Feel like something is inherently wrong with you? Something others seem to know that you don’t?

Feel different from most others? Difficulty understanding their preferences and why they like what they like?

Over-analyze everything as you try to understand?

Have a hard time turning your brain off at night to sleep?

Autoimmune disorder? Food allergies? Diabetes? Thyroid and adrenal issues? Hormonal issues? Eczema and rashes? Circulation problems? Liver problems? Muscular tightness/soreness? Scoliosis? Digestive issues? IBS? Crohn’s? Leaky gut syndrome? Chronic fatigue? Symptoms that doctors have not been able to resolve?

Celiac Disease? Gluten intolerance? Gluten sensitivity? Casein intolerance?

No one really understands you and you feel so alone? Yet, you desperately want real closeness and intimacy with someone?

Feel like you NEED your relationships or NEED to be alone, even though they aren’t what you really want or would ideally CHOOSE?

Overwhelmed by your emotions? Feeling so much without any clear idea of what it means or what to do? Immobilized?

Addicted to food, sugar, emotions, thoughts, relationships, drugs, alcohol…NEED something to hold onto?

Get a “buzz” from planning and thinking?

Avoid anger or intense emotions in others?

Difficulty letting go and just being you? Who are you?

Don’t know who you are at times or how to express yourself in a group?

Don’t know how to make decisions, find clarity, or even know what you want?

Always doing what others want or need, taking care of others while never letting others care for you? Putting yourself last, if at all?

Fall in love quickly, deeply, and intensely? Want to be wanted? Need to be needed?

“Too intense”, “too emotional”, “think too much”,  “too sensitive”,  “too demanding”,  “never satisfied”,  “perfectionistic”?

Don’t know what your opinions are on the spot? Agree to things you later realize you don’t like or want? Hard time saying “no”?

Never seem to find a job that is really satisfying? Have a hard time with 9 to 5 and having someone looking over your shoulder?

Feel like you have a special “calling” or purpose, but aren’t sure what it is or how to fulfill it? Have radical ideas about improving life?

Highly sensitive to, allergic to, or overwhelmed by certain lighting, smells, sounds, tastes, textures?

Diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, Autism, Asperger’s, Anxiety, Depression, Sensory Processing Disorder, Bipolar?

Get worn out if you are “out” too much and need time totally alone to recover? Need time alone each day?

Have a rich inner life? Filled with deep thoughts and emotions that feel impossible to communicate to others?

Don’t know how to relax? Always tense? Either going full force or else totally wiped out?

YES?

You are most likely a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), someone with the genetic trait of high sensitivity, take this self test to see. Dr. Elaine Aron is a psychologist who has studied this trait extensively and continues to study it. She has books that she has written as resources that you can find on her website www.hsperson.com.

Take this test to see if your child may have the trait of high sensitivity.

Overall, Dr. Aron has found four main qualities of this trait that can easily be remembered as what a highly sensitive person DOES:

Depth of Processing

Overstimulation

Emotional Intensity

Sensory Sensitivity

You are struggling not because of the trait, but because your wants and needs have not been met. Understanding the trait helps you understand how to care for yourself so that you can thrive. It is about doing what fits for you and being present to your environment at all times.

Psychotherapy and the Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron is a great book to help you understand more about your self, why you may be struggling, and what to do about it.

HSPs have a tendency to undervalue themselves, which can lead to many struggles. The Undervalued Self by Elaine Aron is an essential book to understand this issue, it’s effects, and what you can start doing now to value your self.

High sensitivity is a genetic trait, not a disorder. However, due to the nature of being highly sensitive, we are more likely to develop disorders in poor environments. We also have a great capacity to move beyond thriving when given the opportunity. This article explains this phenomenon, the genetic differences between being hardy and being sensitive. We are also more likely to seek out treatment, we are the majority of the population who seek out therapeutic treatment.

Whatever level you are at with thriving, I can meet you there and support you to go where you want to. Here is a chart to help you understand more about where you might be with thriving and what the next step is.

As a trained and licensed therapist, I work with resolving disorders.

As a coach/consultant, I work with supporting you to understand yourself and how to use your sensitivity to thrive and lead.

The sensitive + thriving basics program is a great place to start understanding yourself…and from there the possibilities are unlimited, check out my services to see all that I offer. You don’t have to struggle anymore.

NO?

If none of these seem to apply to you and you feel sensitive, you may be at a greater level of thriving and/or be a High Sensation Seeker. Find out more about that here and take the sensation seeking self-test.

When you better understand your sensitivity, you can experience it as a strength and seek out new sensations as an empowered, thriving sensitive person. Understanding the basics is the first step to getting there. No matter where you are, I have services to support you in experiencing sensitivity as a super power.