Trauma and relationship support for Empaths & Highly Sensitive Souls
Hi there. I am Maree. I'm so glad you stopped by.
I lost count of the times in my University and Counselling training where I scoured the books in the ‘quest’ of trying to understand what was actually ‘wrong’ with me?. Surely I must have something in the 'Psychiatric Manual' (the DSM) to account for these ‘symptoms’. Yes I knew I was different... but what accounts for this difference?
What I originally thought was just a hefty dose of high empathy along with heightened sensitivity, later finally revealed a diagnosis of ADHD, not surprisingly finally everything made sense.
Perhaps you can relate to the following.
"Empaths and Highly sensitive people, are multi-sensory beings who see beyond the veil of people's persona's and inner most emotions, sensing and experiencing them as their own"(unknown).
You may have struggled with sensory overload even back at school, find cross conversations intolerable, or found it hard to relate to peers when you have a maturity that goes well beyond your chronological age.
We dislike conflict immensely. We are lovers not fighters. We struggle with our own and others emotional states. And often we can't decipher if it is our own emotions at interplay or if we are picking them up from those around us. EVERYTHING GETS IN.
Exposure to the nightly news often causes considerable distress and for that reason many elect not to watch it. The continual emotive stories become unbearable to watch. You may be also deeply moved by movies and music whilst holding back tears in a desperate attempt to ‘look normal’ in the presence of others, despite feeling anything but ‘normal’. Sometimes you may even avoid the movies or evocative shows because of the emotional reactivity it creates.
We are often deep thinkers who spend considerable time pondering deeply about life, people, the universe and animals. The continual comments of "You think too much’"or the classic “What's wrong with you’?, "You are far too deep" does nothing to assist a person who has high sensitivity and emotions. It just leaves people feeling alone and emotionally and socially isolated.
Sadly often in the formative years children start to quickly interpret that the feelings of ‘difference’ are often internalized as ‘being too much’, ‘burdensome’ or ‘unwelcome' and certainly 'not okay'. This creates the perfect conditions for an inner raging ‘internal battle’- the desire to ‘fit in’ (but not having a clue really how to do this) whilst simultaneously divorcing oneself from their own unique wiring.
We wonder why so many of us have gravitated to the temporary relief in substance abuse or emotional eating to try to cope. Or where we have developed anxiety type problems in response to the sheer over-stimulation that is a by-product of today's hectic lifestyle.
We often struggle in relationships.... have so much to give but can quickly become overstimulated, can fatigue quite easily and as people who generally dislike conflict, can often times find ourselves ending up in toxic connections that can take a long time to heal from.
I feel such deep gratitude that my counselling role in schools has enabled me to help raise awareness in identifying and supporting the younger sensitive and empathetic ones who walk among us. Furthermore I am thrilled to have created 'The Sanctuary for Sensitive Souls Studio'- a purpose built 'cottage' located in The Dandenong Ranges in Melbourne Victoria where I provide counselling sessions specifically for those with high degrees of empathy. It is an ideal setting for those who prefer to be seen in a more serene and 'less clinical' environment. Furthermore, as there is no communal waiting room, not only are clients privacy further tendered to, but clients are also not subjected to the emotional energy (anxiety, sadness) of others who are seeking support.
