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Telehealth Sessions Available for California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii,  Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia Residents. Now Accepting New Clients

(323) 332-1655
Book now

Strategies To Pivot Highly Sensitive Persons Towards Their Empathy Superpower

Reviewed by Maria Rheba Estante, LMFT, LPCC — practice manager specializing in OCD, PTSD, trauma, and neurodivergent care.

Sensitivity is a strength IF you know what is kryptonite to your heightened empathic nature. Highly Sensitive Persons (HSP) can have heightened sensitivity to external stimuli, be prone to sensory overload, and feel not only their own but everyone else’s emotions too deeply. On the flip side, HSPs can envision projects in technicolor through their own visualization, display a near psychic ability to read people and situations when grounded and utilize creative thinking to devise the most original ideas often ahead of their time.

Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) are individuals who possess a unique set of personality traits, including deeper cognitive processing, and strong emotional reactivity[1]. A “Highly Sensitive Person” is a descriptive, not a clinical diagnosis. Psychologist Dr Elaine Aron first coined the term in the 1990s to identify this subset of the population[1].

A beautiful white flower blooming in a sunlit garden, evoking a sense of peace and renewal. Achieve this serene feeling through therapy with Exposure Therapy Designs.

Aron and their colleagues developed the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS), a self-report questionnaire[2]. Key indicators of high sensitivity include being easily overwhelmed, having a rich inner life, and being deeply moved by the arts and music[2].

Research indicates that high sensitivity has a genetic component, with studies indicating moderate heritability[3]. Environmental factors, such as childhood experiences and parenting style, may be factors in shaping an individual’s sensitivity levels[4].

HSPs can practice mindfulness techniques, set healthy boundaries, engage in self-care, and seek support from others[5,6,7,8] to manage their sensitivity in an often insensitive world. Dr. Judith Orloff, a psychiatrist and author, emphasizes the importance of these strategies for HSPs in her work on thriving as an empath [18]. If a HSP doesn’t develop healthy coping skills and learn to navigate their nervous systems properly it’s like being a turtle without a shell.

High sensitivity may seem like a daunting handicap but it’s actually a rare collection of strengths. Empathy, creativity, and attention to detail[9,10,11] are Superpowers but unmanaged becomes debilitating kryptonite. Especially if a person’s heightened sensitivity causes significant distress or interferes with daily functioning, seeking the guidance of a mental health professional may be beneficial[12].

An important distinction is that HSP traits are distinct from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) despite an overlap in characteristics such as heightened sensory sensitivity (ASD)[13]. HSPs do not typically exhibit the social and communication difficulties or restricted, repetitive behaviors that characterize ASD[13].

HSPs are also different from Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) tendencies. HSPs experience an inner intensity of emotions beyond the average person that causes them to exhibit strong emotional reactivity. Frequent crying spells in response to evocative stimuli are common [14]. Due to their unusually intense emotional response to external stimuli, HSPs will often retreat from the world when overstimulated by their own vivid imagination. In contrast, someone with HPD exhibits dramatic behaviors because they are driven by an urge to seek attention.

Additionally, some HSPs may be more susceptible to meeting the diagnostic criteria for Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD), a condition of exhibiting extreme emotional pain and distress in response to perceived or actual rejection, criticism, or disapproval[15,16]. For HSPs, harsh words or glances from others, are literally weapons that can strike them at the core.

Being an HSP enables a person to enjoy a deep inner life complete with unique gifts and perspectives their extraordinary empathy affords them. HSPs thrive by understanding their sensitivity, setting healthy boundaries, and engaging in rigorous self-care. As Dr. Orloff reminds us, “Sensitivity is a strength, not a weakness. Embrace your empathy and use it to make a positive difference in the world.”[18]

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Reviewed by Maria Rheba Estante, LMFT, LPCC.

Maria is the practice manager of Exposure Therapy Designs and holds a master’s degree in psychology from Golden Gate University. She is an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist and Consultant in Training, with advanced training in brainspotting, ERP, CBT, and trauma treatment.

Her clinical work focuses on OCD, PTSD, anxiety, neurodivergence, body-focused repetitive behaviors, and support for gifted learners.
Read Maria's full bio here

References

  1. Aron, E. N. (1997). The highly sensitive person: How to thrive when the world overwhelms you. Broadway Books.
  2. Aron, E. N., & Aron, A. (1997). Sensory-processing sensitivity and its relation to introversion and emotionality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73(2), 345-368.
  3. Assary, E., Zavos, H. M., Krapohl, E., Keers, R., & Pluess, M. (2020). Genetic architecture of Environmental Sensitivity reflects multiple heritable components: a twin study with adolescents. bioRxiv.
  4. Belsky, J., & Pluess, M. (2009). Beyond diathesis stress: differential susceptibility to environmental influences. Psychological Bulletin, 135(6), 885-908.
  5. Soons, I., Brouwers, A., & Tomic, W. (2010). An experimental study of the psychological impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on highly sensitive persons. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 6(4), 148-169.
  6. Aron, E. N. (2013). The highly sensitive person in love: Understanding and managing relationships when the world overwhelms you. Harmony.
  7. Benham, G. (2006). The highly sensitive person: Stress and physical symptom reports. Personality and Individual Differences, 40(7), 1433-1440.
  8. Aron, E. N., & Aron, A. (2018). The highly sensitive person’s complete learning program: Essential insights and tools for navigating your work, relationships, and life. Sounds True.
  9. Acevedo, B. P., Aron, E. N., Aron, A., Sangster, M. D., Collins, N., & Brown, L. L. (2014). The highly sensitive brain: an fMRI study of sensory processing sensitivity and response to others’ emotions. Brain and Behavior, 4(4), 580-594.
  10. Bridges, D., & Schendan, H. E. (2019). Sensitive individuals are more creative. Personality and Individual Differences, 142, 186-195.
  11. Jagiellowicz, J., Xu, X., Aron, A., Aron, E., Cao, G., Feng, T., & Weng, X. (2011). The trait of sensory processing sensitivity and neural responses to changes in visual scenes. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 6(1), 38-47.
  12. Liss, M., Mailloux, J., & Erchull, M. J. (2008). The relationships between sensory processing sensitivity, alexithymia, autism, depression, and anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 45(3), 255-259.
  13. Aron, E. N., Aron, A., & Jagiellowicz, J. (2012). Sensory processing sensitivity: a review in the light of the evolution of biological responsivity. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 16(3), 262-282.
  14. Greven, C. U., Lionetti, F., Booth, C., Aron, E. N., Fox, E., Schendan, H. E., … & Homberg, J. (2019). Sensory processing sensitivity in the context of environmental sensitivity: A critical review and development of research agenda. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 98, 287-305.
  15. Dodson, W. W. (2021). Rejected, Shamed, and Blamed: Help and Hope for Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
  16. Downey, G., & Feldman, S. I. (1996). Implications of rejection sensitivity for intimate relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(6), 1327-1343.
  17. Brindle, K., Moulding, R., Bakker, K., & Nedeljkovic, M. (2015). Is the relationship between sensory-processing sensitivity and negative affect mediated by emotional regulation? Australian Journal of Psychology, 67(4), 214-221.
  18. Orloff, J. (2017). The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People. Sounds True.