Therapy for highly sensitive people (HSP) in Los Angeles, CA
“Sometimes I think I need a spare heart to feel all of the things that I feel.”
— Sanober Khan
According to Dr. Elaine Aaron, Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) are individuals who experience acute mental, physical, and/or emotional responses to stimuli in their world. Dr. Aaron’s research suggests that around 15-20% of the population carry the gene that contributes to them being highly sensitive, which includes: depth of processing, overstimulation, emotional reactivity, and sensitivity to subtleties.
D.O.E.S This Sound Like You?
D - Depth of Processing
HSPs process new information more deeply. As an HSP you are wired to pause and reflect before engaging and this may lead you to take more time as you explore all the options. Research suggests that the Highly Sensitive brain has a more active insula - the part of the brain that helps increase self-awareness and enhance perception.
o - oVERSTIMULATION
As HSPs are more attuned to subtle changes and stimuli, they will be more impacted by busy, loud, or stressful environments. It’s no wonder then, that you may feel overwhelmed when met with external distractions. You may even find that this balance of attempting to attune to what’s important (e.g., work, a conversation, a good book you’re reading) while filtering out distractions leaves you feeling overstimulated, exhausted, and very much in need of time to decompress.
Who Are Highly Sensitive People?
E - Emotional Responsiveness/eMPATHY
Brain scans suggest that highly sensitive people tend to have more active mirror neurons than non-HSPs. Mirror neurons are responsible for emotional awareness and empathy. As a result, HSPs experience both more positive as well as negative emotions.
S - Sensitive to Subtleties/Sensory Stimuli
HSPs are attuned to subtle changes in their environment that others might miss. You may notice that you can detect non-verbal cues in social situations. You may also find that you feel sensitive to rough textures, bright lights, loud noises, or strong smells. This is also called "sensory processing sensitivity."
Learning more about your Highly Sensitive Person profile:
Difficulty Establishing Boundaries:
Boundaries are hard. They take emotional energy and you may also notice that you worry more about the other person’s feelings than your own. Oftentimes, folks with HSP worry that saying “no” will be perceived as rude, hurtful, or selfish.
Emotional Overwhelm:
Have you ever walked into a room and felt the emotions of others? The women I work with who identify as an HSP often note that social situations can feel overwhelming from the start as they can pick up on the emotional energy of others without even having started a conversation.
Difficulty with Decisions and Change:
The part of your brain that helps you slowly process, take in all the information, and make an intentional decision can also make decisions difficult when you’re under pressure. You also may notice that new changes to your life, even exciting ones like a new relationship can be hard to integrate into your world.
If you are ready to increase your self-compassion, learn to relate to your sensitivity as a strength and build the life you want, reach out to an HSP therapist.
How Can Therapy Help HSPs?
At Worth and Wellness Psychology, Therapy for Highly Sensitive People is focused on helping you increase your self-compassion and learn tools to create balance when surfing the waves of emotions. Highly Sensitive Person Counseling will empower you to accept all those sensitive and worthy parts of you that you may not always like or value within yourself. Your unique and important relationship with your environment makes you the beautiful and strong person that you are. Therapy for Highly Sensitive People will help you to fine-tune those skills, prioritize your wellness, set up healthy boundaries, and to show up for yourself and your own needs.
Here are a few other ways that HSP therapy can help.
Reduced Stress and Overwhelm: Learn practical tools to manage strong emotions and sensory overload, and create a calmer inner world.
Improved Emotional Regulation: Develop healthy coping mechanisms to navigate difficult feelings and cultivate emotional resilience.
Stronger Relationships: Discover effective communication skills to build nurturing connections and set healthy boundaries with loved ones.
Enhanced Self-Esteem: Cultivate self-compassion and acceptance of your heightened sensitivity as a strength, not a weakness.
Increased Confidence: Build trust in your intuition and decision-making abilities, allowing you to thrive in your environment.
Greater Life Satisfaction: Learn to manage stimulation effectively, prioritize self-care, and create a life that feels authentic and fulfilling for you as an HSP.
Ready to see how HSP counseling can help you? Reach out today to get started.
Meet Dr. Adrianna Holness
Therapist for Highly Sensitive People in Los Angeles
Hi! I'm Dr. Adrianna Holness. I'm a clinical psychologist and the owner and founder of Worth and Wellness Psychology, a boutique private practice in LA. I have over a decade of experience in the field and I'd be honored to support you, too.
I have a special passion for helping people with high sensitivity. We're conditioned to believe that this is a character default, something we should try to hide or overcome—especially as women. However, I believe that emotional sensitivity is a gift and skill that we can learn to harness rather than suppress.
It's my mission to create a safe space where you can explore your high sensitivity without shame, pressure, or judgment. I operate from a culturally centered, intersectional lens, so we'll also explore how the different layers of your identity inform your experience as a highly sensitive person.
If you're ready to better understand yourself, learn coping strategies to manage emotional and sensory overload, and embrace all of who you are, I'm here to help.
FAQs about highly sensitive person therapy
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Currently, experts see high sensitivity as a personality trait. It's different from other conditions like sensory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and anxiety disorders, though they can overlap. While HSP traits aren't considered a "disorder," highly sensitive people still deserve to have the support of a therapist. I can help you navigate your experiences and create a life that feels fulfilling.
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Each highly sensitive person is unique, so there's no one-size-fits-all therapy approach. I value creating a customized experience for each of my clients, combining techniques like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), emotion-focused individual therapy (EFIT)), and more based on your unique needs and goals.
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Start by scheduling your free consultation here. I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation so we can get to know each other better and discuss whether we're the right fit. If we decide to move forward, we'll have an intake session where we discuss your situation more in-depth and collaborate on a treatment plan. Then, the work begins!
“Being highly sensitive does not at all rule out being, in your own way, a tenacious survivor.” — Elaine N. Aron
HSP Resources:
Books:
Dr. Elaine Aron The Highly Sensitive Person
Dr. Elaine Aron The Highly Sensitive Person In Love
Dr. Ted Zeff The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide
Want to Learn More about Being an HSP?
Are you a Highly Sensitive Person?
Copyright, Elaine N. Aron, 1996
Start Therapy for Highly Sensitive People in Los Angeles, CA
If you're ready to start embracing your sensitivity as a strength and learn how to manage it in a way that works for you, therapy for Highly Sensitive People can help. As an HSP therapist in Los Angeles, I can help you explore your unique needs and develop strategies to thrive in a world that sometimes feels overwhelming. Follow these steps to start Highly Sensitive Person counseling:
Schedule your first appointment at Worth and Wellness Psychology
Begin your journey towards a happier, more balanced life
Other Therapy Services I Offer in Los Angeles, CA
I offer a variety of other individual therapy services in Los Angeles besides HSP highly sensitive person treatment. This includes trauma therapy treatment, dating therapy, and anxiety therapy. Along with EMDR therapy and individual therapy for relationship issues. Additionally, I provide support and guidance for women of color and therapists.
All of these services are available in person at my therapy office in Irvine and online throughout California.