Oct 22, 2019
TITLE
The Traits of Being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), and What It
Means To Be Fully Integrated
GUEST
Jacquelyn Strickland, LPC
EPISODE OVERVIEW
Jacquelyn Strickland co-created the HSP Gathering Retreats with
Dr. Elaine Aron in 2000, and she has worked exclusively with HSPs
since then. Jacquelyn talks about the 4 Core Characteristics of
being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), and the differences between
Highly Sensitive and non-Highly Sensitive introverts and
extroverts, as well as the ambivert. Jaquelyn also talks about
sensitivity as we age, and what it means to be fully integrated
with a strong sense of self-identity as an HSP.
HIGHLIGHTS
- We discuss the term Highly Sensitive Person and
Jacquelyn shares her thoughts about this name
- There are 1.4 Billion HSPs in the world and we all share these
4 core characteristics
- The 4 Core Characteristics of being a Highly Sensitive Person
as coined by Dr. Elaine Aron
- D—Depth of Processing
- Elaine Aron feels that Depth of Processing is a key component
for HSPs
- Depth of processing happens in the pre-frontal cortex, so HSPs
see breadth and depth of things around us
- We reflect more than others on the way the world is going
- We think about the meaning of life
- We Wonder about the quality of relationships we’re in
- We’re aware of social justice issues
- O—Overarousal and Overstimulation
- That feeling of being stressed out
- Feeling burnt out
- This may be the most negative thing HSPs experience since our
current dominant culture is about doing
- Chronic overstimulation can lead to depression and anxiety
- E—Emotional Responsiveness and Empathy
- We bring more emotional intensity and empathy in most every
situation
- There’s a difference between emotional intensity and emotional
reactivity
- We can honor our emotional intensity—this is where we express
our feelings in the arts, writing beautiful poems, people who show
or speak passionately about they feel
- We have more mirror neurons
- S—Sensitive to Subtleties
- We can notice when the barometric pressure is dropping
- Some HSPs may have perfect pitch
- We have more side effects to medications
- We are usually sensitive to changes in temperature
- We may notice the sound of a ticking clock or dripping
water
- 70% of Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) are introverts
- 30% of Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) are extroverts
- There are 5 distinct groups we need to look at when talking
about introversion and extroversion
- HS introvert
- HS extrovert
- Non-HS introvert
- Non-HS extrovert
- Ambivert
- Jacquelyn also talks about the Myer’s Briggs and what it means
when scores on introversion or extroversion are high and low
- The concept of the battery being charged for extroverts and
drained for introverts when they are around people is primarily
talking about Non-HSPs
- A HS extrovert will enjoy being alone; will need time to
recharge after extroverting, and will probably choose
specific venues to socializing that are different than a Non-HS
extrovert
- A HS extrovert needs to find the right amount of novel
stimulation, to renew and recharge
- A HS extrovert may want to know who will be at the
party (their political affiliation, what the activities will be;
how long will the activity last) in order to see if it satisfies
our HS needs
- As we get older, we may get more particular about where and how
we choose to expend our energy and time
- We can be sensitive extroverts, or we can choose to
introvert
- You can be a HS extrovert and still feel socially awkward or
not always feel at ease in social situations
- Our depth of processing can make it challenging if we’re
reading the room, or we may go home and wonder if we
talked too much or did things right
- If you feel uncomfortable in a social situation, it helps to
have a role—volunteer to help; arrive early before it gets
crowded
- When we worry about doing things right or
following the rules it can make it harder for us to trust
that how we show up is just right
- I thought I had social anxiety, was anxious, was an introvert,
so I avoided social situations and felt depressed and lethargic.
Turns out, I’m a Highly Sensitive Extrovert, which is why I’m so
passionate about providing information to others who may read memes
around introversion and mistakenly identify
- The ambivert doesn’t have the DOES, but can choose whether to
introvert or extrovert
- We want to be fully self-identified and integrated as HSPs
regardless of whether we’re an introvert or extrovert
- Once we get fully integrated with a strong sense of
self-identify, when we’ve healed our wounds, when we’ve reframed
our past, when we’ve got a plan of knowing when and how to be out
in the world, we don’t hide anymore.
- We talk about sensitivity and whether it increases as we
age
- We discuss HSPs and social media
- We talk about the HSP retreats that Jacquelyn has been running
and the benefits and unexpected gifts she’s seen people get from
these retreats
- We talk about some of the things that are unrelated to being an
HSP that are often posted in groups, and then people identify and
things that are not related to being an HSP get mistakenly
attributed to being an HSP
- Jacquelyn acknowledges Dr. Elaine Aron’s work and the fact that
she’s opened the doors for many people (myself included) to
specialize in working with The Highly Sensitive Person
- Thank you Dr. Elaine Aron!
GUEST BIO
Jacquelyn has been a Licensed Professional Counselor since 1993,
which is the same year she became certified to utilize the
statistically valid & reliable Myers Briggs Personality
Assessment. Her professional and personal lives took
synchronistic detour when she stumbled across Elaine Aron’s
original work in May 1996 while waiting for a bus not far from
where Elaine lives in Marin County, California.
Since that time, Jacquelyn has devoted herself to
empowering sensitive people around the world. She and Elaine
co-created the HSP Gathering Retreats in 2001, and there have been
35 and counting HSP Gatherings, both nationally and internationally
– in Canada, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, and on both U.S.
coasts and in between. She is an Advanced HSP
Consultant , one of 15 national & international HSP
professionals trained by Elaine Aron in 2018 on the concept,
measurement and research regarding of Sensory Processing
Sensitivity and the highly sensitive person
Besides Elaine Aron, major influences which have informed
Jacquelyn’s work have been her background in Social Work, Women’s
Studies, Brene Brown, Eco Psychology & her Nature as Teacher &
Healer experiences. She is fortunate to live in Colorado
where she has been able to immerse herself in nature for days at a
time over the last 30 years. She has recently added the title of
Sage – and she teaches, mentors, and counsels not only with
knowledge of our HSP trait, but also with decades of wisdom from
living authentically as an HSP. Elaine talks of this stage as
the Priestly Advisor.
She has been married to a major introvert, non-HSP, since 1978
. Her relationship with someone so different than me is what
prompted my study of temperaments, including the Myers Briggs and
the Enneagram. She is the mother of two grown sons, one
a HSP, and the grandmother of 3 grandchildren, ages 4, 2 and
1. Her oldest granddaughter is a sensitive extrovert,
like her grandmother.
PODCAST HOST
Patricia Young works with Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) helping
them to understand their HSP traits, and turning their perceived
shortcomings into superpowers. Patricia is passionate about
providing education to help HSPs and non-HSPs understand and truly
appreciate the amazing gifts they have to offer. Patricia works
globally online with HSPs providing coaching. Patricia also
facilitates online groups for HSPs that focus on building community
and developing skills (identifying your superpowers, boundaries,
perfectionism, dealing with conflict, mindfulness, embracing
emotions, creating a lifestyle that supports the HSP, communication
and more).
LINKS
Jacquelyn’s Links
Website-- LifeWorks! http://www.lifeworkshelp.com/
Stages of Cultural Awareness/Acceptance As An
HSP--http://www.lifeworkshelp.com/HSP-Newsletter/stages-of-cultural-awareness-acceptance-as-an-hsp/
Top Ten Reasons to Have a HSP Dyad Parntership--
http://www.lifeworkshelp.com/HSP-Newsletter/top-ten-reasons-to-have-a-hsp-dyad-partnership/
Introversion, Extroversion and The Highly Sensitive
Person--https://hsperson.com/introversion-extroversion-and-the-highly-sensitive-person/
HSP Highlights & Insights Ezine: Sign up Here-- http://www.lifeworkshelp.com/HSP-Newsletter/
You can like the HSP Gathering Retreat Facebook Page here:
http://www.lifeworkshelp.com/HSP-Newsletter/winter-2018-new-hsp-happenings-here-and-around-the-world/
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Patricia’s Links
To write a review in itunes:
- click on this link
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/unapologetically-sensitive/id1440433481?mt=2
- select “listen on Apple Podcasts”
- chose “open in itunes”
- choose “ratings and reviews”
- click to rate the number of starts
- click “write a review”
Website--www.unapologeticallysensitive.com
Facebook--
https://www.facebook.com/Unapologetically-Sensitive-2296688923985657/
Facebook group Unapologetically Sensitive-- https://www.facebook.com/groups/2099705880047619/
Instagram-- https://www.instagram.com/unapologeticallysensitive/
Youtube--
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOE6fodj7RBdO3Iw0NrAllg/videos?view_as=subscriber
e-mail-- unapologeticallysensitive@gmail.com
Show hashtag--#unapologeticallysensitive
Music-- Gravel Dance by Andy Robinson www.andyrobinson.com