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The term High Sensitivity became popular 1997 when American psychologist Elaine N. Aron published her bestselling book "The highly sensitive person". Hence the abbreviation HSP. Characteristics of a highly sensitive person 1. Perception: HSP perceive more and more in depth - Above average perception abilities of the 5 senses, Ex: Sensitive to loud noises, excellent sense of smell & taste, Sensitivity to certain materials (clothing), etc. - HSP quickly experience overstimulation (too many impressions have to be processed) - Some HSP perceive thoughts, auras and some say they can communicate with the dead (working partly as a medium). 2. Depth of processing: HSP process information more in depth - As a consequence, processing takes longer, costs more energy, but is  then also deepened. - A small remark during a conversation can keep a HSP mind busy for hours and days. 3. Emotionally thin-skinned - HSPs get hurt quickly - HSPs notice a lot of small things, for example the other person’s  mood or the mood in a group - HSPs often avoid conflicts and do a lot to preserve the harmony 4. Empathy - Highly sensitive persons often have a highly developed sense of empathy. - For example, they suffer more from seeing other people's suffering: Some HSP’s have a hard time watching the news, or aggression in movies, etc.). On the other hand, HSP’s also can partake in someone else’s joy more intensely (crying during movies, emotional moments, etc.). 5. Self-perception As the environment of an HSP is often less sensitive than they are, the HSP adapts to it. For this purpose, they learn to focus more on the outer world than the inner world. This may result in a diminished ability for self-perception (knowing their inner world). Possible consequences are difficulties to formulate your own needs or the tendency to overburden yourself until exhaustion. 5. Further specific talents - There are huge interpersonal differences as far as specific talents go - A lot of times high sensitivity goes hand in hand with a high IQ - Perception of Auras, “energy fields”, or other different perceptive phenomena - Synesthesia is a perceptual phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary   experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway, f.ex. seeing colors with tastes, or seeing colors when hearing sounds. Therapy with a highly sensitive person Oftentimes a highly sensitive person has already spent quite a bit of time and energy thinking about thir issues. Therefore, it is crucial to learn about their thoughts and hypothesis on the matter, also what a person might already have to tackle the problem. If the person is not yet aware of their high sensitivity, it might be very rewarding to take a closer look at the phenomenon. I have seen it over and over again how this concept has helped people understand their feelings, actions and perceptions and presented them a new perspective on their identity. As high sensitivity is innate and cannot be changed per se, the therapy will focus more on self- acceptance and dealing with your own boundaries. By strengthening your self-awareness and learning how to become more centered, you will realize how far beyond your own boundaries you might have operated until now. Mindfulness can be practiced and encompasses the following levels: Thoughts, the five senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching), body sensations, feelings, needs, aversions and impulses. One of the main tasks in Gestalt therapy (and not just for HSP) is communicating in an appropriate way what you want and what you do not want. Another essential aspect of therapy with a highly sensitive person is to learn strategies to prevent over- stimulation. Adaption versus Authenticity I like working with my models, such as the model of ‘adaptation versus authenticity’. It looks at individual behavior on the dimensions of adaptation and authenticity. In other words: Are you a person that does whatever you want or do you always consider other people’s nees before your own? Highly sensitive individuals navigate oftentimes on the extreme left of this polarity, towards adaptation. They try to adapt to other’s expectations so much that they feel drained and chronically exhausted as a result, sometimes to the point of Burnout and Depression. In such cases, adapting has become second nature and it is not surprising that those affected struggle to express their own needs and aversions. Many HSPs long to be able to behave as their true self, and imagine it would be quite soothing. In a Psychotherapy you can learn how to develop a better sense of self, including feeling and acting more self-determined and authentic. Further you can find out how to attain a more sustainable and fulfilling life and energy balance. Adaption               Authenticity Focus on outer world            Focus on self Are you highly sensitive? 1.  I am easily overwhelmed by strong sensory      input. 2.  I seem to be aware of subtleties in my      environment. 3.  Other people’s moods affect me. 4.  I tend to be very sensitive to pain. 5.  I find myself needing to withdraw during busy      days,into bed or into a darkened room or any      place where I can have some privacy and relief      from stimulation. 6.  I am particularly sensitive to the effects of      caffeine. 7.  I am easily overwhelmed by things like bright      lights, strong smells,coarse fabrics,or sirens      close by. 8.  I have a rich,complex inner life. 9.  I am made uncomfortable by loud noises. 10. I am deeply moved by the arts or music. 11. My nervous system sometimes feels so frazzled       that I just have to go off by myself. 12. I am conscientious. 13. I startle easily. 14. I get rattled when I have a lot to do in a short       amount of time. 15. When people are uncomfortable in a physical       environment I tend to know what needs to be       done to make it more comfortable (like       changing the lighting or the seating). 16. I am annoyed when people try to get me to do       many things at once. 17. I try hard to avoid making mistakes or       forgetting things. 18. I make a point to avoid violent movies and TV       shows. 19. I become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is       going on around me. 20. Being very hungry creates a strong reaction in       me, disrupting my concentration or mood. 21. Changes in my life shake me up. 22. I notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents,       tastes, sounds, works of art. 23. I find it unpleasant to have a lot going on at       once. 24. I make it a high priority to arrange my life to       avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations. 25. I am bothered by intense stimuli, like loud       noises or chaotic scenes. 26. When I must compete or be observed while       performing a task, I become so nervous or       shaky that I do much worse than I would       otherwise. 27. When I was a child, my parents or teachers       seemed to see me as sensitive or shy. Results: If you marked more than 14 statements as appropriate, you probably are a Highly Sensitive person. If the numbers are lower, but the statements in question are extremely true, then you still could affected. There is no definitive test, it is more about how much of your reality this concept can explain for you. © 2000 Elaine N. Aron https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/ Links and Literature on HSP • All books by Elaine Aron, like “The highly sensitive person” Order here • “Psychotherapy and the Highly Sensitive Person: Improving Outcomes for That Minority of People Who Are the Majority of Clients” by Elaine N. Aron Order here • “Making Work Work for the Highly Sensitive Person” by Barrie Jaeger. Order here • Facebook groups: o The Highly Sensitive Person o Highly sensitive people • https://highlysensitiverefuge.com/  • http://highlysensitive.org/  • Interview with Elaine Aron

Photography by Nathan Dumlao