Highly sensitive people: Why therapists should be interested in high sensitivity

Highly sensitive people: Why therapists should be interested in high sensitivity

High sensitivity is a naturally occurring and non -pathological individual difference, which is associated with a detailed cognitive processing style and usually, but not always with introverted temperament.

The social psychologist Elaine Aron (1995) suggests that 15 to 20% of the general population have the innate difference in temperament, which she calls "High Sensitivity" (HS) or for research purposes.

30% to 50% of our therapy customers can be affected

High sensitivity can play an unexpected role in the need for many of our psychotherapy clients.

Since they are predisposed in demanding environments due to their sensitivity to overstimulation and stress, Aron suggests that this characteristic plays a role in the difficulties of 30 to 50% of the clinical population that we see in our advisory rooms.

frequent complaints concern sensory and emotional sensitivities

highly sensitive clients describe how they feel both positive and negative emotions intensively and react strongly to physical and emotional stimuli.

• sensitive people are easily disturbed by noises, smells and chaotic situations.

• You have a very detailed cognitive style and take up more stimulation from your surroundings, noticing details and fine differences. As a result, they are often overwhelmed in situations that others do not disturb.

• You may have difficulties in making decisions because you have difficulty organizing detailed perceptions and several presented results scenarios.

• It can be introverters who seem to have a "thin skin" that are slightly injured or insulted or are excessively afraid to insult others.

• You can be "sensitive" and have strong emotional reactions to things that others do not annoy

• These differences influence the reactions of the individual to his surroundings from birth.

Since HS prompted a person to react strongly to stressors, Aron suggests that HS can cause increased susceptibility to psychopathology under certain circumstances.

If HS is not recognized by parents and teachers and is not properly handled, there can be a whole series of common psychopathologies ... including social phobia, somatization and avoidance of personality styles and relationship difficulties.

sensitive people also affect others ...

While sensitive people are often thoughtful, careful and sensitive parents, partners and friends when they are stressed ... or if you have never learned to deal with your unique properties effectively, you can cause tensions and difficulties for the people around you.

Many of our non -sensitive patients had highly sensitive parents, children, partners or employees and had ... sometimes since childhood ... with confusion and frustration and disturbed relationships because they did not understand the characteristic to a considerable extent.

A therapist who is well informed about HS can help a lot to understand their non-sensitive clients in the past and the present and use this knowledge to interact more effectively and effectively with HS people in their circle.

what a therapist needs to know

A well-informed therapist who wants to work effectively with HS clients should be able:

• describe the identifying features of High Sensitivity,

• Discuss how sensitivity influences the child's development and socialization of adults.

• distinguish HS from mental disorders such as sensitivity due to PTSD and personality disorders

In terms of practical skills, a therapist should be able:

• Use the Aron HSP scale to formally or informally evaluate the sensitivity.

• identify complicated and uncomplicated HS

• evaluate the therapeutic needs of sensitive clients

• Approximately psychotherapy techniques in the treatment of highly sensitive clients to promote adaptation and healing.

suggestion for further reading:

For more detailed information for therapists on this topic, I recommend Dr. Elaine Arons awarded:

"Psychotherapy for the highly sensitive person; improvement in the results for the minority of people who are the majority of clients"

(Routledge Press, 2010)

In this book you will find the HSP assessment scale and suggestions for adapting the therapy to HSP, detailed information on the research background that supports the concept, and a helpful and informative section for differential diagnosis.

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