Highly sensitive people: Why therapists should care about high sensitivity

Highly sensitive people: Why therapists should care about high sensitivity

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

Social psychologist Elaine Aron (1995) suggests that 15 to 20% of the general population exhibit the innate temperament difference that she calls “High Sensitivity” (HS) or, for research purposes, Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS).

30% to 50% of our therapy clients may be affected

High sensitivity may play an unexpected role in the distress of many of our psychotherapy clients.

Because their sensitivity makes them predisposed to overstimulation and stress in demanding environments, Aron suggests that this trait plays a role in the difficulties experienced by 30 to 50% of the clinical population we see in our consultation rooms.

Common complaints involve sensory and emotional sensitivities

Highly sensitive clients describe feeling both positive and negative emotions intensely and reacting strongly to physical and emotional stimuli.

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

• They have a very detailed cognitive style and absorb more stimulation from their environment, noticing details and subtle differences. As a result, they are often overwhelmed in situations that do not bother others.

• They may have difficulty making decisions because they have difficulty organizing detailed perceptions and multiple presented outcome scenarios.

• They may be introverts who appear to have “thin skin,” who are easily hurt or offended, or who are excessively afraid of offending others.

• They can be “touchy-feely” and have strong emotional reactions to things that don’t upset others

• These differences influence individuals' responses to their environment from birth.

Because HS causes a person to react strongly to stressors, Aron suggests that HS may, under certain circumstances, produce increased vulnerability to psychopathology.

If HS is not recognized and not properly managed by parents and teachers, it can result in a whole host of common psychopathologies...including social phobia, somatization and avoidance of personality styles, and relationship difficulties.

Sensitive people also affect others...

While sensitive people often make thoughtful, careful, and empathetic parents, partners, and friends, when they're stressed...or when they've never learned how to deal effectively with their unique characteristics, they can cause tension and difficulty for those around them.

Many of our non-sensitive patients had highly sensitive parents, children, partners or co-workers and had struggled...sometimes since childhood...with confusion and frustration and dysfunctional relationships due to a significant lack of understanding of the trait with others.

A therapist who is well-informed about HS can do much to help their non-sensitive clients understand their relationships with HS family members, both past and present, and use this knowledge to interact more effectively and pleasantly with HS individuals in their circle.

What a therapist needs to know

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

• Describe the identifying characteristics of High Sensitivity,

• Discuss how sensitivity influences child development and adult socialization.

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

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

• Use Aron's HSP Scale to assess sensitivity formally or informally.

• Identify complicated and uncomplicated HS

• Assess the therapeutic needs of sensitive clients

• When treating highly sensitive clients, use common psychotherapy techniques to promote adjustment and healing.

Suggestion for further reading:

For more detailed information for therapists on this topic, I recommend Dr. Elaine Aron's excellent book:

"Psychotherapy for the Highly Sensitive Person; Improving Outcomes for the Minority of People Who Are the Majority of Clients"

(Routledge Press, 2010)

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

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