The New Psychotherapy for Highly Sensitive People

Are Empaths a Sign of
Human Evolution? 
 
I knew all my life that I was a "highly sensitive person".  I could pick up on emotion and energies that others did not seem to be aware of. I also knew that my body didn't handle sensory stimuli the same way other bodies did.  I could easily become overwhelmed by itchy clothes, too much noise or strange smells.  High emotion in a room could send me over the edge.  Sometimes if too much input came at me all at once, it would send me into a full blown panic attack - or shut me down completely. But it wasn't until I became a therapist that I came to understand that being an "empath" isn't just some woo-woo label that New-Agers made up to make themselves feel special. I learned that my nervous system is actually wired differently than most humans.

Empaths Have Unique Needs for Therapy 
Sensory Processing Disorder is the name which describes "feeling too much or too little in the body or nervous system".  I like to call it “Sensory Processing DIFFERENCE” because in reality, it's not a disorder, it's a manifestation of unique human nervous system wiring.

Your traditional therapist who ISN'T an empath, probably won't understand - at least on a personal level - the experience of feeling others' emotions. They may not understand the feeling of being acutely 'missed', dismissed, or misunderstood, even by loved ones.  Take the number of varied human emotions that the average person feels - THEN DOUBLE THAT.  Highly sensitive people are working harder than most people to process what's happening 1) inside their bodies; 2) all the energies around them; 3) and the emotional climate of the room, and of the family; 4) and even world events.  This is why so many sensitives stay home - isolating to protect themselves from the extra stimuli that others don't have to deal with.

If you're going to invest your time and money in psychotherapy, you'll likely get a lot more work done in a shorter period of time, and feel more "gotten" with a therapist who is like you.  Intuitive. Deeply feeling. Super compassionate and heart-centered. Someone who sees a much broader picture of life. A person who is able to look WAY outside the box to find unique solutions to unique problems. 

Choosing a therapist who is aware on such levels is a great gift for sensitive people looking to heal - not only to heal the garden-variety wounds of life as a human - but also the special wounding that is inherent to being awake in one's body. 

The Gifted Empath 
 
Empaths, Sensitives and those with Sensory Processing Differences may well have abilities that regular people often marvel at, including the ability to sense subtle sound, light, and energy vibration, emotional subtlety and even mystical phenomena.  In recent years, we’ve seen a rapid increase in the numbers of children born with SPD.  In my opinion, it's a sign that the human race is progressing toward a superior state. The ability to take in much larger amounts of sensory data is an evolutionary leap for our species.
 
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Checklist:  Are you an Empathic SPD Human?
 
1. Hyper-sensitive to touch: Touch may be uncomfortable or ticklish: May avoid tactile stimulation
 
2.  Hypo-sensitive to touch: May crave touch or seek out strong sensory input
 
3. Difficulty Self-Soothing: Has trouble calming oneself:  Requires lots of outside help to process life’s challenges, irritability, emotional roller coaster
 
4. Sensory-avoidant behaviors: Afraid of heights, loses balance easily, avoids fast movements, may avoid hugs or eye contact
 
5. Sensory-seeking behaviors: Craves fast movement, spinning, thrill-seeking, chewing on pens/fingernails, needs physical touch and emotional contact
 
6.  Sensitive to negativity:  Negative talk, scary stories, violence or cruelty on TV, news, etc…
 
7.  Social Avoidance: Overwhelmed by sensory input in crowds, likes to spend a lot of time alone
 
8. Hyper-sensitive to noise: Distracted by noise that others don’t notice, fearful of noise, shock at loud sounds
 
9. Hypo-sensitive to noise: Doesn't respond when name is called, seeks loud music or TV, makes noise for fun
 
10. Hyper-sensitive to smell: Offended by body smells, bathroom smells, cooking smells, can smell odors others cannot
 
11. Hyper-sensitive to sights: Sensitive to bright light, feels calmer in dimly lit rooms, may feel uncomfortable in crowds or avoid eye contact
 
12. Allergies: Sensitivities to food, environment, medications
 
13. Immune Disorders or "Mystery Illnesses: Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Lupus, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Chronic Pain, Etc.

14. Extra-sensory perception: Of any kind
 
15. Mystical experiences: Of any kind
 
16. Inner Conflict:  Deep sense of wanting a peaceful world but personally experiences internal turmoil – the two don’t seem to match and it may feel confusing
 
If you have a handful of these traits, you are probably an Empathic SPD Human.

Let me know in the comments if you're a highly sensitive person. What symptoms to do have? 
​I have 1,5,6,7,8,10,12,13,14,15,16.  I am a highly sensitive person! 

​Love, Paige ​

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Coming Soon: SELF CARE FOR HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE

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