A Highly Sensitive Person as described by Elaine Aron in her wonderful book “The Highly Sensitive Person” is someone who is more sensitive to subtleties of the environment, has a more sensitive nervous system and more active insula (the part …
Why Is It Important For Highly Sensitive People To Learn To Say “No”
Research has shown that highly sensitive people (HSPs) have a heightened sensitivity to how others are feeling, AND a tendency to feel the way the other person is feeling. So, if someone they love is sad, they have a tendency …
How To Self Care When Feeling Overwhelmed
Anyone can feel overwhelmed for any reason, but for ‘highly sensitive people’ (HSP), overstimulation can quickly lead to overwhelm. As an HSP your nervous system is more attuned to the environment than other people. This means you will have a …
Highly Sensitive People Have a Stronger Depth of Processing
Highly sensitive people have a more sensitive nervous system, they are just born that way. Studies have shown that they use different parts of the brain in different ways to non-HSPs. One of the effects of this different way of …
Highly Sensitive people are misunderstood
Highly sensitive people (HSPs) are often misunderstood. It is easy to think of HSPs as rude if they suddenly ghost at a party. Everyone else is left wondering what happened. HSPs have a more sensitive nervous system then 80% of …
How are Highly Sensitive People VALUED in Western Culture
Reading Elaine Aron’s wonderful book “The Highly Sensitive Person”, I came across this research. The study highlighted the differing traits that made children more popular in different cultures. It revealed Chinese children to naturally value shyness more than Canadian children. …
Highly Sensitive People Often Feel Flawed
As a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) your nervous system is more attuned to the environment than other people. This means you will have a stronger sensitivity to loud noises and smells, you will probably be deeply moved by art and …
The Nervous System of Highly Sensitive People
The term ‘highly sensitive person’ was first coined in 1996 by Dr. Elaine Aron. Being a highly sensitive person is not a diagnosis, it is a trait that comes from having a sensitive nervous system. It is hereditary and has …
Traits of a Highly Sensitive Person
Adapted from Aron (2016). It is estimated that 15-20% of the population is highly sensitive. There is even a scale to measure it! (Benham, 2006). One of my clients introduced me to Elaine Aron’s book “The Highly Sensitive Person”. I …
Can I Widen my “Window of Tolerance”?
The simple answer is YES! With time and focus you CAN widen your window of tolerance. Why is this a good thing? It increases your resilience and keeps your prefrontal cortex (the part responsible for cognitive processing) switched on for …