Am I a Highly Sensitive Person?
If you’ve ever been told you’re “too sensitive,” “too intense,” or “just need to toughen up,” you’re not alone.
And here’s the thing: what if none of that is true?
What if your sensitivity isn’t a flaw — but a form of wisdom your nervous system has been trying to whisper all along?
Let’s talk about what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) — and why it might finally explain what you've always felt but couldn’t name.
What Does It Mean to Be a Highly Sensitive Person?
The term Highly Sensitive Person (coined by Dr. Elaine Aron) describes about 15–20% of the population with a more finely tuned nervous system.
This doesn’t mean you’re weak, dramatic, or “overly emotional.”
It means you process deeply. You feel strongly. You notice — everything.
Common traits of HSPs include:
- Feeling emotionally overwhelmed in busy or loud environments
- Being deeply moved by music, art, or beauty
- Needing downtime after social interactions
- Noticing subtle shifts in tone, energy, or facial expression
- Feeling others’ emotions like they’re your own (hello, emotional sponge)
And here’s the kicker: you can be sensitive and strong.
Deep-feeling and still deeply capable.
Overwhelmed and wise.
Why It Matters
When HSPs grow up in environments that didn’t know how to support sensitivity, they often internalize the message that something’s wrong with them.
Cue the coping: perfectionism, people-pleasing, numbing, burnout, overachieving — all in an effort to “fix” what was never broken.
Understanding you're an HSP is more than a label — it's a reframe.
It helps you make sense of how you show up in the world and why some spaces drain you while others let you exhale.
Daily Supports for Highly Sensitive Nervous Systems
If you’re thinking “Okay, this might be me… now what?”
Here are two gentle, real-life supports to try:
1. Create Soft Landing Zones
Design daily pockets of nervous system repair — quiet mornings, slower transitions, low-sensory breaks, or just 10 minutes without input.
This isn’t about escaping life — it’s about metabolizing it.
2. Set Boundaries Without Guilt Scripts
Sensitivity doesn’t mean saying yes to everything.
In fact, your “yes” is most powerful when it’s coming from a grounded, regulated place.
Practice saying “let me get back to you” to create space before committing.
Therapy Can Help You Own Your Sensitivity — Not Apologize for It
At Women’s Therapy Centre, Erin Smith is one of our therapists who deeply understands the HSP experience. Erin brings a trauma-informed, gentle, and nervous system-aware approach that honours sensitivity as a source of intelligence — not something to be hardened out of you.
She supports women who feel like they’ve been “too much” or “not enough” for far too long, helping them reconnect with their intuition, establish boundaries, and feel safe in their own skin again.
You’re not broken.
You’re not too much.
You’re a finely tuned human being in a world that hasn’t always known what to do with sensitivity.
And that awareness? That’s your starting point.
Ready to explore what life could feel like when your sensitivity is supported — not suppressed?
Connect with Erin today to book a free consultation.
