Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)

Are you highly aware of your emotions, environment, and people? Are you easily overwhelmed? If so, you may be a highly sensitive person (HSP). When you turn to Maria Lloyd, LMFT, at Therapy with Maria: Maria Lloyd, LMFT, she has the expertise to work with highly sensitive people, offering genuine care, understanding, and coping skills to help you experience long-term and successful outcomes.

HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE (HSPS) Q & A

  • Highly sensitive people (HSPs) are individuals who possess a heightened level of sensitivity toward their environment, emotions, and other people. They are easily overwhelmed by external stimuli, such as sound, light, and the emotions of others.

    Maria specializes in working with highly sensitive people and empaths. Her approach offers tailored treatment according to your specific needs. You can rely on her expertise to help you achieve effective outcomes as she provides the right therapy for you.

  • While highly sensitive people share many of the same qualities as an empath, an empath possesses a unique ability to sense what others are feeling, taking on the emotions and energy of other people. Their intuition is more developed, and they can genuinely feel what others are feeling.

    As a highly sensitive person, your attributes are kindness, compassion, care, empathy, and genuineness. If you’re an empath, the intensity of these characteristics is amplified.

  • Traits of highly sensitive people include:

    • Deep awareness of their surroundings
    • Deep thinking
    • High emotional intelligence
    • Very intuitive
    • Sense other people's emotions and energy, introspection, creativity, and empathy

    They can also reflect on their own experiences, which can make them feel overwhelmed.

  • Highly sensitive people often experience difficulty dealing with emotions, overstimulation, and situations that require a lot of energy, such as crowded places or loud environments. They may experience physical symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. Due to their highly emotional nature, they may also experience anxiety and depression. To help cope with these challenges, highly sensitive people can adopt strategies, including:

    • Therapy
    • Taking frequent breaks
    • Finding quiet time for self-care
    • Spending time in nature
    • Practicing mindfulness
    • Making a gratitude list
    • Setting boundaries
    • Engaging in activities that reduce stress (e.g., meditation, yoga)

    They should also surround themselves with supportive people who understand their needs and provide a safe space for them to express their emotions.