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THERAPY FOR

Anxiety & Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)

The fear center of our brain is designed to let us know if there’s an immediate threat in our environment so we can respond accordingly. Like a smoke detector in your home, it’s helpful when it’s functioning properly.​​

But for some of us, it may feel like the smoke detector isn’t properly calibrated:​​

  • It’s picking up on things that have little or nothing to do with an actual fire​

  • Something set it off a while ago and even though the smoke has since cleared, the alarm persists​

  • It seems to go off at random, or just never seems to turn off whatsoever​

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Anxiety can show up in various ways:

  • Maybe you experience intense fear and discomfort tied to specific situations or topics

  • Or maybe it feels more like being chased by an invisible predator—a general sense of restlessness or tension with no identifiable source

  • You might feel like you’re always being pulled in too many directions and have difficulty focusing on one thing at a time

  • You overanalyze everything and have a mind that never seems to quiet down, especially when it's time to sleep

  • You have difficulty letting go of control and are consumed by the worst-case-scenario in every situation

  •  You walk through your days rigid, stressed, and fatigued

  • It can also show up as digestive issues, muscle tension, excessive sweating, shallow breathing, and difficulty thinking or speaking clearly. It can leave you feeling like a stranger in your own body.

However it manifests, living in a constant state of alarm is debilitating.​​

Here's the good news:

You are not your anxiety.

Anxiety is often the result of a complex feedback loop involving multiple systems throughout the brain and body. This is why it's so difficult to reason your way out of it.

These systems are designed to work together to keep us safe, but sometimes the messages get mixed up. One system screams "fire!" and that message is passed round and round between brain and body, escalating as it goes.

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Beneath this loop, you still reside.​​

This mind-body loop is especially relevant to highly sensitive people

Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) refers to how your system is wired—it's not just about "sensitivity" in the emotional sense. 

HSPs make up an estimated 20% of the population, and studies show that there is a strong genetic basis for this trait. Brain scans consistently demonstrate greater sensitivity to stimuli in HSPs¹, as well as the presence of a gene variant that involves the transportation of serotonin (which regulates mood, among other things)².

It makes sense that HSPs often report higher levels of anxiety, and often benefit from learning how to leverage their sensitivity toward a more fulfilling life.

¹ The highly sensitive brain: an fMRI study of sensory processing sensitivity and response to others' emotions (2014)  →

² Genetic Variation in 5HTTLPR is Associated with Emotional Resilience (2009)  →

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It's time to find your center.

It may not feel like it sometimes, but your system holds innate wisdom on how to live, move, and breathe in this world, even in the face of uncertainty, stress, and fear. I'm here to help you learn your system's language and tap into that wisdom.

In therapy, we’ll take a holistic approach and explore the various factors that could be playing into your experience of anxiety, including:

  • Self-talk and feedback loops

  • The gut-brain connection

  • Nervous system regulation

  • Relationship and lifestyle factors

  • Childhood and cultural messaging

  • The impact of wounding experiences or other traumatic events

Together, we will:

  • Get to know the thoughts and situations that trigger your anxiety

  • Identify self-talk that keeps you stuck in the anxiety cycle

  • Develop effective, personalized ways to respond to this self-talk

  • Gently process and gain mastery over specific fears

  • Explore mindfulness and other somatic techniques to soothe the nervous system

  • Learn the language of your body and develop daily rhythms and habits that honor its needs

  • Get to know your personal limits and set boundaries to help stabilize your energy

Ready to take the

next step 

?

Frequently Asked Questions

ABOUT THERAPY FOR ANXIETY AND

HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE

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I noticed you offer a free 15-minute consultation. Is this required to start therapy?

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How do I know if I'm a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?

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Is it possible to have chronic anxiety and not be an HSP?

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What if even talking about anxiety feels overwhelming? I'm worried therapy may be triggering.

Still have questions?

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