Sensitive Stories

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 sensitivity • The challenges faced by HSP men such as lack of community and models of sensitive masculinity  • Practicing portable self-care such as meditation, breathing, and connection with nature to recover from overwhelm more quickly  • Finding more resilience as an HSP with the 3Es William 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.  Keep in touch with William:   • Website: http://www.thesensitiveman.com [http://www.thesensitiveman.com/]  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zallenw [https://www.instagram.com/zallenw]  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesensitiveman [https://www.facebook.com/thesensitiveman] • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wrallen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wrallen]  Resources Mentioned: • Online HSP Men’s Group: https://www.thesensitiveman.com/hsp-mens-group.html [https://www.thesensitiveman.com/hsp-mens-group.html] • Confessions of a Sensitive Man by William Allen: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781098325169 [https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781098325169] • On Being a Sensitive Man: Success Strategies for Harnessing Your Highly Sensing Nature by William Allen: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781667817439 [https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781667817439] • The Highly Sensitive Person by Dr. Elaine Aron: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182 [https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182] • Research on High Sensitivity: https://sensitivityresearch.com [https://sensitivityresearch.com/] • Sensitive: The Untold Story documentary: https://sensitivethemovie.com [https://sensitivethemovie.com/] • Sensitive Men Rising documentary: https://sensitivemenrising.org [https://sensitivemenrising.org/]  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.com [https://www.sensitivestories.com/] You can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths [https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths%20] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths] * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths] 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.

Do you feel overwhelmed by your emotions or struggle to communicate your experience as an HSP? In this episode, I talk with Lucy Sherman, LPC about expressing yourself through creativity and:  • How to use card decks and creative prompts as part of your reflection and self-care practice  • Understanding and nurturing your rich inner life through images and metaphor from nature, photographs, and cards • Soothing your nervous system and finding safety by connecting inward  Lucy is a Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR Certified Therapist and a Highly Sensitive Person herself in Portland, OR. Lucy has always felt deeply with others and has brought creativity into every part of her life both as a tool to explore her experience and in connecting with others. Lucy feels honored to do this therapeutic work helping Highly Sensitive Folks reflect and process trauma while also tapping into their intuition, imagination, creativity, humor and hope. Through Therapy Intensives there is space to explore outside of talking and weave in creative expression, oracle cards with EMDR while getting to the root of what is stuck and finding relief, lightness and a new compassion for all versions of self. Outside of sessions, you can find Lucy in the forest with her Basset mix Penny, creating with loved ones or gushing over a favorite deck. Keep in touch with Lucy: • Website: https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com [https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/]  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perceptive_counseling [https://www.instagram.com/perceptive_counseling]  Resources Mentioned: • Therapy Magic Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapy-magic/id1676794458 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapy-magic/id1676794458] • Therapy Intensives: https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/emdr-intensives [https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/emdr-intensives]  • Creative Consultation for Therapists: https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/method-page-1-1 [https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/method-page-1-1]  • Light Seer’s Tarot Deck: https://lightseerstarot.com [https://lightseerstarot.com/]  • Amy Maricle Slow Drawing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM2KmGwTNhI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM2KmGwTNhI] • Draw Yourself Calm by Amy Maricle: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780593541012 [https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780593541012]    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.com [https://www.sensitivestories.com/] You can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths [https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths%20] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths] * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths] 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 feeling burned out by the dating process or struggling to show up in your relationships? In this episode, I talk with Rebecca Marcus, LCSW about going at your own pace and: • Caring for yourself when starting new relationships just as you would in every other part of your life  • Not comparing yourself to others when dating and choosing the right pace for you • Slowing down to process and reflect throughout the dating process to understand how you feel about the other person  • The importance of honoring and speaking your needs with the other people in your life, even if they’re also highly sensitive  Rebecca is a social worker in NYC who helps Millennial women chill out, get confident, and trust themselves and their dating process, so they can find and keep the love they want. Growing up on Disney movies, rom coms, and fairy tales about Prince Charming that showed unrealistic expectations of relationships, dating, and love only led to chaos and confusion when she started dating. So for a decade, she’s helped millennial women navigate the confusing NYC dating scene, break toxic patterns, and create relationships and a life filled with meaning and joy. Keep in touch with Rebecca: • Website: https://rmpsychotherapy.com [https://rmpsychotherapy.com/]  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rm.psychotherapy [https://www.instagram.com/rm.psychotherapy?igsh=eHZ2MHk5cmV5eWd5&utm_source=qr]  Resources Mentioned: • Free Meditation: https://rmpsychotherapy.com/subscribe [https://rmpsychotherapy.com/subscribe]  • Dating Groups: https://rmpsychotherapy.com/group [https://rmpsychotherapy.com/group]  • Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781954118157 [https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781954118157]    • Highly Sensitive Person by Dr. Elaine Aron: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182 [https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182]  • The Empath’s Survival Guide by Dr. Judith Orloff: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781683642114 [https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781683642114]   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.com [https://www.sensitivestories.com/] You can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths [https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths%20] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths] * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths] 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 disconnected from yourself? In this episode, I talk with Nichola Day about allowing seasonal changes to be a reminder to look within and: • The pivotal moment when you realize you’re highly sensitive and the need to advocate for your unique needs • The overlap between different forms of neurodivergence such as high sensitivity, ADHD, and autism • Giving yourself grace to move slowly through seasonal transitions and come back to your self-care practice again and again  Nichola is a Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher, and Yoga Therapist with her own business, 'Sensitive Yoga Therapy', based in the UK. She is HSP herself, as well as identifying as neurodivergent. She works to support other sensitives experiencing anxiety, overwhelm and burnout to reconnect back with their bodies, the natural world around them and their true authentic selves. She offers a route back to this through Yoga, Mindfulness, Seasonal Living & Inner Inquiry. When she is not working, Nichola loves to read, walk amongst trees and gaze at the moon! Keep in touch with Nichola: • Website: http://www.nicholaday.co.uk [http://www.nicholaday.co.uk/] • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitiveyogatherapy [https://www.instagram.com/sensitiveyogatherapy] • Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitiveyogatherapy [https://www.youtube.com/@sensitiveyogatherapy]  Resources Mentioned: • Autumnal Self-Care Pack: https://www.nicholaday.co.uk [https://www.nicholaday.co.uk/]  • Sensitive Soul Space monthly membership: https://www.nicholaday.co.uk/sensitivesoulspace [https://www.nicholaday.co.uk/sensitivesoulspace]  • Yoga Therapy: https://www.nicholaday.co.uk/one-to-one-yoga-therapy [https://www.nicholaday.co.uk/one-to-one-yoga-therapy]  Use code SensitiveStories for 20% off.   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.com [https://www.sensitivestories.com/] You can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths [https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths%20] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths] * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths] 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 leaning into the positive experiences of being highly sensitive? In this episode, I talk with Tom Falkenstein about the beauty of connecting deeply as an HSP and:  • The correlation between sensitivity and mental health • Unique struggles and opportunities of being a highly sensitive man  • Understanding that sensitivity is not a burden or a deficit, but a neutral trait that you’re born with • How highly sensitive people benefit more from therapy and other positive supports due to differential susceptibility  Tom is a psychologist (M.A.), cognitive behavioural psychotherapist, and author of the book "The Highly Sensitive Man" (Kensington Books, 2019), which has been translated into several languages. He has been working as a psychotherapist since 2006, both in Germany and the UK, and developed an interest in sensitivity during his psychotherapeutic work in London in the early 2010s. He was trained and supervised by Dr Elaine Aron for several years. His work has been featured in numerous podcasts, on television and in international publications, including The Telegraph, Psychology Today and Men's Health. He has also appeared in the documentary "Sensitive Men Rising" (2024) by Will Harper. Singer-songwriter-activist Alanis Morissette described Tom's book "The Highly Sensitive Man" as "a breath of fresh air in the midst of a cultural determination to reduce toxic masculinity. This book is a balm, a movement, and a revelation." Tom runs a private practice in London and is completing a PhD on sensitivity and mental health at Queen Mary University of London with Prof Michael Pluess. Keep in touch with Tom: • Website: http://www.tomfalkenstein.com [http://www.tomfalkenstein.com/]  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom.falkenstein [https://www.instagram.com/tom.falkenstein]  Resources Mentioned: • The Highly Sensitive Man by Tom Falkenstein: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780806539331 [https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780806539331]  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.com [https://www.sensitivestories.com/] You can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths [https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths%20] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths] * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths [https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths] 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.