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12 Comments

  1. Cheri, I learned about HSP last year reading a blog that led me to Anne Bogel’s book Reading People. It was more eye-opening to me than any personality test I’ve ever taken. I look forward to diving into your links and learning more. Thanks so much!

  2. Amber Little says:

    If you had to suggest one book for a mother of a highly sensitive person, what would it be? From your blog post I am realizing that I have been trying to train her and correct her and using all the wrong motivations for a highly sensitive person. But I would love to know the right ones to use.

  3. Olivia Hall says:

    As a non HSP parent who’s just now recognizing a step child with HSP after 16 years I’d first request prayer for healing as I read this I’m broken hearted as I’m seeing how my comments of “you’re just being too sensitive” or seeing her as different needing to be fixed have caused much harm and now a desire for her to no longer want to visit our family, but a question is on the #9 as we are a large family (6 kids total) and the possibility of giving her that is not likely. How else can we cultivate a “safe place” when our home is so different?

  4. Kia Eldred McGee says:

    Thank you!!! Appreciate your work and combining a Christian perspective~

  5. I would add that an HSP, put into a high-pressure city, and job situation, unable to get away and get out of it can become depressed and/or angry. I lived in a huge, fast-paced city for fifteen years and it made me feel angry and depressed and almost crazy. I thought it was me, I was just not adjusting well. We moved back to our home town, much smaller, with friends and family, and I feel the stress, the anger and depression all going down. I can feel more now without getting overwhelmed.

    I wish I had found this article sooner. All my life I’ve been accused of being too sensitive and taking things too personally. I thought it was a weakness to get over (hence the agression and anger) but see that it might be a blessing. Thank you for opening my eyes to a problem I didn’t know how to figure out!

  6. #6 is a big one for me. I tend to have trouble in situations or conversations that require hurried responses. I’m better when I have processing time. That’s probably why I generally communicate better in writing than verbally, unless I’m able to have a conversation with someone who’s not rushing through it like most people seem to do these days. Good, unrushed, courteous conversation can be hard to find.

  7. I would say this applies to us Highly Sensitive Christian men, too!

  8. This encouraged me so much, Cheri! Thank you! Your blog ministers to me every time I read it.

    I have one to add to your list (since you asked): Being sensitive does not mean we are emotionally immature.

    This week, I realized that I’d spent years buying into the idea that I was somehow unstable, and had allowed “more mature” women to convince me that I needed to grow up and stop taking life so personally. I often told people that I tended to get sucked in by “strong personalities” because I’d been wounded by multiple relationships involving mentor-types (usually older, but sometimes just controlling) who took me under their wings then labelled me needy and “overly sensitive” when I dared show emotions or be honest about how I felt. But some experiences with much kinder people who gave me the freedom to be who I was caused me to see those past hurtful relationships differently–maybe I wasn’t the emotionally immature one! After all, how mature is it to draw someone in only to shame or judge them, or even cut them loose, for being who they are?

    I’m sure I have been guilty of emotional immaturity at times, and possibly even been a bit unstable, but as I continue to process all this I realize that what helped me grow up was learning to accept how God wired me.

    Thank you again, Cheri! I can’t wait to share this post.

    1. I’ve had very similar experiences and can relate to everything you just described.

  9. Because HSPS process information and events differently, they also get jobs done differently and see their work/calling more intensely.

    And thanks, Cheri, for posting this today, especially #3. I have a very hard time not berating myself for being overwhelmed by almost everything!

  10. This is sooooo good! Amen and amen! I finally, finally have what I need to tell people about me. What a relief to know I’m not broken. Thank you!