Podcasts about HSP

In this episode, Alissa gets into why the instinct to smooth things over the second someone reacts to your boundary is actually a form of people pleasing, and why building your tolerance for that discomfort is the first step toward feeling unbotherable.Alissa traces this back to the fear of abandonment underneath it, whether that shows up as a partner flipping the story back on you or a family member waving off a hurtful comment as a joke. She shows how the pattern gets reinforced every time it's smoothed over instead of named, and why noticing what's actually driving the rush to resolution is what starts to shift the pattern.Alissa shares what it actually looks like to sit in the discomfort of a boundary instead of collapsing it, so you can source your safety and self-respect from within instead of from someone else's reaction.In this episode, you'll learn:Why the urge to smooth things over the moment your boundary lands is people pleasingHow to recognize when you're rushing to resolution out of a fear of abandonment rather than genuine repairWhy letting someone avoid the consequences of their own behavior quietly teaches them how to treat youHow trusting what your body is telling you becomes more reliable than the story someone else is offering in the momentWhy pushback from someone who's benefited from your smallness is a sign you're doing this right, not a sign you did something wrongUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

221  You already know that a good marriage takes work.But what if constantly working on your marriage can sometimes get in the way of it being good?For many highly sensitive women, taking their relationship seriously can easily turn into taking every problem, disappointment, unresolved issue, and imperfection seriously—more often than we need to.We think about what needs to change. We revisit the hard conversations. We notice what still isn't fixed. We keep working on it, because of course we want our marriages to be good.But what often happens is that working on your relationship starts to become the main way you experience your relationship.And so you end up missing out on so much that could be enjoyable, loving, and simply good between you..Making a generally good relationship…not so good…In this episode, you'll hear about the surprising problem that always working on your marriage leads to—and why another kind of work is just as essential to creating a deeply loving, connected relationship. (Hint: it is MUCH more fun work.)I also share why doing this other kind of work – this all too often forgotten work – has made such a difference in my own marriage, and what many highly sensitive women need to learn in order to stop letting the hardest parts of their relationship take up so much space.And be able to truly feel loved, loving, and deeply connected in marriage.So listen in to this story and metaphor filled episode, and learn the starting point of the incredibly important and usually overlooked work.Because your marriage is about so much more than solving its problems.And sometimes, the work you aren't doing may be exactly what your marriage needs more of.SHOW NOTES: Learn more about  Sanctuary 1:1 (where Foundations of Emotional Well-Being is included as the first layer).ENJOYING THE SHOW? Don't miss an episode! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Leave  a review in Apple Podcasts--we are SO grateful!Check out the Start Here Podcast Pathway for a suggested route through the most important episodes to start with or review — the ones that will help you feel calmer, more secure, and more hopeful in your relationship.FREE QUIZ: How Much is High Sensitivity Impacting Your Relationship (and are you even highly sensitive)? You want to know. Because, high sensitivity has a major impact on intimate relationships – for better or worse. Take this 3 minute quiz to discover if you're highly sensitive and how deeply it's affecting you, and your happiness in your relationship. You will also get your next steps to making sure sensitivity works for your relationship, instead of against it.

If you're an introvert, Projector in Human Design, or subscribe to the "if they wanted to, they would" line of thinking, this episode is for you.Agata Serocka comes on the show today as a spokesperson for Projectors, who think reaching out, pitching, and asking for what they want isn't part of their strategy. We get into how to build a signal, BECOME the invitation, and not miss out on life's biggest opportunities by sitting in the passenger seat. We talk about:Reframing "waiting for the invitation" and how to move beyond the LITERAL interpretation to actively create conditions (podcasting, writing, showing up) that invite opportunities.Making outreach and pitching feel warm and not annoying AF. Building genuine rapport, finding connections, and doing research before reaching out vs. cold-pitching someone "hey girl haven't talked since we were 16 but would love for you to join my course! Link in bio!"Reframing labels (Projector, HSP, ADHD, rejection-sensitive) as data points to design a personalized, sustainable approach to visibility and business.Discernment over volume. How to say no to opportunities that don't fit, and trusting what's meant to work out, will! Making pitching fun and creative again. Gamify audacity by using playful approaches  like quests, small asks, and outlandish ideas to build confidence and make outreach sustainable vs. another "ugh, I have to do that?" choreConnect with Agata:The Culture of Unrushing Podcast on Spotify and AppleSubstackWaitlist to Agata's mastermindExperience Audit FreebieConnect with Chelsea:Join the SHOOT YOUR SHOT CHALLENGE Aug 25-27th!Enroll in Audacity for $900 off til Aug 27th!Get on the Ultimate Pitch Kit waitlist

In this episode, Alissa gets into why triggers land the way they do and why finding the root cause is the first step toward feeling steady, unshakable, and less at the mercy of what everyone around you is doing.Most triggers trace back to one of two places, an old wound from the past or an unmet need in the present. Alissa shows how naming that root pulls the charge out of it, so emotional memory stops determining your responses.Alissa walks through what it actually looks like to clean up your side of the street so you can confidently source your safety from within.In this episode, you'll learn:Why a reaction that feels disproportionate to the moment is a clue you've been triggeredThe two roots of most triggers, an old wound or an unmet need, and how to tell which one is showing upHow pulling the charge out of a past experience lets a familiar situation lose its gripWhat "cleaning up your side of the street" looks like before you decide whether a conversation is even neededWhy working through a trigger once makes it quieter every single time it comes backHow sourcing your safety from within frees you from living at the mercy of other people's choicesUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

How often do you take care of yourself? In this episode, I talk with Angelique Foye-Fletcher, LMFT, RPT about breaking the cycle of self-sacrifice and:How your cultural upbringing shapes your identity as an HSPLearning to take care of yourself when you grew up in an environment or culture that didn't have room for your sensitivityWhy simple acts of mindfulness are deeply healing and can change the way you parentAngelique Foye-Fletcher (she/her) is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist who helps sensitive, neurodivergent adults and caregivers heal through her four pillars of Books, Nature, Play, and Connection. An INFJ, HSP, and Enneagram 4, Angelique brings curiosity, ritual, and deep empathy into her work—often lighting incense or walking in nature as part of her own healing practice.Keep in touch with Angelique:Website: https://foyefletchertherapy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/foyefletchertherapyTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@foyefletcherllcResources Mentioned:Parent/Caregiver Support: https://foyefletchertherapy.com/parentcaregiver-support-coachingReconnect + Rejuvenate Support: https://foyefletchertherapy.com/coachingtherapy-packagesFor more deep conversations like this, join me in Sensitive Circles - a cozy online community for highly sensitive people to find meaningful connection and deepen self-awareness at their own pace. More details: https://www.sensitivecircles.com Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at: https://www.sensitivestories.comYou can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengthsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengthsAnd for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off. If you have a moment, please rate and review the podcast, it helps Sensitive Stories reach more HSPs! This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional.  Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.  

Warum hochsensible Menschen oft chronisch erschöpft sind, obwohl objektiv "nichts Schlimmes" passiert – und was wirklich hilft, statt nur mehr zu schlafen.

In this week's episode, Alissa shares a quick hack that quietly rewrites how you see yourself: "I'm the type of person who..." So often you pin your happiness on the outcome, the finished book, the dream partner, the number of followers. Alissa offers an alternative, letting the process itself become the proof and validation of who you're becoming. Every time you act like the person you want to be, you teach yourself to expect that version of you to show up (even when you don't feel like it).In this episode, you'll learn:How the phrase "I'm the type of person who" shifts your self-concept in real timeWhy tying your happiness to the outcome makes the whole journey feel worseHow to turn everyday hard moments into evidence of who you're becomingWhat showing up to an almost empty room taught Alissa about building real confidenceHow to use this practice with people pleasing, exercise, dating, and creative workWhy falling off track is its own chance to prove the kind of person you areUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

Have you felt embarrassed by your sensitivity? In this episode, I talk with William Allen about the journey of learning to understand and embrace being an HSP as well as:Moving from living inauthentically to accepting your sensitivityThe challenges faced by HSP men such as lack of community and models of sensitive masculinityPracticing portable self-care such as meditation, breathing, and connection with nature to recover from overwhelm more quicklyFinding more resilience as an HSP with the 3Es: Educate, Embrace, EvangelizeWilliam is an author with a writer's heart and researcher's mind. After getting a degree in Psychology with an eye on doing psychology research, he recalibrated for a career in Information Technology. He retired early from his corporate job to start his Hypno-coaching and neurofeedback brain training business, BrainPilots, in Bend, Oregon. In late 2016, he began his blog, The Sensitive Man, about his experiences, as a highly sensitive man. The blog became the genesis of his first book, Confessions of a Sensitive Man. His new book, On Being a Sensitive Man, is the follow up book, which focuses on how to live in the world as a sensitive man. He feels that HSP males need to take their keen insights and intuition and make them public. He would like to shed more light on highly sensitive males and the much-needed role they need to take in our society.Keep in touch with William:Website: http://www.thesensitiveman.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/zallenwFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesensitivemanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wrallenResources Mentioned:Online HSP Men's Group: https://www.thesensitiveman.com/hsp-mens-group.htmlConfessions of a Sensitive Man by William Allen: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781098325169On Being a Sensitive Man: Success Strategies for Harnessing Your Highly Sensing Nature by William Allen: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781667817439The Highly Sensitive Person by Dr. Elaine Aron: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182Research on High Sensitivity: https://sensitivityresearch.comSensitive: The Untold Story documentary: https://sensitivethemovie.comSensitive Men Rising documentary: https://sensitivemenrising.orgFor more deep conversations like this, join me in Sensitive Circles - a cozy online community for highly sensitive people to find meaningful connection and deepen self-awareness at their own pace. More details: https://www.sensitivecircles.com Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at: https://www.sensitivestories.comYou can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengthsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengthsAnd for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off. If you have a moment, please rate and review the podcast, it helps Sensitive Stories reach more HSPs! This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional.  Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.  

Ein Parfüm, ein Putzmittel, ein Deo, und du merkst sofort: Hier ist zu viel. In dieser Folge geht es um Geruchsempfindlichkeit bei Hochsensiblen: was im akuten Moment hilft und wie du deinen Alltag langfristig geruchsärmer gestaltest.

Go to https://kachava.com and use code HSP for 15% off your first order.In the summer of 1987, sixteen-year-old Theresa Bier rode into the Sierra Nevada mountains with a 43-year-old man who promised to show her Bigfoot, and only one of them came back. Twenty-four years later and a thousand miles north, twenty-year-old Madison Scott vanished from a crowded campfire party at Hogsback Lake in Vanderhoof, British Columbia, leaving behind her truck, her tent, and a mystery it would take twelve years to crack open. Two campsites, two missing girls, and the question of what… or who… was really waiting in the dark.TW: Kidnapping/abduction of a minor, Grooming and alleged sexual abuse of minors, Child abuse and neglectSubscribe on⁠ Patreon⁠ to become a member of our Rogue Detecting Society and enjoy ad-free listening, monthly bonus content, merch discounts and more. Members of our High Council on Patreon also have access to our weekly after-show, Footnotes, where I share my case file with our producer, Matt.You can also enjoy many of these same perks, including ad-free listening and bonus content when you subscribe on Apple Podcasts.Follow on⁠ Tik Tok⁠ and⁠ Instagram⁠ for a daily dose of horror.

Have you ever wondered if you are an empath, a highly sensitive person, or both? I'm breaking down the difference between an empath and an HSP, which stands for highly sensitive person. I explain what empathy is, what makes someone an empath, and how empaths often absorb the emotions and energy of people, groups, and places. When we do not understand this about ourselves, it can lead to overwhelm, fatigue, anxiety, depression, mood swings, and the feeling that something is wrong with us when really, we are picking up on energy that may not even belong to us. I also share common traits of empaths, including sensitivity to light, sound, crowds, other people's emotions, nature, animals, and authenticity. Then, I explain how highly sensitive people are similar to empaths, but with one key difference: HSPs may sense and feel deeply, but they do not absorb other people's emotions in the same way an empath does. Key Takeaways Empathy is the ability to feel with another person, but being an empath takes this sensitivity to another level Empaths are deeply attuned to the energy and emotions of people, groups, and places Many empaths do not realize they are absorbing emotions that are not their own Unaware empaths may experience overwhelm, fatigue, anxiety, depression, or mood instability Empaths often feel deeply connected to nature and animals Crowds, noise, bright lights, television, news, and chaotic environments can feel overwhelming to an empath's nervous system People are often naturally drawn to empaths and may share deeply personal things with them Empaths can often sense when someone is being inauthentic or hiding behind a mask Alone time, or "cave time," helps empaths recharge Self-care, nature, grounding, boundaries, and micro moments of peace are essential for empaths Highly sensitive people and empaths share many traits, but HSPs do not absorb other people's emotions in the same way You can be both an empath and a highly sensitive person MORE MICHELLE CHALFANT Website: https://www.michellechalfant.com Membership: The Adult Chair® Collective https://www.michellechalfant.com/collective  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themichellechalfant Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMichelleChalfant The Adult Chair® Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theadultchair YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Michellechalfant

One of the most powerful ways to change your marriage begins with understanding how emotions spread in intimate relationships – and learning to use this on purpose to create an upward healing cycle between you and your spouse.Because just as fear, reactivity, and self-protection are contagious in relationships– bouncing back and forth between partners...So is safety.There is a way to tap into this, and doing so intentionally changes everything inside you, and then everything between you and your partner for the better.As you build safety intentionally you become a different kind of presence inside your marriage: someone who communicates to your spouse naturally through your actions and words: “Who you are is safe with me”.This naturally fosters deep safety – which breeds more love, joy, and lightness – between you and your partner.It also (thank goodness!) creates the best conditions for your spouse to grow and do his own work on himself. So in this episode, we'll explore what it really means to become this Safe Heart Partner, and how, when you learn how, you have far more influence over the atmosphere between you—and the kind of relationship you create together—than you've ever realized.Listen in.SHOW NOTES: Learn more about the full Safe Heart Pathway through Sanctuary 1:1 (where Foundations of Emotional Well-Being is included as the first layer)Or begin with Foundations of Emotional Well-Being for HSPs (FEW) on its own first.FREE QUIZ: How Much is High Sensitivity Impacting Your Relationship (and are you even highly sensitive)? You want to know. Because, high sensitivity has a major impact on intimate relationships – for better or worse. Take this 3 minute quiz to discover if you're highly sensitive and how deeply it's affecting you, and your happiness in your relationship. You will also get your next steps to making sure sensitivity works for your relationship, instead of against it.ENJOYING THE SHOW? Don't miss an episode! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Leave  a review in Apple Podcasts--we are SO grateful!Check out the Start Here Podcast Pathway for a suggested route through the most important episodes to start with or review — the ones that will help you feel calmer, more secure, and more hopeful in your relationship.

Stop spiraling after criticism. Get The Emotional Buffer Builder: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/emotional-buffer/ Why does even small criticism feel so painful—like something is deeply wrong or the relationship itself is at risk? If you're a highly sensitive person, criticism often feels like much more than simple feedback. What may seem like a small comment from a partner, client, boss, or friend can quickly trigger fear, self-doubt, and an overwhelming urge to explain, fix, or shut down. The real struggle isn't just the criticism—it's what your nervous system believes it means. In this episode, you'll discover: Why criticism can feel so deeply triggering as a highly sensitive person What's actually happening in your nervous system when disapproval feels like rejection How to stay grounded and connected to yourself instead of losing yourself in people-pleasing, over-explaining, or emotional collapse   Listen now to learn how to stop spiraling after criticism and build the emotional steadiness to stay calm, clear, and connected to yourself—even when someone is unhappy with you.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

For most highly sensitive people, advocating for a physical need feels like being a burden. Jen Fitzpatrick, a celiac advocate and founder of the Confident Celiac Community, joins Alissa to talk about the years she spent staying quiet about her own needs and the shift that finally changed it.The tension is one a lot of HSPs with a chronic condition know well. Speaking up is what keeps you safe, but every people pleasing instinct says stay quiet instead. Alissa and Jen unpack why that instinct runs so deep and how to move through it anyway.Pulling from Jen's diagnosis story, a study abroad trip where she watched everyone else eat what she couldn't, and Alissa's own experience navigating her daughter's recent diagnosis, the conversation moves through shame, community and self worth.In this episode, you'll learn:Why highly sensitive people are especially likely to stay quiet about a chronic health needJen's own story of cross contamination scares and learning to advocate for herself after years of people pleasingThe simple swap that changed everything for Jen, saying thank you instead of sorryWhy choosing ten seconds of social discomfort is almost always worth it over days of physical painHow finding community turned a hard diagnosis into something less isolating for both Jen and AlissaFollow Jen:Website: https://www.thenomadicfitzpatricks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenomadicfitz Self-Love Toolkit: https://the-nomadic-fitzpatricks-gluten-free.teachable.com/p/celiac-self-love-toolkit-1059254 Uncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

Have you gotten stuck in the belief that HSPs are fragile? In this episode, I talk with Ibinye Osibodu-Onyali, LMFT about celebrating your sensitivity and:  Teaching people how to treat you and communicating that your needs are differentSetting firm, but kind boundaries and how to manage pushbackFinding fulfilling ways to socialize without the overwhelm or social pressure to show up like everyone elseRewriting the messages that say HSPs are weird, too sensitive, shy, or weakIt's possible for highly sensitive people to be ambitious, resilient, and strongIbinye is a licensed marriage and family therapist for couples and women with anxiety and insomnia. As a coach, she helps highly sensitive women set clear, kind boundaries, so they can put their needs at the forefront of their lives, stand up for themselves and rock social situations. When she's not working with HSPs she loves trying out new foods and taking naps.Keep in touch with Ibinye:Website: http://www.thezinniapractice.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thezinniapracticeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thezinniapracticeResources Mentioned:Individual Coaching for Highly Sensitive Women: https://calendly.com/ibi-k7ob/consultHSP Self-Test: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-testFor more deep conversations like this, join me in Sensitive Circles - a cozy online community for highly sensitive people to find meaningful connection and deepen self-awareness at their own pace. More details: https://www.sensitivecircles.com Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at: https://www.sensitivestories.comYou can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengthsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengthsAnd for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off. If you have a moment, please rate and review the podcast, it helps Sensitive Stories reach more HSPs! This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional.  Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.  

Are you constantly feeling pressure to know more, prepare more, and get everything right before you speak, teach, or share? For highly sensitive people, criticism can feel deeply personal. Even small feedback can trigger overthinking, self-doubt, and the exhausting need to prepare for every possible mistake. This episode uncovers why that pressure feels so intense—and what's really driving it. Understand why criticism often feels more threatening for highly sensitive people Learn how fear of being wrong fuels perfectionism, overpreparation, and constant pressure Discover how letting go of false identities creates more peace, confidence, and freedom Press play to learn how releasing the need to be perfect can help you show up with more peace, authenticity, and confidence.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

Ready for deeper support? Work with me 1:1 https://trueinnerfreedom.com/working-together/  Have you spent years understanding your trauma… and still find yourself stuck in the same emotional reactions? Many highly sensitive people deeply understand their trauma, attachment patterns, and emotional triggers—yet still freeze in conflict, people-please, overthink criticism, or feel anxious in relationships. This episode explores why insight alone often doesn't create healing, and why true freedom requires something deeper than intellectual understanding. Understand why knowing your trauma doesn't automatically stop emotional reactions Learn how protective emotional patterns continue responding to old dangers Discover a deeper path to healing by connecting with the part of you still carrying fear Listen now to uncover why healing may not come from more analysis—but from finally helping the fearful part of you feel safe enough to let go.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

Go to https://kachava.com and use code HSP for 15% off your first order.On the morning of July 2nd, 1937, Amelia Earhart lifted off from Lae, Papua New Guinea, and flew into the most famous disappearance of the 20th century. The official story says she crashed into the Pacific and sank. And yet, evidence now shows the distress calls kept coming for days, the castaway campsite was discovered on a remote atoll, and a strange shape was spotted on Apple Maps in 2020. Now, with an expedition setting out to finally identify the object buried off Nikumaroro, the mystery of what really happened to Amelia may be about to break wide open.Subscribe on⁠ Patreon⁠ to become a member of our Rogue Detecting Society and enjoy ad-free listening, monthly bonus content, merch discounts and more. Members of our High Council on Patreon also have access to our weekly after-show, Footnotes, where I share my case file with our producer, Matt.You can also enjoy many of these same perks, including ad-free listening and bonus content when you subscribe on Apple Podcasts.Follow on⁠ Tik Tok⁠ and⁠ Instagram⁠ for a daily dose of horror.

Find out your unique sensitivity profile and your current stress levels. Take the HSP Stress Test here: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/hsp-stress-test/ What if the traits you've judged as flaws your entire life are actually some of your greatest strengths? Many highly sensitive people quietly carry the belief that something is wrong with them—too sensitive, too emotional, too much. But often those beliefs weren't formed from truth… they were shaped by years of reactions, comments, and misunderstandings from others. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why so many highly sensitive people internalize the judgments of others • How traits like deep thinking, emotional awareness, and sensitivity are often misunderstood as weaknesses • How to separate who you truly are from how others have responded to you Listen now to start seeing your sensitivity through a new lens and uncover the strengths that may have been hidden beneath years of self-judgment.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

In this episode, Alissa breaks down why every hard season is building something in you that easy seasons never could, tracing the idea back to astrology, her own birth chart, and a realization that caught her off guard through her daughter Blaine's health diagnoses. She walks you through how to see every uncomfortable, triggering situation as character development and opportunities for growth.In this episode, you'll learn:What your North Node and South Node reveal about your natural strengths versus the traits you're still growing intoHow raising her daughter through celiac disease and Type 1 diabetes diagnoses is developing the structured, disciplined side of Alissa that used to feel completely foreignWhy a demanding boss, an unexplained health symptom, or another uncomfortable dynamic might be pointing to a part of your character that's ready to developThe difference between staying in a toxic environment and choosing a challenge that's actually building youWhat the growth gap is and why the space between your old identity and your new one feels so uncomfortableWhy letting fear of judgment, like worrying what old classmates will think, keep you from starting something is really just self-sabotage in disguiseUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

There is something strange in the space between languages. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it's fun to explore. It poses a question and presents a challenge…what am I actually trying to say here? When I started work on a video about the relationship between sensitivity and creativity for this year's HSP Gathering in Oulu, Finland, which happened a few days ago as I’m recording this, I didn't really think about the process of translating it from English into Finnish for the subtitles. I assumed it would be a straightforward part of the process, which it could have been on one level, given the technology we have at our fingertips these days, where language translation can happen more or less instantly. But it doesn’t take much for meaning to go adrift in the basic translation these tools provide. I was grateful for human assistance, as my friend Tuula was on hand to translate. My gratitude was not only because of her bilingual skills, but because I know she understands what I'm trying to say beneath and beyond the words. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m3wHlXyQ6E Good Translation is About More Than The Right Words It seems obvious that translation requires far more than vocabulary, grammar, and syntax across multiple languages. An idiom or joke in one language might be complete gobbledegook when translated directly into another. But when the translator understands the two cultures, including the soul of their humour and their general relationship with tone and subtext, they can find appropriate options to bridge intent so it makes sense across the linguistic surface. Even with its sophisticated capabilities, there were a bunch of times when an initial chatbot translation missed the heart of my words. It made several incorrect assumptions and predictions about my intended meaning without any basis or clarification. Fortunately, Tuula felt this too, and we were able to hone our way to better ways of expressing what I meant. This was extra challenging when some of the original ideas and wording were intentionally poetic and infused with ambiguity. Machines are often eager to sand down nuance and replace it with familiar clichés and well-worn turns of phrase. The whole process showed me the importance of having someone who knows me and understands my ‘thinking’ for a task like this. This principle might apply to a range of contexts and situations in life. Who we are can get lost in a bad translation and found in a good one. Translating The Highly Sensitive Experience I believe this is one reason so much of the creative coaching I do is with highly sensitive and more introverted people. It’s a translation issue. In a world that makes many assumptions about what ‘normal’ looks like and assumes the goal is to fit the mould to get on in life, I tend to work from the premise that it’s not us that doesn’t fit society; it’s usually society that doesn’t fit us. I don’t do this to cultivate an ‘us versus them’ mentality. Quite the opposite, in fact. We are attempting to translate across a bridge, which so often leaves us misunderstanding one another. Likewise, I am very aware of the language used to describe the trait of high sensitivity. In the introduction to the HSP Gathering film I shared on Saturday, I talked about how adopting language around sensitivity has helped us better understand ourselves and our experiences alongside others. But while we have the trait of sensitivity in common, it also takes unique forms for each of us. That shared language can only take us so far, and we don’t want to overdo it. High sensitivity isn’t an identity or a personality type, nor does it dictate what we should like, value, or create. Over the years, I’ve noticed how easily one person’s experience of sensitivity can become the dominant narrative, leaving others wondering whether they’re a “proper HSP”. The Balancing Act in Translating Our Experiences The translator plays an important role in bringing their cultural understanding and experience, without letting it outrun the intention behind the person’s words. And as highly sensitive people, I think we’ve got to be aware of this in the way we listen to and interpret HSPs. To put the person first. That’s why I’m drawn to stories and anecdotes individuals share about their experiences of sensitivity. Not to universalise the experience or assume it’s the same for everyone, but to open the door so that each of us can feel at home with our differences. Which is what I wanted to do with the film I shared at the gathering. “It Just Sort of Happens” is a series of stories about the relationship I’ve noticed between my sensitivity and creativity, and how they have helped me make sense of the world, my personal experiences, and myself throughout my life. I wanted to use the stories as examples to help others map their own experiences and notice what they hear beneath the surface of my words. If you’d like to watch it, I’ll be sharing it in The Courtyard on Sunday, when we’ll also chat about any comments and questions afterwards. Learn more about it and register for your free Courtyard Membership (there will be a replay for those who can’t make it live). If you have any questions or comments in the meantime, please drop me a message and let me know.

Are you overwhelmed by clutter? In this episode, I talk with Rebecca Jo-Rushdy about the impacts of tidying up and:How clutter and tidying up impacts our emotional, mental, and physical healthThe importance of digital boundaries and creating a sanctuary in your homeLetting go of what doesn't bring you joy and finding gratitude for your belongingsIntentionally going through the six stages of the KonMari method of tidying upRebecca guides sensitive souls on transformational journeys by decluttering their homes, hearts and minds into sanctuaries that spark joy and flow. As a recovered shopaholic & drawing on her lived experiences she's dedicated to helping other highly sensitive people turn their wounds into wisdom and their exhaustion into energy. Rebecca also facilitates wellness workshops and speaks for corporates, government agencies and NGOs on the power of decluttering our personal and professional lives so that we can be more focused, effective and happy in whatever we do. Rebecca has lived and worked all over the world. She was the first platinum KonMari® consultant in Malaysia, and in Edinburgh, Scotland where she is currently based with her husband and two wonderfully sensitive daughters.Keep in touch with Rebecca:Website: http://www.sparkjoyandflow.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparkjoyandflowInsight Timer: http://www.insightttimer.com/sparkjoyandflowResources Mentioned:Circle of Joy Community: https://circleofjoy.mn.co/plans/1444189Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781607747307For more deep conversations like this, join me in Sensitive Circles - a cozy online community for highly sensitive people to find meaningful connection and deepen self-awareness at their own pace. More details: https://www.sensitivecircles.com Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at: https://www.sensitivestories.comYou can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengthsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengthsAnd for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off. If you have a moment, please rate and review the podcast, it helps Sensitive Stories reach more HSPs! This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional.  Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.  

Feeling guilty for having needs and wants? Grab The Taking Up Space Guide: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/taking-up-space-guide/ Do you feel guilty asking for what you need—even when your needs are completely reasonable? If you're a highly sensitive person, you may constantly put others first, second-guess your preferences, and push your own needs aside to avoid conflict, disappointment, or disapproval. Over time, this can quietly shrink your life and leave you feeling disconnected from yourself. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why highly sensitive people often feel guilty asking for what they want or need • How people-pleasing and self-abandonment slowly make your world smaller • How to start honoring your needs with greater self-trust, freedom, and ease Press play now to learn how to care deeply for others without leaving yourself behind.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

Do you spend days—or even months—overthinking decisions because you're afraid of making the wrong choice? As a highly sensitive person, your deep thinking is a gift—it helps you make thoughtful, intentional decisions. But sometimes that same strength can turn into over-analysis, causing you to treat everyday decisions like they're life-or-death situations and leaving you feeling stuck. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why highly sensitive people naturally think deeply before taking action • How your mind can mistake low-stakes situations for high-stakes ones • How to know when you've gathered enough information and it's time to move forward Press play to learn how to balance thoughtful planning with confident action so you can stop overthinking and move forward with greater clarity and ease.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

What if one of the most powerful forces shaping your marriage is something you've never even thought about?Every relationship has an atmosphere. You can't see it, but you can feel it.It's the difference between walking into a home that feels light, warm, and easy to breathe in... and one where everyone seems to be quietly protecting themselves.The surprising part? The atmosphere is not just the way a relationship is.It's actually something that's being created…And it isn't created by one big conversation, one conflict, or one breakthrough.It's created by one ordinary interactions at a time repeated over and over—most of which you barely notice. In this episode, I'll help you recognize the invisible emotional climate inside your own marriage, why it matters far more than you may realize, and why understanding this one idea could completely change the way you think about creating the relationship your heart has been longing for…...and your ability to influence the relationship.Because once you can see the atmosphere...you can begin changing it. Dive in.SHOW NOTES: Learn more about the full Safe Heart Pathway through Sanctuary 1:1 (where Foundations of Emotional Well-Being is included as the first layer)Or begin with Foundations of Emotional Well-Being for HSPs (FEW) on its own first.FREE QUIZ: How Much is High Sensitivity Impacting Your Relationship (and are you even highly sensitive)? You want to know. Because, high sensitivity has a major impact on intimate relationships – for better or worse. Take this 3 minute quiz to discover if you're highly sensitive and how deeply it's affecting you, and your happiness in your relationship. You will also get your next steps to making sure sensitivity works for your relationship, instead of against it.ENJOYING THE SHOW? Don't miss an episode! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Leave  a review in Apple Podcasts--we are SO grateful!Check out the Start Here Podcast Pathway for a suggested route through the most important episodes to start with or review — the ones that will help you feel calmer, more secure, and more hopeful in your relationship.

In this episode of Your Yes Filled Life, Brenda Winkle shares a new way to think about boundaries by introducing the deeper foundation beneath them: your standards. You'll learn: Why boundary scripts often don't solve the real problem The difference between values, standards, and boundaries How raising your standards changes your relationships, work, and self-trust Why nervous-system regulation is essential for lasting change How to stop negotiating with yourself and start living in alignment If you've ever found yourself saying, "I know I should have said no," this episode offers a completely different lens. Resources: • Join the POWER Waitlist https://www.brendawinkle.com/power • Apply for Private Coaching - https://www.brendawinkle.com/coaching • Connect with Brenda Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendawinkle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.winkle111 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendawinkle/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brendawinkle111 Keywords: Boundaries, Healthy Boundaries, Personal Boundaries, Standards, Personal Standards, Values, Core Values, Self Trust, Discernment, Inner Wisdom, Emotional Intelligence, Nervous System Regulation, Embodiment, Mindset Shift, Identity Work, Personal Growth, Self Leadership, People Pleasing, Overcoming People Pleasing, Empath, Empath Life, Highly Sensitive Person, HSP, Women Empowerment, High Achieving Women, Leadership Development, Confidence, Intuition, Emotional Wellbeing, Self Worth, Authentic Living, Conscious Living, Healing Journey, Inner Peace, Resilience, Relationship Advice, Life Coaching, Transform Your Life, Personal Development, Your Yes Filled Life

Ready for deeper support? Work with me 1:1 https://trueinnerfreedom.com/working-together/ Do you ever feel like your life looks good on paper, yet deep down it still feels like you're waiting for your real life to begin? Many highly sensitive people spend years searching for greater purpose, clarity, and alignment, believing the next breakthrough will finally bring peace. Yet the more they search, the more life can feel just out of reach, creating stress, restlessness, and a lingering sense that they're not quite where they're supposed to be. In this episode, you'll discover: Why highly sensitive people often feel stuck in a cycle of searching for the next answer, path, or purpose. The hidden fears and beliefs that keep you waiting for certainty before fully embracing life. How self-compassion and inner work can help you feel more present, grounded, and connected to the life you already have. Press play now to uncover what's really keeping you in search mode and learn how to experience more peace, purpose, and fulfillment right where you are.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

When someone's energy feels a little different than usual, quieter, colder, more reserved, your mind starts filling in the silence with a story about what you did wrong.This week Alissa breaks down where that hypervigilance actually comes from and why your mind rushing to assume the worst rarely has anything to do with what's actually happening.Pulling from her own patterns and stories from women in the Not Too Sensitive Club, Alissa walks through how to catch the spiral before it takes over. In this episode, you'll learn:Why your mind rushes to fill in the silence when someone seems distant or short with youThe childhood origin of hypervigilance and why it gets mistaken for high sensitivityHow to create space between a triggering moment and the story you decide to believe about itThe exercise for completing the anxiety loop and realizing you could survive the worst case scenarioWhy overcompensating to win over a cold or quiet person is really about your own comfort, not the connectionHow choosing a new response in triggering moments builds a steadier, more confident identity over timeUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

Are you on an emotional rollercoaster? In this episode, I talk with Esther Kane, MSW, RCC, about the real reason you struggle with anxiety or depression and:Impacts of being labeled as moody, serious, or quiet when you were youngerDiscovering the connection between anxiety, depression, and your sensitive nervous systemHow to leverage your capacity to feel deep joy to break out of the emotional rollercoaster you've been onEsther is a psychotherapist with nearly 30 years of experience who specializes in highly sensitive people, nervous system regulation, and emotional healing. She shares trauma-informed, body-based insights on her YouTube channel, Thriving as a Highly Sensitive Person, providing practical support for those dealing with anxiety, emotional eating/food addiction, and overwhelm.Keep in touch with Esther:Website: https://www.estherkane.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThrivingHSPEsther's Newsletter and Counselling Services: https://www.estherkane.com/servicesResources Mentioned:Highly Sensitive Person by Dr. Elaine Aron: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182Why We Meditate by Goleman and Rinpoche: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781982178468Crossing Zero by Anders SorensonRadical Compassion by Tara Brach: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780525522836Self-Compassion Break by Kristin Neff: https://self-compassion.org/self-compassion-practices/#guided-practicesPolyvagal Theory/Deb Dana: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/polyvagal-theoryFor more deep conversations like this, join me in Sensitive Circles - a cozy online community for highly sensitive people to find meaningful connection and deepen self-awareness at their own pace. More details: https://www.sensitivecircles.com Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at: https://www.sensitivestories.comYou can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengthsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengthsAnd for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off. If you have a moment, please rate and review the podcast, it helps Sensitive Stories reach more HSPs! This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional.  Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.  

Find out your unique sensitivity profile and your current stress levels. Take the HSP Stress Test here: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/hsp-stress-test/  Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed even though nothing in your life seems stressful enough to explain it? Many highly sensitive people assume overwhelm must come from one major problem. But more often, it's the accumulation of emails, decisions, conversations, responsibilities, unfinished tasks, and constant mental processing quietly filling their emotional bandwidth until they reach a breaking point. • Understand why overwhelm can happen even when life appears relatively normal. • Discover how small stressors accumulate and impact the highly sensitive nervous system. • Learn how to recognize the early warning signs of overload and restore balance before burnout occurs. Listen now to learn how identifying your total load—not just individual stressors—can help you reduce overwhelm, protect your energy, and create a healthier rhythm of life.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

Do you ever walk out of a room feeling completely drained or heavier than when you walked in? If you are an empath or a highly sensitive person (HSP), you aren't just hearing people—you are absorbing their emotional weather. In this episode of Calming Anxiety, clinical hypnotherapist and former frontline paramedic Martin Hewlett shows you how to stop bracing for other people's storms and start generating your own climate of peace. Using a powerful 4-2-6 breathing technique and an immersive aura visualization, you will learn how to build a protective shield of calm that reflects negativity, leaving you centered, grounded, and in complete control. Cold Intro"Do you ever leave a room feeling heavier than when you walked in? Like you've just absorbed someone else's negative energy without even realising it? If you're an empath or simply a highly sensitive person, today we're doing something different. We're not building a wall to keep people out. We're learning how to protect your energy by building a calm aura around you."  Time Chapters00:00 – Intro: The Empath's Dilemma & Protecting Your Energy 00:38 – Welcome from Martin Hewlett & Settling In 01:21 – Paramedic Insights: Reading the Room vs. Changing the Climate 01:57 – The 4-2-6 Breathing Practice for Panic & Anxiety Relief 03:05 – Guided Aura Visualization: Creating Your Shield of Light 05:37 – Silent Hypnotherapy Affirmations for Grounding 08:25 – 3 Daily Caring Tips for Maintaining Your Emotional Boundaries 09:44 – Grounding Outro, Social Share & Closing Words AffirmationsRepeat these powerful phrases internally or whisper them to lock in your sense of peace and control: I am calm within this storm. Other people's storms move around me, not through me. I do not absorb what was never mine to carry. My calm is steady, even when the forecast around me changes. I am the climate I choose to create. 3 Daily Caring TipsTake these practical tools with you into the weeks and months ahead to protect your peace: Breathe Before You Enter: Before walking into a meeting, a room, or a tough conversation, take three mindful breaths and visualize your protective aura growing stronger. Let Storms Pass Through: Remember that you are human, not a weather system. If someone else's mood touches you, give it gentle permission to pass right on by. Audit Your Environments: Notice who in your life is consistently stormy. Be honest about how long you stand in the rain—you have full permission to shorten visits, take calls later, and protect your space. Share the CalmIf today's visualization helped you find your footing, please take a quick moment to share this episode on your social media feed. You never know which of your friends or loved ones might desperately need a 10-minute sanctuary of peace today. Smile often, my friend, and to your soul be kind.

Großraumbüro, Dauerbeschallung, Aufgaben ohne Sinn: Was für andere anstrengend ist, kann für hochsensible Menschen zum echten Kraftfresser werden – oft schleichend, bis der Körper streikt. Der Grund liegt selten an der Belastbarkeit. Es fehlt das richtige Umfeld. Sandra Quedenbaum ist Traumatherapeutin und auf Hochsensibilität spezialisiert. In dieser Feelgood-Friday-Folge zeigt sie, was hochsensible Menschen (HSP) im Job wirklich brauchen, um gesund und gerne zu arbeiten – ob du selbst hochsensibel bist oder HSP in deinem Team führst. Wir sprechen darüber, warum Sinnhaftigkeit der wichtigste Motor ist, wie Werte und Authentizität vor Burnout schützen, was HSP in Sachen Konkurrenz und Arbeitsatmosphäre brauchen – und wie gutes Reizmanagement selbst laute Jobs möglich macht. Du erfährst... In der Podcastfolge erfährst du… …wie hochsensible Menschen im Jobumfeld erfolgreich agieren. …welche Arbeitsbedingungen Hochsensible für optimale Leistung benötigen. …wie Reizmanagement und Authentizität im Arbeitsalltag gelingen. __________________________ ||||| PERSONEN |||||

Find out why you're still exhausted. Grab The HSP Alignment Inventory: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/alignment-inventory/ Why are you still exhausted when you've already done everything you're supposed to do? If you're a highly sensitive person who has tried rest, self-care, better boundaries, and even time off but still feels emotionally drained, the problem may not be stress alone. This episode explores how hidden misalignment—living in ways that don't fully reflect who you are—can quietly drain your energy and leave you feeling disconnected, flat, and burned out. By listening to this episode, you'll discover: Why emotional exhaustion can persist even after you've reduced stress and prioritized recovery. How subtle patterns of people-pleasing, self-abandonment, and chronic adaptation create ongoing energy leaks. A powerful new way to view burnout that can help you reconnect with yourself, restore sustainable energy, and create greater alignment in your life.   Listen now to uncover what your exhaustion may be trying to tell you and learn how small shifts toward alignment can help you reclaim your energy and feel more like yourself again.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

Find out your unique sensitivity profile and your current stress levels. Take the HSP Stress Test here: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/hsp-stress-test/ Have you ever felt like you don't quite fit in—and wondered if something is wrong with you? If you're a highly sensitive person, you've likely spent years comparing yourself to others who seem to move through life with less stress, fewer emotions, and more ease. Over time, it's easy to conclude that your sensitivity is the problem. But what if the real struggle isn't your sensitivity itself—it's the belief that you shouldn't be the way you are? In this episode, you'll discover: Why highly sensitive people naturally grow up feeling different from those around them How the belief that "something is wrong with me" creates unnecessary emotional suffering A practical path toward deeper self-acceptance so you can stop fighting your sensitivity and start embracing it Listen now to discover how accepting your sensitivity can help you replace self-judgment with confidence, relief, and a stronger sense of belonging.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

This week's episode comes from a riff request in the Not Too Sensitive Club group chat, a question about how to stop taking it personally when someone seems committed to disliking you, especially when you're wired to feel that discomfort in your body.It's uncomfortable to sense someone judging you, and every instinct says to win them over. Alissa offers a different move: recognizing whose story this actually is.She walks through what projection usually means psychologically, the energetic practices she uses before and after being around someone who triggers this, and why she'd rather be disliked for being herself than loved for shrinking. In this episode, you'll learn:Why someone projecting negativity onto you is usually about an unexamined part of them, not evidence of something wrong with youThe difference between setting a boundary with someone and pretending their treatment of you doesn't hurtHow to use an energetic bubble and cord cutting before and after spending time with someone who triggers this patternWhy staying small and people pleasing can protect you from the discomfort, but why that's not the goalHow to let someone's dislike of you be their thing to carry instead of yoursUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

Ready for deeper support? Work with me 1:1 https://trueinnerfreedom.com/working-together/  Have you ever set a boundary, felt completely clear about it, and then watched yourself back away from it anyway? If you're a highly sensitive person, boundary struggles can be incredibly frustrating because the problem often isn't knowing what to do—it's being unable to follow through when fear, guilt, self-doubt, or the desire for harmony take over. Understanding why this happens can be the difference between staying stuck in people-pleasing and finally feeling free to honor your own needs. By listening to this episode, you'll discover: Why learning about boundaries often isn't enough to help you consistently hold them The hidden fears and beliefs that pull highly sensitive people back into accommodation and people-pleasing How boundaries become easier when you address the emotional patterns underneath them instead of relying on willpower Listen now to uncover the real reason boundaries feel so difficult—and learn how to create lasting change without forcing yourself to be someone you're not.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.  

SYNOPSIS:What if intelligence is far bigger than IQ, rational thought, or what we've been taught to measure? In this fascinating conversation, Ali sits down with coach and researcher Rachel Fell to explore neurodiversity as an expression of human biodiversity, challenging our assumptions about what it means to think, feel, perceive, and truly know. Together they venture beyond the limits of our culturally conditioned understanding of intelligence, revealing a far broader way of knowing through our lived experience as sensing bodies.Whether you identify as neurodivergent or simply long to feel more fully alive, this episode offers a refreshing invitation to rethink intelligence itself. From trauma, sensitivity, and nervous system regulation to movement, emotion, and the remarkable adaptability of the human body, Ali and Rachel explore how reclaiming our full-bodied intelligence may be one of the most important - and hopeful - frontiers of our time.To subscribe now, click hereTo be an angel to the podcast, click here To read more about the podcast, click here FOR MORE ALI MEZEY:Website: https://www.alimezey.comPersonal Geometry® and the Magic of Mat Work Course information:FREE Guided Body Mapping Taster: Heart/Sexuality SplitFive-films series (made by Ali Mezey) on Stephan Hausner's work with transgenerational influences on illnessFOR MORE RACHEL FELL:BIO: Rachel Fell is a coach, consultant and collaborator working at the intersections of neurodiversity, living intelligence, perception, and embodied awareness. For over six years she has worked with gifted, neurocomplex, sensitive and intense adults around the globe, co-exploring in the service of full-body intelligence and their unique paths to realization and fulfillment. A published author, speaker, and teacher, she also consults and collaborates with organizations on intelligence and its development, leadership, and brand/identity and business projects. RACHEL – WebsiteRACHEL – InstagramRELEVANT THE BRILLIANT BODY PODCAST EPISODES:First Rachel Fell: Bridging Divides with Rachel Fell: Neurodivergence, Conscious Body Awareness & Inclusive IntelligenceLive conversation with Rachel Fell: Neurodiversity, The Body & Inclusive Intelligence: LIVE AUDIENCE Q&A RECORDING with Rachel Fell & Ali MezeyPanel Discussion: The Democratic Body with Ali, Sarah Peyton, Amber Gray & Rachel FellPhilip Shepherd, Embodiment Leader & Author: Coming Home to the Body with PHILIP SHEPHERD...ReprisedOTHER LINKS:Dr Svetlana Masgutova: https://masgutovamethod.com/Svetlana Masgutova Educational InstituteThe Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration - MNRI® MethodRemarkably Bright Creatures on Netflix with Sally Field. Delightful. An Immense World by Ed YongOriginal Wisdom by Robert WolffEXPLANATIONS:"I think, therefore I am" / Cartesian Divide – René Descartes' famous philosophical statement that placed thinking at the center of human identity. It also contributed to the enduring Western separation of mind and body, often referred to as the Cartesian mind-body split.Family Constellation Work – A therapeutic and experiential approach developed by Bert Hellinger that explores how unconscious family dynamics and inherited patterns can influence our lives, relationships, health, and sense of self.Dr. Spock & "Crying It Out" – Mid-20th-century parenting advice, influenced in part by pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock and later behavioral approaches, often encouraged allowing babies to cry rather than responding immediately. More recent attachment and developmental research emphasizes the importance of consistent, responsive caregiving for healthy nervous system development.DEFINITIONS:Human exceptionalism – The belief that humans are fundamentally superior to, or separate from, the rest of nature and other living beings.Afferent and efferent – Afferent signals carry information to the brain from the body and senses; efferent signals carry commands from the brain back to the body.Phenomenology – The study of direct, lived experience—exploring what it feels like to perceive, sense, and exist from the inside.ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) – An eating disorder characterized by extreme restriction or avoidance of certain foods, often due to sensory sensitivities, textures, smells, or fear of negative experiences with eating. It...

Find out your unique sensitivity profile and your current stress levels. Take the HSP Stress Test here: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/hsp-stress-test/  Are you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or emotionally reactive—even when you're trying to slow down and take care of yourself? As a highly sensitive person, modern life constantly bombards your nervous system with stimulation, pressure, and emotional input. The problem is that many of the things we turn to for relief—scrolling, entertainment, staying busy, even certain foods—can actually add more activation instead of helping us recover. Over time, this hidden accumulation of stress can leave you feeling chronically overwhelmed without understanding why. Understand why highly sensitive people accumulate emotional and nervous system "heat" more easily than others. Discover how modern life quietly pulls you away from true restoration and keeps your system stuck in activation. Learn simple, practical ways to cool, nourish, and rebalance your nervous system so you can feel calmer, steadier, and more like yourself again.   Listen now to discover how small, nourishing shifts can help your sensitive nervous system recover from overload and return to a state of calm, balance, and resilience.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

Go to https://kachava.com and use code HSP for 15% off your first order!Dark Summer Merch Is Here! Get your Tour Tee, Scrapbook Tee or Bandana at ⁠https://shop.heartstartspounding.com/Today we're exploring the term that has been circulating online for the last few months, Alpine Divorce, and two cases where these “divorces” of sorts were life-threatening. In 2012, Toni Henthorn fell from an off-trail ledge in Rocky Mountain National Park. Her husband Harold said she slipped, but a ranger found a map that indicated otherwise. Thirteen years later, Arielle Konig was attacked by her husband, Gerhardt, on a cliffside trail in Hawaii on her birthday, but against all odds, she made it out alive.TW: Domestic abuse, mention of sexual assault on a minor, description of head injuryThe National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.Subscribe on⁠ Patreon⁠ to become a member of our Rogue Detecting Society and enjoy ad-free listening, monthly bonus content, merch discounts and more. Members of our High Council on Patreon also have access to our weekly after-show, Footnotes, where I share my case file with our producer, Matt.You can also enjoy many of these same perks, including ad-free listening and bonus content when you subscribe on Apple Podcasts.Follow on⁠ Tik Tok⁠ and⁠ Instagram⁠ for a daily dose of horror.

218  What does a truly emotionally safe, loving marriage actually feel like…from the inside?In this episode, I invite you to step into an ordinary day inside what I call a Safe Heart Partnership: a relationship where you feel emotionally safe, deeply connected, genuinely cherished, and at home with one another—even when life isn't perfect.I want you to get a taste of what that really feels like.Why? Because when you can clearly envision—and even begin to feel—the kind of relationship you're longing for, your brain naturally starts orienting toward it, making it easier to recognize opportunities and make choices to bring it alive, and begin actually creating it one ordinary day at a time.So, together, we'll walk through a simple Tuesday...sharing coffee in the morning, navigating a disagreement, responding to a difficult day, repairing after a hurt, and ending the evening side by side. Because the goal isn't a relationship without challenges.It's a relationship where the challenges no longer threaten your connection, and even bring you closer over time. And you feel truly home with each other.As you imagine yourself living these moments, you'll begin experiencing what emotional security within you and emotional safety between you actually feel like, so you can move towards it in your own real life more easily.So if you've been longing for a marriage that feels peaceful, warm, supportive, playful, and deeply good to live inside, this episode will give you a glimpse of what's possible—and will help your heart begin moving toward it.This is the kind of partnership I believe every highly sensitive woman deserves. Listen in.SHOW NOTES: Learn more about the full Safe Heart Pathway through Sanctuary 1:1 (where Foundations of Emotional Well-Being is included as the first layer)Or begin with Foundations of Emotional Well-Being for HSPs (FEW) on its own first.FREE QUIZ: How Much is High Sensitivity Impacting Your Relationship (and are you even highly sensitive)? You want to know. Because, high sensitivity has a major impact on intimate relationships – for better or worse. Take this 3 minute quiz to discover if you're highly sensitive and how deeply it's affecting you, and your happiness in your relationship. You will also get your next steps to making sure sensitivity works for your relationship, instead of against it.ENJOYING THE SHOW? Don't miss an episode! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Leave  a review in Apple Podcasts--we are SO grateful!Check out the Start Here Podcast Pathway for a suggested route through the most important episodes to start with or review — the ones that will help you feel calmer, more secure, and more hopeful in your relationship.

Care deeply without losing your center. Grab the "Whose Business?" Reflection Cards: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/whos-business-cards/ Have you ever felt someone else's stress so deeply that you lost touch with your own emotional state? As a highly sensitive person, your nervous system is naturally wired to pick up subtle emotional shifts in others. While this gift allows for deep empathy and connection, it can also leave you feeling responsible for other people's emotions, exhausted after interactions, and disconnected from your own sense of calm. In this episode, you'll discover: Why highly sensitive people absorb stress from others so quickly and automatically How empathy quietly turns into emotional entanglement and drains your energy A practical way to stay compassionate, present, and supportive without carrying someone else's emotional burden Listen now to learn how to remain grounded in yourself while caring deeply for others, so you can protect your peace without losing your empathy.   Todd Smith, founder of True Inner Freedom Dreaming of a stress-free, balanced life? Visit https://trueinnerfreedom.com/ and take the HSP Stress Test. Gain clarity on your sensitivity and stress triggers, and book a free 30-minute introductory conversation to explore what's going on for you and see if working together 1:1 might be a fit. Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) or someone who identifies as hypersensitive or neurodivergent? This podcast is dedicated to helping highly sensitive people (HSPs) navigate overwhelm and stress by using The Work of Byron Katie—a powerful method for questioning stressful thoughts and finding true inner freedom. We dive deep into stress management strategies, coping with stress, and stress relief methods specifically tailored for HSPs. Learn how to manage emotions, especially negative ones, and explore effective stress reduction techniques that go beyond the surface to address the root causes of anxiety and pressure. Whether you're interested in learning how to lower stress, handle stress and pressure, or reduce stress through practical techniques, we provide insights and support based on The Work of Byron Katie. Discover how this transformative approach can help you decrease stress, find inner peace, and create balance in your life. Join us to learn about various coping strategies for stress, all designed to support HSPs in their journey toward emotional well-being.

In this solo episode, Alissa names the exhaustion of shape shifting to fit an imagined mold of what's acceptable, and offers the alternative: deciding, every day, who you are and how you want to show up.Sparked by comments on a viral Instagram post about owning being "too much," Alissa calls out the excuse that other's won't let you be your true self. She's not buying the narrative that other people's discomfort is proof something is wrong with you. Pulling from her own story and pattern she keeps hearing from women in the Not Too Sensitive Club, she shares ways you can take back your power and decide who you are going to be. In this episode, you'll learn:Why trying to fit into everyone's idea of acceptable costs you pieces of yourself The real difference between wanting connection and needing everyone's approval What moving to California from Minnesota taught Alissa about owning her differences instead of hiding them Why overthinking after a social interaction is your nervous system reading it as a threat to belonging, not a character flaw How self-worth changes the entire experience of imperfect social moments Why healing your triggers matters as much as understanding where they came fromUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

Do you feel disconnected from your creative side?  In this episode, I talk with Jill McDougall about embracing the messiness of play and:Pulling the threads of curiosity and learning to trust your intuitive giftsThe impact of growing up feeling sensory-sensitive and wanting harmonious environmentsFinding confidence and breaking free of limiting beliefs as an adultJill is a mixed media/collage artist living in Washington state. Fascinated by what lies beneath the surface, she notices the details and nuance of things and builds fragments of her observations into the layers of her art. She believes that the world needs authenticity, creativity and connection now more than ever, and is learning to lean into her sensitivities and reframe them as superpowers.Keep in touch with Jill:Website: https://www.jillmcdougall.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillmcdougallartSubstack: https://jillinspire.substack.comResources Mentioned:Sensitive by Jenn Granneman and Andre Solo: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780593235034HSP Self-Test: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-testOlander Sand Trays: https://www.olanderearthworks.comFor more deep conversations like this, join me in Sensitive Circles - a cozy online community for highly sensitive people to find meaningful connection and deepen self-awareness at their own pace. More details: https://www.sensitivecircles.com Thanks for listening! You can read the full show notes and sign up for my email list to get new episode announcements and other resources at: https://www.sensitivestories.comYou can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengthsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengthsAnd for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off. If you have a moment, please rate and review the podcast, it helps Sensitive Stories reach more HSPs! This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional.  Some links are affiliate links. You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service. I am not responsible for the quality or satisfaction of any purchase.  

Have you ever wondered why you feel everything so deeply after a spiritual awakening? If you're an empath, highly sensitive person (HSP), or spiritually awakening, your sensitivity isn't the problem...it may simply be that no one has taught you how to manage your energy.In this episode inside our Summer of Awakening series, we're connecting the dots between nervous system regulation, somatic healing, intuition development, mindset, and energy management so you can finally understand what's happening and stop feeling overwhelmed by your sensitivity. Here's Five Ways to Manage your Sensitivity. We'll cover:✨ Why spiritual awakening often makes you feel more emotionally and energetically sensitive✨ The connection between your nervous system and your intuition✨ Why energy management matters more than simply trying to "raise your vibration"✨ How your focus, beliefs, and intuitive type shape your reality✨ Practical ways to regulate your emotions, protect your energy, and build a more aligned, grounded lifeIf you've ever wondered whether you're an empath, highly sensitive person, or experiencing spiritual awakening symptoms, this episode will help you understand your experiences in a practical, empowering way.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Blog Link Mentioned in the Episode: https://www.theawakenedstate.net/feeling-disconnected-from-yourself/✨ Take the FREE Empath Type Quiz

Go to https://kachava.com and use code HSP for 15% off your first order! A newlywed couple boarded a Mediterranean cruise for their honeymoon. Five days later, a teenager photographed blood splattered across a lifeboat canopy, and the groom was gone. His bride says she blacked out. Four men were the last to see him alive. What happened to George Smith puzzled his family for years until they finally started pulling at the threads. TW: Mention of SA Dark Summer Merch Is Here! Get yours at shop.heartstartspounding.com/ Subscribe on⁠ Patreon⁠ to become a member of our Rogue Detecting Society and enjoy ad-free listening, monthly bonus content, merch discounts and more. Members of our High Council on Patreon also have access to our weekly after-show, Footnotes, where I share my case file with our producer, Matt. You can also enjoy many of these same perks, including ad-free listening and bonus content when you subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Follow on⁠ Tik Tok⁠ and⁠ Instagram⁠ for a daily dose of horror.

Alissa recently shared a post that said "please be too much," and it went viral, reaching over 2 million people after nearly two years of feeling like her work wasn't getting seen. But this episode isn't really about going viral. It's about what happened in those two quiet years before it, and why the willingness to show up anyway, even when you feel embarrassed, judged, or invisible, is what actually builds confidence and self-trust.For sensitive people, the fear of being seen trying runs deep. Alissa offers two words that changed her life: so what?She shares the stories behind it, from being mocked by people she went to high school with, to an email that hit her most painful insecurity square in the chest, to the six years of unseen work that led to her book deal with Penguin Random House. You don't wait until you feel healed and confident to start. You start, and that's what makes you confident.In this episode, you'll learn:Why "so what?" are two of the most freeing words when you're afraid of being judgedWhat showing up without applause does for your identity and self-trust over timeWhy waiting until you feel fully healed to take action is actually fear and control in disguiseHow saying you want something but never acting on it quietly erodes your trust in yourselfWhat it looks like to treat triggers as stepping stones instead of stop signsThe difference between responding from your sensitive shadow archetype and your sensitive strength archetypeUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, we explore the variety of neurodiversity. I’ve been staying with friends over the past few weeks, including Lucas, who is nearly 12. He is autistic, and after spending time trawling through the Gentle Rebel Podcast episode archive, we had a chat about topics he thought would be good to explore. One of those topics was what he described as “the variety of neurodiversity”. When I asked what that meant to him, and why he felt that was an important thing to discuss, he said that it’s important to realise that not all neurodivergent people have the same needs or preferences. It can be frustrating for him when people make assumptions because of his autism, confusing one person’s experience as being true and applicable to everyone. It reminded me of the story I’ve told a few times on the podcast, when I shared that I love horror films and someone responded by saying it meant I wasn’t a highly sensitive person (HSP). Fortunately, I met a bunch of fellow HSP horror fans who were very grateful to discover they were not alone in that love and passion. It was a really nice reminder that we are all different. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to our natural variations, and while brains share characteristics across neurotypes, our needs, preferences, and tastes are a more complex mix of genetics, environment, and psychology. https://youtu.be/4xJmXtRoIlM 13 Questions I created a mini-zine for Lucas to answer some questions about this topic, which I share in the episode. He has given me permission to talk about his responses because we hope this can help people feel a bit safer and more confident being themselves, even if it makes them different. And for those listening who spend time with neurodivergent people, we hope this encourages them to see everyone as an individual rather than making assumptions that they would be the same as others they’ve met, or as themselves. I would also love to invite you to share your own responses to these questions. I’ve created a survey because I’d be really interested in gathering a variety of responses and getting a sense of the variety of neurodiversity. Can you remember a time when someone assumed something about you because you were autistic? What did they get wrong? Before moving to be educated at home, Lucas had noticed adults assuming that he was like the other autistic children at the school. The teachers assumed he found it difficult to learn, but in Lucas’s case, he found it difficult to be at school. Having spent a lot of time with the family over the past five years, I’ve seen this radical shift as he has transitioned from that institutional school setting to home-based education and is absolutely blossoming. In a way, it feels frustrating that the teachers who had all but written him off through those assumptions will likely never see it. He loves learning, is a sponge for knowledge, and embraces the joy of connecting the dots across a vast range of subjects. What do people tend to misunderstand most about neurodivergent people? “Sometimes people think we’re all the same”, Lucas replied to this one. “They assume that ADHD people are naughty, but actually our brains have so much to focus on so it’s hard to listen.” “Naughty” is a judgement based on the person making it (and the context they are in). In many situations not designed for different types of brains, when people are unable to focus, respond as expected, or do so at the correct speed, authority figures may ascribe intent to those actions. This underpins the disadvantage faced by those expected to play by rules that impose a heavy cognitive load. This can prevent them from functioning and flourishing in their natural way. Have people ever tried to help you in a way that actually made things harder? What did they do? I didn’t ask this question to make people with good hearts feel bad. But because it sits at the heart of much of this stuff, and I’ve heard countless stories of kids being ignored by those who think they know what’s best for them. Lucas described how his needs were ignored by the adults at school. We know about the role of differential susceptibility from the ever-growing body of research around environmental sensitivity. Vantage Sensitivity indicates that the more sensitive someone is, the more positively they are affected by a safe and supportive environment. Diathesis Stress shows that the more sensitive a person is, the more they’re negatively affected by stressful conditions. The school setting can be stressful for neurotypes with diverse sensitivities whose nervous systems don’t naturally fit the normalised environment. Do you know autistic people who are very different from you? How are they different? Lucas said yes to this because, for example, some autistic people he knows are more confident when speaking. Those whose brains function in similar ways still have different personalities, tastes, and abilities. It can be encouraging to see people with the same neurotype who are also different, because it inspires us to believe we’re not necessarily limited or restricted, especially when those limits or restrictions are imposed by unfair assumptions and unfavourable environments. Have you ever felt like you’re not autistic in the right way? If so, what makes you say that? Lucas wondered if his brain was too complex to be autistic, but when he learned about neurodiversity, he learned about differences and similarities in brain functioning. If you could design the perfect school or learning environment for yourself, what would it include? And what would it not include? Schools are such formative environments. And as we all know, they can leave a lasting imprint on the shape of our lives and our sense of self. “In a perfect environment”, Lucas said, “I would feel safe and there would be someone I trust”. Trust is a big word here because it is so easily eroded when people want others to comply and conform with societal norms. I don’t think I know anyone with a more astute and accurate BS detector than Lucas. It’s been refined by experiences of being coaxed into situations by adults who say things like, “You can trust me; you’ll enjoy it once you’re in there.” Accumulate enough such experiences, and it becomes very difficult to trust what authority figures say, especially when you don’t enjoy it once you’re in that overwhelming environment. Do you think other autistic people would want exactly the same things? Why or why not? “No, we’re all different. For example, some autistic people like quiet, but I like music and loud noises.” This is the heart of the variety of neurodiversity that inspired Lucas to highlight this topic. For one person, silence can be really distracting and create a lot of noise within them. For another person, silence is the only way they can focus and calm their mind. Lucas also noted that, from his experience, some things seem common across many autistic people. For example, “finding conversations tricky and we might need more time for things”. What is something important about you that has nothing to do with autism? It can be challenging to recognise things about ourselves that make us different from others. Lucas noticed things he has in common with his dad, who isn’t autistic. They both look similar. They both like music and silly jokes, and are very polite. He has a wonderful, vibrant imagination as well. There’s a joy to see whirring away. His was the mind behind The Spirit of The Cheese, where Jono (his dad) and I took direction and turned his vision into a reality. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dWSuB3WqEaE If someone met you for five minutes, what would they probably get wrong about you? “They might think I don’t speak”, was Lucas’s response to this. Familiar, I’m sure, to many of us, especially introverts and highly sensitive people who take time to pause and assess things before stepping into environments and situations. He continued, “I only really chat to people when they feel okay to talk to. When I know people are safe, I really like chatting to them.” This is the same for me. I can get lost in the flow of conversation. But on meeting me, people often assume I’m quiet, shy, or reserved. What do you wish people cared more about? Lucas’s response to this was a frustration with people caring so much about humans as being more special than everything else. He is passionate and knowledgeable about the natural world, and acutely aware of how damaging humans have been to it because of this underlying attitude of human exceptionalism. He added that he would also like to see neurodivergent people as people who matter. It occurs to me that both would make the world a better place, allowing everyone to see the impact of human exceptionalism. Not just on the environment but on humans themselves. It is part of what leads us to become more divided as a species. And it reinforces systems of inequality and individualistic habits of wealth hoarding. Likewise, when neurodiversity is treated in a way that doesn’t honour value and allow everyone to flourish in sync with their natural potentials, we diminish the richness of our collective human experience. I concur. That is something I wish people cared more about, too. If someone gives you advice, how do you decide whether it will work for you? Sometimes advice comes from people who, as we’ve talked about already, make assumptions that don’t apply to us. They might be speaking from a foundation that is different from who we are, what we care about, and what we think is important. Lucas said, “I think about whether I respect them, trust them, and know them.” Adding, “If I don’t like them, I might regret following their advice.” Have you ever been told “this works for autistic people” and thought, well, not for me? If so, what was it? Lucas returned to the question of silence versus loud noises. People assume that he should want things quiet because that’s how it is for some other autistic people, but he likes some loud noises. He also mentioned the context of going to a special school that said it was good for autistic people, but he still found it stressful, as he had with previous mainstream educational settings. Why do you think people like having a single answer that applies to everybody? I couldn’t help myself with this one. It’s a question that I’m fascinated by. It’s what drives my self-help exploration as well. Why do we try to universalise explanations and come up with grand theories of everything, rather than treating people as individuals, and situations and environments as places of unique potential, expression, history, and story? Lucas said, “It’s less work to think about”, which is a great response. It’s easier to imagine everyone as the same than to treat people as individuals. But what does this cost us? What does it prevent us from being able to do? How is it limiting us, not just as individuals, but as a society? A huge thanks to Lucas again for his thoughtful suggestion and great input on this topic. It has been such a joy putting this together. And I think we both hope it is helpful to anyone listening. Share your responses to the questions in this survey (it doesn’t matter who you are or your neurotype; the point is to hear stories from a variety of people!). There’s also an option to download and print the mini-zine if you’d prefer to write and draw by hand. Feel free to send me a photo when you’re finished!

In this solo episode, Alissa shares the duality she's been living inside, where heartbreak over a forever diagnosis sits right next to genuine blessing, and offers a way to honor every feeling without letting those feelings run the show.Through real moments from her own week, the 7am overwhelm she interrupted with gratitude, the choked up drive home from the doctor, the surprise of a new car the same afternoon, she gets honest about what it really means to be steady. Being unbothered was never about feeling less. It's about feeling all of it and still choosing how you move forward.In this episode, you'll learn:Why holding duality, the joy and the grief together, is one of the most important skills for a sensitive personWhat it means to honor your feelings without letting your feelings make every decisionHow a quick gratitude rampage can pull you out of a morning spiralHow to catch the moments you slip into "why is this happening to me" and choose a higher perspective insteadThe difference between pushing past a hard feeling and actually moving through itUncover your sneaky internal belief that's stopping you from being your most confident self TAKE The FREE Shadow Archetype Quiz NOWLearn my 6-step process for managing & neutralizing your triggers as an HSP in our FREE UN-Botherable Workshop!Join the Not Too Sensitive Club

Have you ever achieved your biggest goals only to end up feeling completely exhausted, lonely, and burnt out?  In this episode, I'm sitting down with my soul-sister and nervous system regulation expert, Koya Webb, to unpack the hidden trap of high-functioning codependency and people-pleasing. Koya opens up about her raw "dark night of the soul" moment—crying in a bathtub after hosting a massively successful 8,000-person event—and how it forced her to stop self-abandoning and start truly healing. Whether you are a super-empath, a highly sensitive person (HSP), or just someone running on empty, this conversation will give you the exact science-backed daily rituals you need to reset your nervous system, build deep community, and reclaim your personal sovereignty.  We dive deep into Koya's brand new book, "Well Being Rituals: Science-Backed Practices for Sustainable Healing and Living," exploring the 7 levels of holistic well-being you can start practicing today. It's time to stop giving from an empty bucket! Read the show notes for today's episode at terricole.com/842

Go to https://kachava.com and use code HSP for 15% off your first order. They call it the golden age of DNA testing, and this year, two cases that police thought would never be solved finally cracked open. But the answers were nothing anyone expected. August 1990, Houston. A white Honda Civic sits abandoned at the end of a cul-de-sac on the city's edge. The keys are in the ignition, a woman's purse is on the floorboard, and blood is smeared down both doors. What detectives find in the woods beyond that car would become known as the Lovers' Lane murders, and the case would go cold for over three decades, broken only by a DNA hit decades later. November 1991, Placer County, California. A devoted young mother vanishes mid-morning while cleaning her sister's house, leaving her infant daughter crying in a high chair and her purse the only thing missing. There's no sign of struggle. No witnesses. Just a single cigarette butt on the walkway. When her body is finally found weeks later, the medical examiner makes a discovery more chilling than the murder itself. Two cases. Two killers who were never once on police's radar. And two breakthroughs driven by DNA technology that didn't exist when the crimes were committed.  CW:  sexual assault, murder, kidnapping, brief references to violence against a child, and suicide. Subscribe on⁠⁠ Patreon⁠⁠ to become a member of our Rogue Detecting Society and enjoy ad-free listening, monthly bonus content, merch discounts and more. Members of our High Council on Patreon also have access to our weekly after-show, Footnotes, where I share my case file with our producer, Matt. You can also enjoy many of these same perks, including ad-free listening and bonus content when you subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Follow on⁠⁠ Tik Tok⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ for a daily dose of horror.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices