Therapy for Highly Sensitive People

Attuned to every vibration, do you feel like a human tuning fork?

As a depth-oriented, psycho-spiritual therapist and empath in Oakland, CA, I offer therapeutic work tailored to those with the innate trait of high sensitivity—an essential gift, not a diagnosis. HSPs are often deeply intuitive, conscientious, creative, and spiritually attuned. Yet, their heightened receptivity can lead to sensory overwhelm, emotional exhaustion, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and an increased susceptibility to anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Through depth psychotherapy, we navigate the unconscious, integrate shadow aspects, and cultivate resilience, so your sensitivity becomes a source of strength rather than distress.

Highly Sensitive People and Sensory Processing Sensitivity

According to Dr. Elaine Aron, highly sensitive people (HSPs) make up approximately 20% of the population. If you identify as highly sensitive, you may feel like an outsider in a world that doesn’t fully understand or accommodate your unique needs. The experience of sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) can lead to chronic overwhelm, overstimulation, anxiety, and exhaustion. If your high sensitivity was not recognized and nurtured in childhood, you may be struggling with deep-seated wounds, including complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).

The Jungian Shadow and Sensory Overstimulation

From a Jungian perspective, the traits of highly sensitive people are often repressed or misunderstood, leading to what Carl Jung termed the shadow self—the parts of us that society deems unacceptable or weak. If you were told you were “too sensitive” or “overly emotional,” you may have internalized these judgments, burying aspects of your true nature in an attempt to fit in. However, what is relegated to the shadow does not disappear—it manifests in feelings of shame, anxiety, and self-doubt.

As an HSP, your heightened sensitivity to external stimuli—bright lights, loud noises, strong scents, rough textures, or even the emotional energy of others—can create an ongoing battle between your inner world and the often harsh external world. Jungian psychology encourages the integration of these sensitivities, recognizing them as a vital aspect of your individuation process—the journey toward becoming your most authentic self.

High Sensitivity: A Burden or a Gift?

HSPs often struggle with criticism, real or perceived, and may be prone to people-pleasing or emotional withdrawal. Without validation and emotional safety in childhood, a highly sensitive person may develop patterns of self-neglect or dissociation to cope with overwhelming feelings. Jungian psychology suggests that healing involves embracing the anima or animus—the unconscious feminine or masculine energies within—helping you reconnect with your emotional core and develop inner resilience.

Rather than seeing your sensory processing sensitivity as a flaw, Jungian thought encourages you to view it as an archetypal gift of the healer, the visionary, or the empath. When channeled effectively, your heightened awareness can lead to deep intuition, creativity, and an ability to perceive subtle emotional and energetic shifts that others may overlook.

Healing Through Integration and Self-Awareness

If your childhood environment failed to support your sensitivity, you might struggle with self-worth, depression, or anxiety in adulthood. Many HSPs require deeper emotional attunement and validation to feel secure, and the absence of these experiences can contribute to complex trauma. Through conscious awareness and therapeutic support, you can integrate your high sensitivity into your personality in a way that empowers rather than hinders you.

Working with a therapist who understands sensory processing sensitivity and Jungian depth psychology can help you:

• Recognize and embrace your sensitivity as a strength rather than a weakness

• Integrate past wounds and reframe them as part of your personal myth

• Develop healthy boundaries to protect your energy and emotional well-being

• Learn self-regulation techniques to manage sensory overload

• Foster self-compassion and release internalized shame

By honoring your high sensitivity as part of your individuation process, you can transform what once felt like a burden into one of your greatest strengths.

If you’re ready to embrace your sensitivity and explore your inner world, reach out for guidance and support.

The Empath’s Path: A Jungian Approach to Transformation

Being an empath is a profound experience—both a gift and a challenge. You feel the emotions of others as if they were your own, often without a clear boundary between self and other. This deep attunement can be exhausting, even painful, yet it also holds the potential for profound connection and insight. Your sensitivity may lead people to seek your support, reinforcing your role as the healer, the guide, the one who holds space.

Yet, without conscious awareness, your gift can become a burden. You absorb energies, emotions, even the unconscious material of those around you, leaving you depleted. It may feel as if you have no protective boundary—no skin to filter what enters your psyche. The work of individuation—Jung’s concept of becoming one’s true self—requires learning to set energetic and emotional boundaries, distinguishing your own essence from what is merely a projection or an external influence.

Shadow Work: Untangling Emotional Enmeshment

Empaths often struggle with the question: Is this feeling mine or someone else’s? This unconscious merging can lead to co-dependent patterns, chronic exhaustion, and even somatic illness. The weight of collective suffering can become overwhelming, creating an inner split between your own needs and the unspoken demands of others.

Depth psychotherapy invites us to engage in shadow work—to bring awareness to these unconscious patterns and gently separate from what is not truly ours. Learning to witness rather than absorb, to hold rather than carry, is essential. Through active imagination, dreamwork, and somatic awareness, you can begin to integrate your gift without losing yourself in the process.

Healing the Wounded Healer

Many empaths and highly sensitive people (HSPs) are natural healers, but their path is often marked by burnout, isolation, and emotional overwhelm. The archetype of the Wounded Healer (Chiron) speaks to this experience: the healer who is intimately familiar with suffering, yet must find ways to transmute pain rather than be consumed by it.

I work with HSPs and empaths because I am one. I know, firsthand, the challenge of holding space for others while maintaining a sense of self. The ability to feel deeply is both a calling and a responsibility—one that requires practices of clearing, release, and renewal to avoid depletion. If you seek guidance in navigating your sensitivity as a path of transformation, I am here to help.

Your sensitivity is not a weakness—it is a portal to depth, wisdom, and connection. The key is learning to work with it, rather than against it. If you are ready to step into this journey, I invite you to reach out.

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