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The Sensitive and Neurodivergent Podcast with Julie Bjelland , LMFT — Education
The Sensitive and Neurodivergent Podcast with Julie Bjelland , LMFT

The Sensitive and Neurodivergent Podcast is a space for deep understanding, validation, and nervous system support for sensitive and neurodivergent people, especially late-identified autistic women.

Hosted by Julie Bjelland, LMFT, psychotherapist and founder of the Sensitive and Neurodivergent Community, this podcast explores the internal lived experience of being autistic and highly sensitive in a world that often misunderstands both.

Ranked in the top 1.5% of podcasts globally and listened to in over 195 countries, this show reaches a wide and deeply connected community seeking meaningful, affirming insight.

Each episode offers compassionate, research-informed guidance on masking, burnout, sensory and nervous system differences, emotional depth, boundaries, relationships, self-trust and more. You’ll begin to understand yourself in ways that feel relieving, validating, and empowering.

This is a place where your sensitivity is honored, your experiences make sense, and your nervous system is understood.

You are important to the world. Your way of being matters. And you deserve support as you learn to honor it.

Copyright: © Julie Bjelland

Latest Episodes:

The risks of assuming everyone can do what we can do as HSPs with Willow and Julie Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

As a percentage of the population nature has given us an ability to process sensory information more deeply. Our amazing trait is intended. Just as the role we are here to play in the world is intended. For many of us as HSPs, we have had to work out our place for ourselves. Learning how to find self-love and acceptance without guidance. Yet for many of us we are aware that beneath the challenges we often face, there is something we are good at. Something aligned with an area of life that fascinates us. So many of us as HSPs assume that everyone has these abilities. Yet nature has given us an ability to process more information for a reason. The truth is that not everyone can interpret the world in the way we can. Not everyone can feel as deeply as we can and not everyone has that secret little awareness that surprises us time and time again. When we assume that everyone can do what we do, we devalue this gift we have been given. Which in turn means we are devaluing ourselves and the responsibility we have to own the role that was intended for us. Join us this week as we consider the importance of exploring and developing what might seem normal to us, yet in fact, could well be abilities that are here to create a powerful impact on the world...

Learn more about Julie and Willow and explore more episodes at HSPpodcast.com

Explore the Nature Book here mentioned in this episode of photos from around the world, as seen through the eyes of HSPs.

Keys to Managing Environmental Sensitivity with Andrea Weber Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

In this unique and inspirational event, Andrea will discuss the following:

What it means to be environmentally sensitive
Environmentally sensitive and HSP - similarities and differences
Proactive steps for both immediate and external environments
Recognizing the opportunity for personal growth and learning
Possible reasons for neglecting emotional wellbeing
Confidently requesting vs apologizing for our needs
Removing social stigma and creating much-needed change
Moving from limited existence to expansive living

People can find fulfillment and wellbeing with the challenges of managing environmental sensitivity. Practical tools, renewed perspective, acceptance, and self-empowered management can all help to achieve this.

Andrea Weber is founder of expansivehappiness.com, a site specifically designed to encourage, inspire and support those managing environmental sensitivities, while creating much needed public awareness around these conditions. Andrea has created an Environmental Sensitivity Quiz and a range of practical resources for environmental sensitivity management including the Self-empowered Sensitivity Management Program.

HSPs & Sensory Overload with Julie and Willow Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

Quick Definition: Sensory overload is when our senses take in more information than our brain can keep up with processing.

In this episode:

Problem: HSPs not living to their fullest potential and the world needs you
Purpose: educate and validate that Sensory Overload is a real experience & give you tools & support
Offer solutions for you to live your best life (helps teens and children too!)

We take in more data than the majority. When our brain is overwhelmed by this input, it enters the fight/flight/freeze mode making us want to flee or fight or we might shut down. Once that is activated everything changes!

We release chemicals into the body that can make our heart race, shift how our body uses oxygen and how it functions in general.
We might feel unwell and overwhelmed and lose access to our cognitive brain, lose focus and memory, have an emotional reaction/meltdown/anger burst/irritability
we might get digestive issues, rashes, headaches, migraines, and other short-term, long-term health issues

Imagine that happening every day and what impact that might have on our health! Sensory overload is really hard sometimes and this is just a portion of our experience.

Solutions:

Acknowledge
Normalize
Validate
Mindset shift You aren’t “too sensitive”, the world is too loud and chaotic. You are born sensitive because the population needs a group of people taking in more data and who have higher levels of awareness. But society is not set up for our sensitivity levels and can often cause sensory overload (think about how loud garden equipment is or loud cars or motorcycles, bus brakes, airplanes, announcements, alarms), etc
Practice self-compassion instead of judgment (5 pounds vs 1000)
Be alone a couple of hours daily in quiet nature Try this Spend a few days alone in a quiet and peaceful nature setting and discover who you are without sensory overload! It’s life-changing to realize you can feel so much peace and bliss in nature. Plus creativity increases when you aren't in overload!
Practice “HSP” Self-care (balance lowers sensitivity challenges)
Advocate for your needs
Live consciously to lower sensory overload

Further Recommended Resources from Julie and Willow

Julie offers an online course that helps with Sensory Overload: Brain Training for the Highly Sensitive Person, Techniques to Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelming Emotions. HSPcourses.com

Willow’s High Sensory Coaching Program. This allows us to consciously witness the unique advantages of being able to process sensory information more deeply and how this can be used to create your own business as a coach, facilitator, healer or consultant. https://inluminance.com/the-training

Resources for the Sensitive Sep 01, 2021

Show notes

Sharing all the resources created to help you thrive to your fullest potential!

Exploring Nontraditional Relationships for HSPs with Sarah Mathews, LMFT Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

My goal for this conversation with Sarah is that we open minds to the possibility that sometimes what’s been traditionally taught to us might not work for us and that we are free to explore what does! I want to normalize that doing things differently is OK! I want to normalize that doing things that work for us is a good thing!
I spent many years forcing myself into the boxes that were given to me that never quite fit and it’s my mission to help HSPs hear the messages that it’s ok to do something non-traditional.
For example, I think many HSPs want to have separate sleeping spaces or live separately and I’ll share some of my personal experiences with that with the hope to normalize it and show that there are many different ways to be in relationships that can sometimes work better for HSPs. You don’t even have to be in a relationship either! Many HSP Empaths especially find it feels better being single. Our goal is to normalize what feels best to you.
Sarah shares her personal experiences with polyamory and ethical non-monogamous relationships in hopes that we open minds to the fact that there are many different ways to be in relationships.
I personally love the idea of no labels, no boxes, no “shoulds” and creating our own way based on what intuitively feels right for us.
Part of empowerment for me means freedom to live in the way that works for us and acceptance and openness to many different ways of doing things!

Sarah is a marriage and family therapist practicing in Minneapolis, MN and specializes in highly sensitive individuals, relationships, and sexuality. She is bisexual and polyamorous and believes there are many ways to have fulfilling, healthy, and thriving relationships.

Sarah Mathews MA, LMFT

SarahMathewsLMFT.com

#612-399-6133

Explore all the podcast episodes at HSPpodcast.com

Join us live for the next episode in the Sensitive Empowerment Community! Plus I'm there every day offering support. SensitiveCommunity.com

The power of thought leadership and how we make a difference as HSPs with Willow and Julie Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

The way we think as HSPs is powerful and unique. We are deeply caring people and we are able to process key perspectives in life from many interesting angles. The way we see the world around us brings a great many insights to parenting, the workplace, movements, and also thought leadership as a whole. If you have thought about writing a book, starting a blog, or just making your unique perspective better known, this episode will be for you. This is a chance to explore your natural thought leadership abilities and how you can bring your unique perspective as an HSP into the world in a way that is meaningful and potent to support change. Join us this week as we continue to explore the important roles we play in leadership as HSPs in the world.

Listen to all our episodes, explore our bios and free resources on our websites at HSPpodcast.com

Sensitive Leaders are Needed in Many Areas of Life with Julie and Willow Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we talk about…

Traditional leadership vs Sensitive leadership
Areas HSPs are needed
Challenges and solutions to HSPs in leadership

From the Sensitive Empowerment Community here were qualities that HSPs named about Traditional Leadership vs Sensitive Leadership…

Traditional Leadership

Alpha
Dominant
Patriarchal
Intimidating
Unhealthy
Instills shame
Often makes people feel smaller
People do things out of fear or shame
Loudest ones valued
Quiet ones lost

Sensitive Leadership

Kind-hearted and supportive
Empathetic, Compassionate
Helps you learn from mistakes without judgment
Puts together great teams, knows the gifts in others, and how to bring out their best
They empower and guide, and instill a desire to want to do better
Believes in the greater mission, can often see the whole picture and bring out passions in others
Good listener
Efficient
Instills confidence
Human-centered, heart-centered helps to nurture and build, rather than just profit
More open-minded and accepting
The glue that holds others together
Increased awareness and perspective
Choose directions for the greater good, rather than doing things the way they always have done

Challenges to become a leader as expressed by HSPs we spoke with…

Fear of imbalance in time and energy
Pressure
High expectations
Too much responsibility

Solutions

Lead in areas you are passionate about
Paradigm shift: do it your way!
Maintain boundaries
Protect your energy & Grounding work
Fierce self-care the HSP way
Mindset shifts
Create structure that works for an HSP
Work smarter and more efficiently (HSPs good at that)
Increase collaboration
Can’t do it all because you care the most, need a talented team for support
Stand shoulder to shoulder with others relaying our ideas
The best leaders aren’t perfect, they’re those who care about, support and mentor, and guide.

Join continued discussions and feel supported in the Sensitive Empowerment Community!

Explore more episodes at HSPpodcast.com

Using your HSP abilities as an advantage for yourself and those around you with Willow and Julie Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

As an HSP we have a series of natural abilities. Abilities that we sometimes overlook and assume that everyone has. Heightened levels of intuition, creativity, and empathy can be incredibly useful for a range of purposes. These gifts can help us to guide others, to facilitate situations and also give us important information. Sometimes we can take for granted the advantages these can give us and even gloss over how powerful they can be. In fact it is these abilities that makes us stand out, especially in terms of our own self recognition. Join us this week as we explore the intelligence these skills give us and how we can best use them for our own development and in order to be of the best service we can be for others.

See all our episodes at HSPpodcast.com

The Healing Power of Being an Empath with Dr. Judith Orloff May 04, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Judith Orloff shares:

"As a psychiatrist and an empath, I am fascinated by how the phenomenon of empathy works. I feel passionately that empathy is the medicine the world needs right now. Empathy will be the deciding factor between war and peace, between hatred and tolerance. We need to grow larger than our smaller selves and egos to be empathic in our lives. Empathy is the game-changer. It is the trait that will ultimately save the world.

I feel passionately that empathy is the medicine the world needs right now. Empathy will be the deciding factor between war and peace, between hatred and tolerance. Empathy is the game changer. It is the trait that will ultimately save the world.

There is a powerful connection between your emotions, intuition, and empathy. The magic comes when you learn how to tap into each of them to fully access your sensitivities without going on overload or becoming drained.

In this talk Dr. Orloff answers these questions:

As a conventionally trained physician, you are also an empath. What is an empath and what are the neuroscience findings explaining the empath experience?
What is the difference between an HSP and an Empath?
What are the different types of empaths and the gifts?
How can empaths stop absorbing the emotions and physical symptoms of others and develop self-protection techniques so we can enjoy the gifts of sensitivity?
Why are empaths misdiagnosed with sensory processing disorder, major depression, and panic attacks? What is the correct diagnosis?
What is your greatest vision for the role of empaths in this world, in your lifetime and beyond and how can we as a collective support and continue your important voice in this field?

Judith Orloff, MD is the New York Times best-selling author of The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People. Her latest book Thriving as an Empath offers daily self-care tools for sensitive people along with its companion The Empath’s Empowerment Journal. Dr. Orloff is a psychiatrist, an empath, and is on the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Faculty. She synthesizes the pearls of traditional medicine with cutting edge knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality. Dr. Orloff also specializes in treating highly sensitive, empathic people in her private practice. Dr. Orloff’s work has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Oprah Magazine, the New York Times. Dr. Orloff has spoken at Google-LA and has a popular TEDX talk. Her other books are Emotional Freedom and Guide to Intuitive Healing. Explore more information about her "Awakening Your Intuitive Healing Power" 7-module online course and speaking schedule on www.drjudithorloff.com.

--

Julie Bjelland is a Psychotherapist specializing in high sensitivity, host of The HSP Podcast, and Founder of the Sensitive Empowerment Community, whose mission is to create a paradigm shift where sensitivity is embraced, valued, and honored. Julie offers multiple essential resources for educating, inspiring, and empowering HSPs. Register for her free Masterclasses, take the Sensitivity Quiz and profoundly transform your life in her courses and community. Her HSPs in Business Group is designed to support and empower sensitive people to grow heart-centered businesses, share their voices, and be part of the change the world needs. JulieBjelland.com❤️🌈❤️ (she/her)

Explore all the episodes of The HSP Podcast at HSPpodcast.com

Meditation for a Hurting Heart Apr 30, 2021

Show notes

Sensitive people feel things deeply and often experience a hurting heart. Whether someone said something that hurt us, or we are around others being hurt or we feel the pain of injustice let this meditation guide you toward healing your beautiful heart. You might like to save this meditation for easy access and quick support during a time when your heart might be hurting. ❤️

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