Dear HSPs,
I know it has been awhile since you have heard from me. I have quite a backlog to tell you about. Still, I like to keep the basic email brief.
The blog post, “Some New Research on Sensory Processing Sensitivity”: I especially need to catch you up on the latest research on high sensitivity that has been published in scientific journals. No, not quite all. I will not waste your time with those studies I find limited in some way. Not the very latest either, as more studies are finished and about to be published, but I do not report on unpublished research. To be published, it has to have received its stamp of approval from “peer reviewers” (anonymous comments from those best qualified to help the journal editor decide whether to publish the work).
It’s worth looking at this blog post: It’s the research that reminds you that this is real.
The movie on HSPs and Relationships
Yes, it is still happening, but it has morphed from a documentary mainly of interviews to a dramatic film, the story of two couples. It just became clear that “talking heads” of me, Art, and other experts giving advice, along with couples telling about their relationships–it all just wasn’t lively enough. It needed to be augmented by something more in-the-moment. Real life, real problems, like those we all have. However, these lively little scenes kept expanding, literally taking over the movie, and putting Art and I out of a job!
Meet Mark and Jessica & Rob and Maria. I think you will come to love them as we do. Rob and Jessica, brother and sister, are the HSPs, each with partners who are not. All four evolve substantially over the length of the film. (There are some intense moments, but no sad endings.) Parts of the interviews are still used, in a clever way. All the same information about relationships and HSPs is included. But the film should be much more engaging and thus more helpful for those who are not highly sensitive–for example, some partners of HSPs who need to watch this film.
Given this change, the film is taking longer to make, but it will be film-festival quality and, again, appeal to a wider audience. To show it in festivals it cannot have been distributed, so that adds even more time before it will go out to everyone. But SAIL members will be able to see it as soon as it is finished.
Coming Events
HSP Gathering Retreat. As I say every time when I speak about what all HSPs need, one of these is that all HSPs (that means you) will benefit from being in an only-HSPs group at least once, to further validate the reality of the trait and to gain a sense of support from a real community, even if you never see these particular HSPs again. Jacquelyn Strickland’s HSP Retreat Gatherings are perfect for doing just that. They are the right size to meet a variety of other HSPs and get to know each of them. Do you feel you are too introverted for a “gathering”? Jacquelyn is fully trained in the Myers Briggs, which means she totally understands introversion even though she is an extravert herself. So all “types” will feel at home. Jacquelyn has honed her skills and schedule through running 35+ gatherings. Every moment is designed to give you needed rest (Retreat) and/or to empower you (Gathering). She fits in both. For more info and to enroll visit: http://www.lifeworkshelp.com/
HSP Gathering Retreat – June 14-18, Gaunts House, Petersham Lane, Wimborne, Dorset, United Kingdom Gaunts House, Dorset, U.K.
HSP Gathering Retreat – September 30 to October 4, Menla Mountain House, in the Catskill Mountains of New York State.
HSP Colorado Weekend on March 24-25.The first day is especially for those new to the trait and the second is especially for those with a thorough understanding of it, and who are role-models for others or who wish to be. Learn more at: http://www.lifeworkshelp.com/
HSP and Horses Workshop Introduction on April 21-22. Woodacre, CA. (1 hr. 11 mins from SF airport). I love these quiet, deep weekends in the woods, so I will definitely be there. No horse experience is required and there’s no riding. You learn a very surprising amount by observing and interacting as much as you want with these sensitive creatures, alone and in activities. Let them teach you about your trait and yourself. Learn more at:http://www.heartandmindequine.
Courses on “Understanding Highly Sensitive Children and Teens” July 20-22 at 1440 Multiversity in Santa Cruz, CA and again on September 28-30 at Kripalu, Western MA. Finally we have a course for those involved in some way with highly sensitive children and adolescents. This is often parents, but also grandparents, teachers, nurses, pediatricians, or anyone just curious. Attendees do not need to be highly sensitive and it is not a course focused on the needs of HSPs.
The two courses will be given by Candy Crawford, LCSW and Alane Freund, LMFT. You may recognize Alane from theHSP and Horses Workshops that we do together. They taught along with me at the last two HSP weekend workshops, and I’ll show up at these for a few hours. But I’m confident they can do a great job at this–better than I could. Candy is a skilled therapist from the Chicago area, now working only with HSPs, and Alane Freund is another excellent therapist with years of experience working with children and families in various settings before deciding to focus that work within the equine setting and specialize in helping HSCs and their families.
For information and registration visit:
- July 20-22th course at 1440 Multiversity in Santa Cruz, CA: https://1440.org/
- September 28-30 course at Kripalu, Western MA:https://kripalu.org/
September 28-30 course at Kripalu, Western MA. (Note that the HSP Retreat Gathering in the Catskills, see above, which is overlapping these dates, is strictly for HSPs, while this will be a mix of HSPs and not, and only for those wanting to learn more about HSCs.)
Attention Highly Sensitive Men:
Arise! The time has come. We are planning an all-HS-men conference/weekend, or maybe two, probably not until 2019. We will let you know the date hopefully in the next email. So prepare yourself to participate and to pass the word through social media, at work, or wherever you meet other HSMs. Whatever your misgivings, you need each other–to hear each other’s stories and recognize your individual and collective potential. We have told the venues (1440 Multiversity in CA and/or Kripalu in W. MA) that you will show up in healthy numbers. They are skeptical, given the 1 or 2% of men at the weekends we have given in the past. So prove me right and be there.
Last but Not Least
New book for highly sensitive men published in Germany: „Hochsensible Männer“ by Tom Falkenstein.
Tom has written a wonderful book, but alas for now it is only in German. But for those who do not read German, I will let you know as soon as it is available in English. Not myself reading German I have only read one chapter that was translated into English, but knowing Tom, a well-trained psychotherapist and very sensitive person, the book is excellent. I understand that it begins by “summarizing the most current research on high sensitivity, then looks at male identity and the difference between high sensitivity and psychological disorders. The second part is a practical guide for dealing with high sensitivity as a man, offering numerous strategies and techniques to deal with challenges such as overstimulation, emotional intensity and problems with self-worth. The book also features interviews with men who have learned to live well with their sensitivity as well as a conversation with Elaine Aron.” Meanwhile, you can find it on https://www.amazon.de/
The Journal from my Six-month Retirement
Some of you have asked about those six months I was gone, from August 2016 through January 2017. Art, my husband (not an HSP) and I each kept a journal and are now serializing it (meaning you pay chapter by chapter as they become available). The price is $2.99 per chapter, to pay for someone putting up the website and then posting each new chapter and sending out an email to those who bought the previous chapter.
This journal is NOT particularly about high sensitivity, except that part of it is written by an HSP (me) and the other part written by my traveling partner, someone without the trait. But you might be interested in other aspects of it, such as the spiritual part of it for me, so you could decide after reading more about it. Visit our new site at: http://sixmonthretirement.
Warmly,
Elaine
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