Learning to see your sensitivity as a superpower.

Healing childhood trauma.

Online Therapy in WA state for Highly Sensitive People.

Support and resources for HSP's & people healing from childhood trauma. Learn about the traits, challenges, and effective coping strategies to thrive. Let's empower you to embrace your sensitivity as a superpower.

What Does It Mean To Be A
Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?

A Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is someone who has a heightened sensitivity to stimuli in their environment, both emotional and sensory. This trait is often referred to as sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) and is considered a normal personality trait rather than a disorder.

Key Traits of a Highly Sensitive Person

Deep Processing: HSPs tend to process information more thoroughly. They reflect deeply on experiences and may take longer to make decisions as they consider various factors.
Sensitivity to Stimuli: HSPs often feel overwhelmed in busy or chaotic environments. They may be more sensitive to sounds, lights, smells, and other sensory inputs.
Emotional Sensitivity: HSPs can be very in tune with their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. They may pick up on subtle emotional cues and feel empathy intensely.
Overstimulation: Due to their sensitivities, HSPs may feel easily overstimulated by loud noises, bright lights, or intense social situations, leading to a need for downtime.
Strong Imagination and Creativity: Many HSPs have vivid imaginations and creative inclinations, often finding beauty in art and nature.
Intuition: HSPs often trust their gut feelings and can have strong intuitions about people and situations.
Preference for Solitude: HSPs may need alone time to recharge after social interactions, as they can become drained by too much socializing or external stimulation.
High Levels of Compassion: HSPs are often compassionate and can be deeply affected by the suffering of others.
Easily Affected by Mood: HSPs may be more susceptible to the moods of those around them, which can sometimes lead to emotional exhaustion.

How Do I Know If I'm Highly Sensitive?

You know yourself best.

Consider how you react to different stimuli and social situations. Do you often feel overwhelmed or drained in crowded places or after intense emotional encounters?

Sometimes friends or family members may point out your sensitivity. They might notice how you react more strongly to certain situations compared to others.

Have you often felt different from others, or do you notice patterns of feeling overstimulated or emotionally unstable?

Consider your emotional responses to art, media, or others' experiences. Do you often cry or feel intensely moved by movies or music?

Take a few minutes, right now, to think back throughout your life and consider the following:

Maybe some of these things sound like you. Maybe there's a part of you that's unsure.

You can take this quiz developed by the leading researcher on HSPs, Dr. Elaine Aron, to take a deeper look!

Highly Sensitive People, Mental Health & Childhood Trauma

If you’re like me, you probably didn’t learn much about accepting and managing your sensitivities from your family, friends, or in school. And instead of feeling encouraged to celebrate these traits, many of us dealt with shame or judgment for being sensitive.

Kids who are naturally sensitive often face more mental health challenges later in life. This is because they tend to react more intensely to tough situations compared to their less sensitive peers. If these same kids then go through something really challenging (like abuse and neglect) & without the right support, those overwhelming experiences can negatively impact their mental well-being over time, potentially leading to PTSD or complex PTSD.

Scientists are still digging into how high sensitivity connects with childhood trauma and mental health struggles, but there’s some fascinating research showing that long-term stress can change not just how our nervous system works, but it can also mess with our genes.

When we consider the impact of trauma that’s been passed down through generations, it becomes clear that both our biology and our surroundings play huge roles in shaping our sensitivity.

So How Can Trauma Therapy Help Highly Sensitive People?

Therapy for Highly Sensitive People who have dealt with childhood trauma is a game -- changer and can help you:

Realize that your sensitivity isn't a flaw but a unique trait that can offer insights into your emotional world.
Work through past traumas, which may lighten your emotional load and reduce your reactivity, leading to better coping strategies for those overwhelming feelings.
Learn practical tools like mindfulness practices and grounding techniques to manage intense emotions.
Strengthen your self-esteem, self-worth, and resilience, giving you the confidence to handle life’s challenges and connect more effectively with others.
Express yourself without judgment, which is incredibly healing, especially if you struggled with feeling understood in the past.
Identify specific triggers that might stem from your trauma, helping you recognize and address them before they impact your daily life.

It's Your Turn! Reach out now!

If someone hurls the word "sensitive" at you like an insult, you catch that sucker, put it on a pretty ribbon, put it around your neck and wear it like the medal it is!
-Nanea Hoffman