherently born with. 

Yes, this means that your nervous system is actually designed differently!

Once I discovered this, many lightbulbs went off as to why I felt and responded certain ways all my life, and why I always felt a bit too fragile for this world. 

The more I accepted that I experience the world a bit differently, the better I was able to cope day to day, both in my personal life and in my career. I would often describe myself as just an anxious person - anxious about pretty much everything.

Once I discovered that my sensitivity (and my strong subconscious efforts to not appear so sensitive to others) were underneath the anxiety, I was suddenly able to tackle more in my life.

I also reframed past childhood experiences with this new information. Instead of cringing or criticizing past events that were filled with anger, sadness, guilt and shame, I understood more of what was going on for my younger self in those moments, and was able to work through and release some of the pain with various therapy and holistic tools.

I do believe that things happen in the timing they are meant to, but I also wish I learned some of it earlier too. Because of this, I now joyfully specialize in helping others who are highly sensitive as well, both clients and other therapists. 

Click here to find out more about my approach and credentials, and here to see the various therapies I practice. 

 

I look forward to meeting you!