136: Depression & the Highly Sensitive Person

This episode of Women In-Depth features Bronwyn Shiffer, LCSW, a psychotherapist from Madison, Wisconsin who works with highly sensitive women struggling with depression. Bronwyn supports women who want to feel more strong, connected and comfortable in their own skin. She has a Masters of Social Work from Smith College School for Social Work and believes that personal transformation is what heals the world.

Topics discussed in this episode:
What it means to be highly sensitive (2:03) How Bronwyn was drawn to working with highly sensitive women (5:52) How depression can mirror the experiences of a highly sensitive person (HSP) (6:52) The importance and value in creating space for grief and depression (8:55) What is depression and how it shows up for HSPs (9:23) The characteristics specific to the HSP brain and their impact on HSPs (15:25) How HSPs feel deeply the full range of emotions and the experience of being human (16:47) The challenges of an HSP in discerning and disentangling from other’s emotions (17:52) The differences in an HSP’s experience of recovering and healing from depression (18:55) The importance of seeking out an HSP-informed therapist when you are a HSP (19:47) Tips to help HSPs manage the trait (27:31) The benefits of being an HSP (37:37)
Resources:
Bronwyn’s website: www.bronwynshi...
Bronwyn’s blog post on how to find a therapist: www.bronwynshi...
Bronwyn’s blog post on asking yourself what you need:
www.bronwynshi...
Dr. Elain Aron’s website: hsperson.com/
Donna Eden’s website: edenenergymedi...

[@LourdesViadoPhDMFT]

Survey Invitation for HSPS who have experienced Trauma We're in the process of creating resources that are beneficial for Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) who have experienced trauma. We’ve developed a questionnaire in order to best understand what’s most helpful. If this applies to you, and you’re interested in learning more about this topic, we would love to have you participate in this survey. Your responses are anonymous unless you choose to provide that information. Please feel free to share the link with others! Link to survey: forms.gle/bmWQrDNFJ8frXT6W9 Lourdes Viado, PhD, LMFT and Carmen Schmidt Benedetti, LMFT

[@johnnylawton52]

Hi there, i’ve only just identified myself as a HSP. For 20+ years i’ve always been a little different yet have always been able to connect with people. I suffered a major near death experience and my sensitivity got even worse and for a very long time i never knew what was wrong with me untill i started to do some proper research. It does kinda suck because you feel misunderstood but if you can enlighten the positives you can change someones life and do some seriously profound things. Please keep going and focus on the good fellow HSPs! I know it’s hard but you have a special gift :)

[@HopeLives2012]

Thank you Johnny, your words comforted me that I'm not a misfit.😢

[@ROSE-mq3qd]

I’d welcome a conversation on menopause and HSP 🙏 the question ‘what do I need?’ Is powerful 🌟

[@susie5254]

Out of the HUNDREDS, maybe thousands of videos I've listened to over the last 10 years, this is the FIRST time I felt validated that "getting help" is an exercise in high-endurance which is something a person suffering from depression is lacking. Even getting a psychiatrist outside an insurance network to monitor meds is almost impossible. A private psychiatrist did me a favor by squeezing me in after three weeks (most don't take new clients at all, some were available after three months) at a cost of $600 and she had not heard of HSP. (Dr. Aaron sounded "familiar"). One feels abandoned. How dangerous for someone experiencing a severe depressive episode.

[@HopeLives2012]

Totally

[@madelinebigio7565]

Hello yes this my first time in the podcast and that is me the highly sensitive I’m so like what you described! I didn’t realize that I was so highly sensitive..

[@LourdesViadoPhDMFT]

Glad this was helpful for you!

[@jane77722]

Excellent!

[@jamesspencer3664]

Maybe do a conversation on those in a relationship with a depressed hsp

[@madelinebigio7565]

Sounds like me and the nieghbors younger girl up stairs today and her out Burst of anger and slamming things around and me being the HSP ! I’m really empathetic because I’m feeling because of everything that is coming at us through media and what is really happening to our community and of the vulnerable people in a big city that are suffering and since I’m a spiritual person I can be very empathetic and I was diagnosed as a ADHD But I was overwhelmed and stimulated physically emotionally and physically challenged and was force to go take a crowded train to get some help like a place called ICD where they helped people I had a car trauma in a whip flash and then was forced to go look for a job and I was expressing myself I was depressed because I couldn’t find a job and I was physically challenged because I was getting head ache and they misdiagnosed me with ADHD But I was depleted and needed to recover from my trauma from the neck injury and a whip lash and they knew I had Fibromyalgia and lost of sleep too ‘ so combine all that and not getting a good night sleep

[@HopeLives2012]

I'm so sorry

[@madelinebigio7565]

Wow this what happened to me years ago That is how I was misdiagnosed with ADHD and now with this younger girl and I think that because I was listening to Christian music group from my church on line and I was singing to 230 am I need some down time even from social media scrolls too

[@criticalthinker72]

You know what it's so not fair is sitting here watching all these podcasts and being told that you need to find a highly sensitive counselor. What is your suggestion for people that can't afford one. Cuz I'm going on 30 years now of counselors that don't know what they're doing or talking about. Honestly I don't think that's fair at all to me I don't think that's giving me the chance that I deserve.

[@LourdesViadoPhDMFT]

It is frustrating when you cannot find the support you need and when finances are a barrier. Try Open Path Collective and In the search box, enter "Highly Sensitive Persons"

[@ROSE-mq3qd]

The note on downtime is so important, I’m heading to age 50 and I’m only beginning to allow myself rest and downtime - our society is so geared to being ‘on’ all the time and being ‘over productive’ - I think rest is essential for everyone 🌟

[@avalonmist254]

I don't find anything about being lost and depressed HSP or not as something to laugh about... Suicide is so Funny! Very sad that so called Professionals are this cold and ignorant

[@madelinebigio7565]

That is me bieng highly sensitive about is all the things around me ! That is me empathy ! I’m feeling it that is me my friend gets angry I feel it and someone is going through something! like if a friend that is my human nature !

[@TheEunoiaProject]

Love! We want to make positive content just like you!💜

[@madelinebigio7565]

Yesssss after feeling sad and depressed after watching bad news especially in NewYork City I started to listen to Christian music and singing and getting so Joyful too