Highly Sensitive Person

Are You a Highly Sensitive Person?
Are you:

  • intuitive, empathic, psychic?
  • sensitive to light, noise, sound, smells, temperature?
  • affected by the energy & emotions of others?
  • more emotional than others you know?
  • someone who needs adequate rest and time alone?
  • conscientious?
  • someone who processes information deeply?
  • often feeling that you are different from “everyone else”?
  • highly imaginative?
  • seen by others as shy?
  • sensitive to criticism?
  • someone who avoids violent movies/TV shows?If you have answered “yes!” to some of these questions, you may be a highly sensitive person (HSP). Perhaps you are not an HSP, but are close to someone who is. If you are an HSP, or love someone who is, keep reading! According to psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron, only 15 – 20% of the population are born with nervous systems that are highly sensitive. Because we are a minority, it can be a common experience for an HSP to ask themselves, “What’s wrong with me?” Next time you find yourself asking that question, try asking, “What is my intuition telling me?”

You are not like the other 80 – 85% of the population. But, you are needed! HSPs are great counselors, caregivers, and artists. HSPs are great employees, as we are very conscientious. As an HSP, your foundation, the very ground that you operate from, is Love. Most of the population operates from a foundation of Power. These are very different orientations. No wonder you feel “out of sync” sometimes! You are – but that’s a good thing! Learning to love yourself and silencing your inner critic are important steps in using your sensitivity as an asset, rather than letting it be a liability.

buddhawflowersSelf-awareness is one of the most important skills that you can develop. Ask yourself what environments, foods, smells, jobs, people, music, movies, etc., help nurture you. Determine also – what is toxic for you? As a sensitive person, you can not afford too many toxins, whether those are environments or relationships. Make a list of what supports you, and what undermines you. Then, include as many things from the supportive list as you can, as often as you can!

Living for 50+ years as an HSP myself, I have found several modalities that are vital components for my own health and well-being. As a teacher and healer, I enjoy sharing these tools with others – especially other HSPs!

Here a photo of Elaine Aron and I taken on July 6 in Santa Cruz, CA.

Recommended reading: “The Highly Sensitive Person” by Elaine Aron and “The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide” by Ted Zeff.  I am the first therapist in the Triangle area, and the only one in the Triangle area in North Carolina who has been approved by Elaine Aron, original researcher of the trait of High Sensitivity, as a specialist in this area.

These are favorite tools that I have in my “toolbox”, and use in my private practice:

“Sacred Listener – Empathic Encouragement for Sensitive Beings”.

*Kundalini Yoga & Meditation: a great practice that incorporates stretching, exercise, breath techniques, meditation and relaxation. Sometimes called the Yoga of Awareness, it’s the best tool I know of for truly knowing yourself, developing your intuition, and strengthening your nervous system, which helps you to be both sensitive & strong!

*Flower Remedies & Gem Elixirs: Similar to homeopathy, these are vibrational remedies that work on many levels: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

*Aromatherapy: Make sure that you use therapeutic grade essential oils. You can wear them as fragrance, or put them in a diffuser to scent your surroundings. I often use aromatherapy therapeutically for clients.

*Gemstone therapy: Like flowers, gems carry particular energies and can be placed on the body therapeutically in “layouts” – or used in jewelry.

*Numerology: using your day, month and year of birth, this ancient yogic science is a wonderful way to understand your unique inner workings more fully.

*Sat Nam Rasayan: another ancient yogic science that literally uses “the sensitive space” to heal oneself and others. .

*Feng Shui: As an HSP, your surroundings are very important to you. Feng Shui is a great method to bring your intention into form, and to insure that the environments of your home and office help support your health.