Highly Sensitive Series, Part 1 with April Snow

Approximately 20% of the world’s population carries the Highly Sensitive personality trait.  That’s basically 1 in 5 people you’ll encounter on a given day.  You might be highly sensitive yourself.  But there’s quite a bit of stigma that comes along with the word “sensitive” and the term “Highly Sensitive Person” (HSP) is often misunderstood. Given that most therapists and healers are also HSPs and about 50% of their clientele are as well, it’s imperative that we demystify the gifts and challenges that Highly Sensitive People experience internally and put forth into the world.

As an HSP myself, I’m thrilled to be talking with April Snow, AMFT, a therapist who focuses on HSPs in her practice and runs an incredible online community for highly sensitive therapists.  The topic of high sensitivity is so big that it’s a real challenge to say it all in the span of a single episode. But, April and I really touch on a lot, from defining what the HSP trait really is and the gifts and challenges that come with it, the importance of processing time and radical self-acceptance, the challenges of parenting HSP children, to the differences between introverted and extroverted HSPs as well as the differences between extroverted HSPs and non-HSP extroverts.  We also dip a toe into the importance of letting the joy in and what that means to an HSP, the isolation and loneliness HSPs are prone to, and the hero/heroine’s journey that all HSPs need to step fully into themselves.  And, we discuss how embracing your highly sensitive nature completely alters the way you work and market yourself, allowing effort, hustle and selling yourself to fall away as your YOU-ness surfaces and resonates effortlessly.

I want to delve deeper into the topic of HSPs, but I would love to hear your questions about life and work as a HSP, and working with other HSPs.  You can submit your questions here: practiceofbeingseen.com/the-highly-sensitive-series-query

Quoted in the Episode:

There’s this misperception that sensitivity is weakness.  But, actually, there’s a lot of strength there. Doesn’t it take bravery and strength to feel all those emotions? And to feel them so deeply, to go to those places within yourself?  That’s brave.  - April Snow

You see a lot of highly sensitive therapists questioning their ability to do the work long-term, which breaks my heart because it can be overwhelming without taking into account your temperament, carving time in for yourself during the day and making sure you get a good lunch, not overscheduling yourself and getting the right supports where they need to be.  Those are all really important so that you can allow these gifts to come forward.  - April Snow

I’m starting to see a pattern in these conversations where we get to a point where we identify yet another form of othering.  Another way that we’re separate or we’re different.  And then there’s this quest, this desire to belong and to reintegrate things, but integrate them from a place of holding ourselves in our differences and not dimming the light on those things.  Those things are what make us who we are.  - Rebecca Wong

What could we unlearn that is actually causing us to feel these things that are detrimental to our being?  - Rebecca Wong

Resources Referenced in this Episode:

April’s Facebook group for Highly Sensitive Therapists

Pioneer researcher of HSP personality trait, Elaine Aron, PhD. 

April’s upcoming retreat for Highly Sensitive Therapists: HSTretreat.com

Where to find April Snow]:

For support for HSP therapists:

Approximately 20% of the world’s population carries the Highly Sensitive personality trait.  That’s basically 1 in 5 people you’ll encounter on a given day.  You might be highly sensitive yourself.  But there’s quite a bit of stigma that comes along with the word “sensitive” and the term “Highly Sensitive Person” (HSP) is often misunderstood. Given that most therapists and healers are also HSPs and about 50% of their clientele are as well, it’s imperative that we demystify the gifts and challenges that Highly Sensitive People experience internally and put forth into the world.

As an HSP myself, I’m thrilled to be talking with April Snow, AMFT, a therapist who focuses on HSPs in her practice and runs an incredible online community for highly sensitive therapists.  The topic of high sensitivity is so big that it’s a real challenge to say it all in the span of a single episode. But, April and I really touch on a lot, from defining what the HSP trait really is and the gifts and challenges that come with it, the importance of processing time and radical self-acceptance, the challenges of parenting HSP children, to the differences between introverted and extroverted HSPs as well as the differences between extroverted HSPs and non-HSP extroverts.  We also dip a toe into the importance of letting the joy in and what that means to an HSP, the isolation and loneliness HSPs are prone to, and the hero/heroine’s journey that all HSPs need to step fully into themselves.  And, we discuss how embracing your highly sensitive nature completely alters the way you work and market yourself, allowing effort, hustle and selling yourself to fall away as your YOU-ness surfaces and resonates effortlessly.

I want to delve deeper into the topic of HSPs, but I would love to hear your questions about life and work as a HSP, and working with other HSPs.  You can submit your questions here: practiceofbeingseen.com/the-highly-sensitive-series-query

Quoted in the Episode:

There’s this misperception that sensitivity is weakness.  But, actually, there’s a lot of strength there. Doesn’t it take bravery and strength to feel all those emotions? And to feel them so deeply, to go to those places within yourself?  That’s brave.  - April Snow

You see a lot of highly sensitive therapists questioning their ability to do the work long-term, which breaks my heart because it can be overwhelming without taking into account your temperament, carving time in for yourself during the day and making sure you get a good lunch, not overscheduling yourself and getting the right supports where they need to be.  Those are all really important so that you can allow these gifts to come forward.  - April Snow

I’m starting to see a pattern in these conversations where we get to a point where we identify yet another form of othering.  Another way that we’re separate or we’re different.  And then there’s this quest, this desire to belong and to reintegrate things, but integrate them from a place of holding ourselves in our differences and not dimming the light on those things.  Those things are what make us who we are.  - Rebecca Wong

What could we unlearn that is actually causing us to feel these things that are detrimental to our being?  - Rebecca Wong

Resources Referenced in this Episode:

April’s Facebook group for Highly Sensitive Therapists

Pioneer researcher of HSP personality trait, Elaine Aron, PhD. 

April’s upcoming retreat for Highly Sensitive Therapists: HSTretreat.com

Where to find April Snow]:

For support for HSP therapists: SensitiveTherapist.com

For April’s private practice: ExpansiveHeart.com

Sensitive Therapist Facebook Page

Expansive Heart Facebook Page

Twitter

Instagram

If you're interested in working with Rebecca Wong, you can learn more about her services here: https://www.practiceofbeingseen.com/work-with-rebecca/

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