Hi, I’m April, a psychotherapist who wants to help you understand your unique needs as a Highly Sensitive Person so you can discover your gifts and feel more fulfilled.
Sensitive folks are constantly seeking a way to make work more manageable and meaningful without all the overwhelm and burnout that is common for HSPs. Work tends to be something to survive, instead of enjoy. Choosing a career is subjective, so it really depends on who you work with, the values of the company, the environment, how meaningful and interesting the work is to you, and your ability to maintain a work-life balance.
Grief shows up in many ways, from the death of a loved one to losing a part of yourself. Either way, the grieving process is complex and unique, especially for Highly Sensitive folks who feel deeply and need more time to process the meaning behind a loss. Remember to honor your feelings, even if others don’t understand or the emotions seem bigger than they should be. Take as much time as you need.
Why is it Difficult for the Highly Sensitive Person to Set Boundaries? Learn to say "yes" on your own terms to reduce overwhelm and exhaustion.
Why is guilt so pervasive for Highly Sensitive People? Learn to manage guilt with self-compassion practices that transform it into self-acceptance.
The pursuit of perfection is fueled by our fear of failure and never feeling good enough. Instead of helping us find happiness and success, it actually keeps us captive in a state of stress and exhaustion.
Highly Sensitive People often feel misunderstood, resentful and overwhelmed in relationships, so it’s important that Highly Sensitive People find a balance of quiet downtime for ourselves and meaningful shared experiences with our partners.
To prevent overwhelm, anxiety and depression, it’s important that Highly Sensitive People include more sleep and quiet downtime in their self-care routine.
Why criticism is so difficult for Highly Sensitive People, typical responses when facing conflict and ways to manage without apologizing or blaming ourselves.
Cancelling plans is sometimes inevitable, but evokes guilt and worry. With a little direct communication and self-compassion, you can make this decision without hurting the other person’s feelings.
How often do you truly feel energized and fulfilled? If you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP), you’re more likely to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and exhausted most of the time. Most HSPs don’t get the self-care and quiet downtime they need to survive, let alone thrive. Instead, they believe the messages from society, the media, or their own social circles that it’s selfish or shows a lack of ambition to take time for themselves, and they feel guilty whenever they do.
You use a lot of emotional and physical energy that needs to be replenished every day. Self-care is more about getting quiet on a daily basis and deeply nurturing your emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical needs.
How do you know if you were born with the trait of High Sensitivity, along with 20-30% of humans? Here are 10 more signs you might be a Highly Sensitive Person who thinks and feels deeply, has a heightened capacity for empathy, and notices the little subtleties and nonberbal cues around them.
There is such a love-hate relationship with social media and our devices. You’re fully aware of why too much scrolling and screen time is harmful, but it’s also very alluring. The downside is being so plugged in that you lose connection with yourself, your emotions, and your needs. For the Highly Sensitive Person, screens are also very overstimulating to your nervous system. In this article, I explore my takeaways from taking a complete social media break for seven days.
How do you know if you were born with High Sensitivity, along with 20% of the population? Here are 10 signs you might be a Highly Sensitive Person who thinks and feels deeply, have higher levels of empathy, and notices the subtle details around them.
One pandemic silver lining for many Highly Sensitive folks was that it was finally socially acceptable to stay home, but there’s now increasing pressure to return to the previous “normal”. The shock to the 20% of people with a sensitive nervous system will be significant and will require firm boundaries.
As another year begins, we get flooded with messages about setting resolutions and making grand changes in our lives. Starting this year on our own terms means honoring our needs as Highly Sensitive People to make changes more slowly and focusing on self-reflection over resolutions. This approach frees us from the shame of incomplete resolutions and allows us to reconnect with what’s most important in our lives.
Do you often dread the holidays because it leaves you feeling exhausted and depleted? While the busyness and high expectations of the holiday season have the potential to be stressful for everyone, Introverts and Highly Sensitive People are especially vulnerable to becoming overwhelmed during this time of year.
Trying to fall asleep can be so stressful. Ironically the more you need sleep, the harder it can be to actually get enough rest. And the bigger your sleep deficit grows, the more susceptible you become to mood fluctuations and health issues. In this article, I explore how mindfulness can ease a restless mind to get better sleep and offer two exercises to get you started. From the Mindfulness Workbook for Stress Relief by April Snow, LMFT.
Although it may not feel like it, you do have the ability to buffer the stress you’re feeling with intentional self-care practices.
During times of heightened stress or uncertainty it’s important to find ways to integrate comfort, connection, familiarity, and a sense of control. It’s hard being so empathetic and perceptive during really hard times and remember that you have opportunities to care for yourself.
Being an introvert can make it difficult to find friends who get you, feel confident at parties, or speak up at school. There’s just so much noise and not enough time to think things through, which leaves you feeling left out and misunderstood. Let’s explore some ways you can socialize on your own terms.
