I often hear the frustration and sadness and defeat in the voices of highly sensitive people (HSP) when they share how they become more emotional, overwhelmed, shut down, or worn out in situations that don’t seem to affect other people. This difference can make HSPs feel like outsiders, like there must be something wrong with them because they are abnormal compared to everyone around them.
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This summer I had the opportunity to attend A Weekend for Highly Sensitive People with Elaine Aron and some of her HSP protégés. The retreat was held in the Santa Cruz mountains with redwoods outside our windows and hiking trails onsite. I felt a bit like a kid in a candy store with getting to meet THE person who identified, researched and verified this trait of sensitivity, on top of being in one of my favorite settings. I realize as I review my notes that I may be writing multiple articles about my takeaways from this weekend, but I wanted to start with a review of the basics--an appreciation for who we are and for how legit this trait is.
What does it really mean to be a HSP?
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