Sensitive Stories

Latest Episodes:

40: Using Food to Cope with Sensitivity Jan 28, 2025

Show notes

Have you used food to cope with your sensitivity? In this episode, I talk with Josie Munroe, LMFT about the connection between sensitivity and eating disorders and:
• What factors predispose highly sensitive people to developing an eating disorder
• Alternative ways to cope and find companionship other than food
• The difference between feeling calm and feeling numb as we try to soothe feelings of overwhelm and anxiety
• What changes are needed to make recovery resources more sensory friendly for HSPs
• Finding hope in the possibility of full recovery from eating disorders
Josie Munroe is an LMFT specializing in eating disorders and trauma recovery for Highly Sensitive People. She serves adults in California and Vermont through individual therapy and also has self-paced, online recovery courses available for anyone, anywhere. Josie is, herself, an HSP and an eating disorder survivor and is passionate about sharing the knowledge and tools that have transformed her work and her life.
Keep in touch with Josie:
• Website: https://www.yoursensitiverecovery.com • Website: https://www.josiemunroe.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoursensitiverecovery
Resources Mentioned:
• Unlocking Recovery: The SensitiviKEY (How Sensitivity Shapes Eating Disorders and Guides Healing):https://www.yoursensitiverecovery.com/courses/unlocking-recovery
• Highly Sensitive Person book by Dr. Elaine Aron: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

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
You can also follow "SensitiveStrengths" for behind-the-scenes content plus more educational and inspirational HSP resources:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

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.

39: Finding Your Voice Through Fierce Self-Compassion Jan 21, 2025

Show notes

Are you nurturing and advocating for yourself? In this episode, I talk with Nadine Pinede about dimming your inner critic to a whisper and:
• Learning to advocate for yourself when you have an invisible illness and/or are a person of color
• Soothing pain and discomfort through MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) and Self-Compassion practices
• Seeing yourself and others for who they truly are, not the groups they belong to
• Channeling grief and pain into creativity and writing
• Slowing down to see how everything is connected
Nadine is the daughter of Haitian exiles who were forced to leave their homeland because of a dictatorship. Her mother was no doubt sharing enthralling tales of Haitian history and family lore when Nadine was in the womb. Nadine is an author, poet, editor, educator, and translator who created her own interdisciplinary major at Harvard and then continued on to Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. She also has an MFA in fiction and poetry and holds a PhD from Indiana University. Nadine’s upcoming debut novel from Candlewick Press, When the Mapou Sings, is dedicated to her first storyteller, her mother, who encouraged her to write her own stories.
Keep in touch with Nadine:
• Website: https://nadinepinede.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadinepinede
Resources Mentioned:
• When the Mapou Sings by Nadine Pinede: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781536235661
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Pain: https://www.ummhealth.org/umass-memorial-medical-center/mindfulness-managing-pain-introduction
• Fierce Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff, Ph.D.: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780062991065
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780060838676

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

38: Creatively Finding Your Freedom as an HSP Jan 14, 2025

Show notes

Do you feel selfish for slowing down? In this episode, I talk with Lisa-Marie Vecchio about making big life changes to find more peace and:
• Trusting your gut when making decisions for your life and work
• Moving from corporate to freelance work as a creative person
• The importance of having schedule freedom as a highly sensitive person
• Creating moments of art and visual beauty in your home
Lisa-Marie is a Brisbane-based graphic designer and muralist, illustrating art that encourages and uplifts. Her designs are recognised as colourfully eye-catching, created with the intention of communicating hope, joy and empowerment. After ten years working as a designer in the business and corporate sectors, Lisa-Marie started to explore the more creative side of design, seeing a shift in her art style. She then looked for opportunities to recreate her digital artwork as murals, refreshing public spaces with a burst of vibrance and colour.
Keep in touch with Lisa:
• Website: http://www.lisadotdesign.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lisadotdesign
Resources Mentioned:
• Free digital downloads + recipes from Lisa: https://www.lisadotdesign.com/newsletter
• Work with Lisa: https://www.lisadotdesign.com/services
• Lisa’s planners, prints, homewares, and more: https://www.lisadotdesign.com/store

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

37: Nurturing Supportive Friendships as an HSP Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

What is possible when you feel deeply seen in your relationships? In this episode, I talk with Laura Deneen, LPC-MHSP and Lauren Jackson, LPC-MHSP about the benefits of supportive friendships and:
• The different roles friendships play in your life as an adult and identifying who is safe to bring into your inner world
• How to nurture friendships when you have limited bandwidth as an HSP
• Giving yourself permission to allow friendships, your needs, and your boundaries to change
• Checking in with yourself before, during and after socializing to ensure your relationships are supportive
Laura is the owner of Anchored Counseling Company in Brentwood, TN and Becoming Anchored Co. She loves being a therapist and supporting other therapists. Outside of the office, Laura enjoys spending time with her husband and baby girl, gardening, and playing with her dog Louie. Lauren is a licensed mental health therapist in Tennessee specializing in treating eating disorders at the outpatient level and the clinical director of Anchored Counseling Company supervising their staff and intern therapists. She loves working with life transitions, grief, developmental trauma and anxiety/OCD. When not working, Lauren loves spending time with her husband and almost 3 year old son, reading a good book and walking around Downtown Franklin on the weekends.
Keep in touch with Laura + Lauren:
• Website: https://becominganchoredco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becominganchoredco and https://www.instagram.com/anchoredcounselingco
Resources Mentioned:
• Anchored Counseling in Tennessee: https://anchoredcounselingco.com
• Becoming Anchored Podcast: https://becominganchoredco.com/pages/podcast
• Free Safe + Connected Masterclass: https://becominganchoredco.com/pages/connected
• Navigating Friendships Course: https://becominganchoredco.com/pages/friendship
• Highly Sensitive Person book by Dr. Elaine Aron: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182 HSP Self-Test: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

36: Embracing Your Sensitive Awareness Nov 26, 2024

Show notes

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
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zallenw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesensitiveman
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wrallen
Resources Mentioned:
• Online HSP Men’s Group: https://www.thesensitiveman.com/hsp-mens-group.html
• Confessions of a Sensitive Man by William Allen: 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
• Sensitive: The Untold Story documentary: https://sensitivethemovie.com
• Sensitive Men Rising documentary: https://sensitivemenrising.org

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

35: Releasing Your Emotions Through Creativity Nov 19, 2024

Show notes

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
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perceptive_counseling
Resources Mentioned:
• Therapy Magic Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapy-magic/id1676794458
• Therapy Intensives: https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/emdr-intensives
• Creative Consultation for Therapists: https://www.perceptivecounselingpdx.com/method-page-1-1
• Light Seer’s Tarot Deck: https://lightseerstarot.com
• Amy Maricle Slow Drawing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM2KmGwTNhI
• Draw Yourself Calm by Amy Maricle: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780593541012

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

34: Navigating Dating Burnout as a Sensitive Person Nov 12, 2024

Show notes

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
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rm.psychotherapy
Resources Mentioned:
• Free Meditation: https://rmpsychotherapy.com/subscribe
• Dating Groups: 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
• Highly Sensitive Person by Dr. Elaine Aron: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780553062182
• The Empath’s Survival Guide by Dr. Judith Orloff: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9781683642114

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

33: Sensitive Self-Care Through the Seasons Nov 05, 2024

Show notes

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
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitiveyogatherapy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitiveyogatherapy
Resources Mentioned:
• Autumnal Self-Care Pack: https://www.nicholaday.co.uk
• Sensitive Soul Space monthly membership: https://www.nicholaday.co.uk/sensitivesoulspace
• Yoga Therapy: https://www.nicholaday.co.uk/one-to-one-yoga-therapy
Use code SensitiveStories for 20% off.

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

32: Embracing Depth and Connection as a Highly Sensitive Person Oct 22, 2024

Show notes

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
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom.falkenstein
Resources Mentioned:
• The Highly Sensitive Man by Tom Falkenstein: https://bookshop.org/a/63892/9780806539331

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

31: Surrendering into Softness + Less Anxiety Through Music Oct 15, 2024

Show notes

Are you pushing yourself beyond your limits? In this episode, I talk with Maya Benattar, LCAT about ways to soften into rest and connection with yourself and:
• Using music and other sensory experiences to understand your emotions more clearly
• Leaning into softness and being gentle with yourself more often • Unhooking from the pressure to always overextend yourself
• Finding the balance between doing and being, action and rest
• The importance of having your emotions and experiences be seen and held by another
Maya is a licensed music psychotherapist in private practice in NYC, helping highly sensitive women live with less anxiety, access true confidence and finally detach from "I'm not good enough". She relishes explorations around sensitivity, big feelings, family baggage, and creativity. In addition to her private practice, Maya provides wellness workshops and professional development trainings.
Keep in touch with Maya:
• Website: https://www.mayabenattar.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayabenattar
Resources Mentioned:
• Exhale + Soften Guided Humming Exercise: https://insighttimer.com/mayabenattar/guided-meditations/exhale-and-soften-guided-humming

Get your copy of my new book, Big Feelings, Big Joy anywhere you get your books or at https://www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sensitivestrengths

And for more support, attend a Sensitive Sessions monthly workshop: https://www.sensitivesessions.com. Use code PODCAST for 25% off.

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