How Can You Reduce Stress As A Highly Sensitive Person
The Highly Sensitive Person
is so much more sensitive to external and internal stimuli they need to be more pro-active to reduce stress levels. Anxiety and stress are high in our western busy and over-stimulated way of life. But that doesn’t mean just because you are a highly sensitive person or highly empathic that you need to suffer from chronic anxiety or chronic stress.
Chronic Stress As A Highly Sensitive Person
Chronic stress is triggered by our fears, it is our reaction to the world around us, the way we psychologically and physiologically respond to situations, people, and the things around us. The biggest cause of stress today is our mental thoughts; our conditioning, what we attach and give power to.
But external stimuli such as environmental noise, information overload can certainly play their part so can environmental and internal toxins. But the way we view the world, situations, very much represents how we show up in the world.
If you are an HSP, a highly sensitive person who views the world as a highly harsh, uncaring, and dangerous place. You will show up in the world as a very fearful, highly anxious, sensitive soul. Who struggles to survive never mind find their way in the world.
The highly sensitive person or highly empathic person has tremendous gifts to share with the world. They have tremendous compassion and huge insight into those around them. Especially highly sensitive empaths because they are highly intuitive and highly sensitive to the psyche, the energy and emotions of the people, places and situations around them.
But this can make the sensitive person more vulnerable to other’s anxiety and stress, to mass consciousness, and to many other things that most people can comprehend.
Some famous people who have been regarded as HSP a highly sensitive person include Albert Einstein, Carl Jung, Diana- The Princess Of Wales, Judy Garland, Mother Theresa.
6 Simple Ways You Can Deal With Stress As A Highly Sensitive Person
Assertiveness- learn how to say NO, one of the biggest challenges many HSP’s and particular empaths have a challenge with. Is the ability to say NO. Empaths feel others’ pain and fears so deeply they often struggle to identify their own needs. So struggle to set healthy boundaries.
Be Yourself – trying to fit in, comparing yourself to other’s, judging yourself on other’s ideas of what you should and shouldn’t be like. Is a huge source of distress. You are more than enough, even in within your vulnerability, your physical, emotional, and even mental sensitivity, you are enough. You are unique, special, wonderful and here to be you.
Get Soul Connected – Develop a strong soul connection, build a deeper spiritual connection within yourself, your heart and soul. Become more soul-aligned in our spiritual path, to follow our own soul’s guidance and own truth.
Grounded – become more grounded physically, mentally, and emotionally get out of your head, and get connected to your body and the earth around and underneath you. I find the essential oil blend On Guard a great aid. When you are more grounded your energetic field is much stronger so you have healthier boundaries to other people’s negativity and emotions.
Be In The Moment– learn how to be more present, more in the moment, take each step, each day as it comes, let go of yesterday’s and tomorrow’s, see below as meditation and mindfulness can help. You tend to be more grounded and find it easier to naturally assert your own needs when you live in the moment.
Meditate – meditation is a powerful way to connect with the self, that space where stillness and calm resides, where wisdom, true insight and guidance evolves from. Meditation helps quieten the mind and helps develop a powerful connection with our inner wisdom.
Unplug- a highly sensitive person or highly empathic person usually needs to unplug and switch off more frequently than other’s do. HSP’s tend to have sensory processing issues which affects the autonomic nervous system. So the slightest over stimulation can trigger the “fight or flight” stress response. Leaving the HSP highly wired, anxious, stressed, and exhausted.
Cushioning – is a stress management strategy that helps cushion you from the impact of a stressor or stressors. It involves using any practical, therapeutic, or strategical strategy that will help you reduce stress and become more resilient to the stressors of everyday life. It can involve taking action, managing or reducing the stressor in question but also includes an aspect of balance into your life. It involves having a more healthier approach to your everyday life, so you are generally more stress-resilient.
Overcoming Chronic Stress As A Highly Sensitive Person
No matter how long you have suffered chronic anxiety or chronic stress as a highly sensitive person or an empath. You don’t just have to live with it, your life as an HSP doesn’t have to be stressful.
I was a highly anxious, stressed out teenager, who suffered chronic unworthiness, who tried to relentlessly to deny and resist my empathic traits and highly sensitive traits.
I started to suffer extreme health challenges including burn-out from the age of 19. And spent a large part of my twenties extremely ill, exhausted, and isolated. Out of this experience, I became a meditation teacher, healer, coach, and stress management expert.
I have helped many people including many highly sensitive people and highly sensitive children move from a chronic anxious or stress state of being to a more calm confident way of being.
No matter how challenging life may feel at the moment believe me your life as a highly sensitive person can be far richer, peaceful, lighter, and free than you can imagine with the right tools, the right healing and support.
You can learn turn to your sensitivity into your super power gifts, your super powers I share more in my Lightworkers Portal and my 👇 Free 6 Day Stress Resilience Course For Lightworkers 👇
Noise Sensitivity –The Challenges of Living With Hyperacusis
When most people talk about noise sensitivity they often think of simply an annoyance to specific noises. But noise sensitivity can be an extremely painful and a huge disabling challenge for many sufferers. I know as I began suffering from a severe form of hyperacusis over the last three years, which has made me mostly housebound.
As someone who is highly empathic and sensitive, I have slight noise sensitivity as long as I can remember. I always had challenges sleeping with even the slightest noise around me. But this started to become a much bigger problem when it developed into a painful and debilitating severe form of hyperacusis. Specific frequencies began to trigger extreme pain in my right ear, major balance issue and a complex movement disorder including non-epileptic seizures that leaves me with no control over my body.
My noise sensitivity issues appear to be caused by at least 30 years of bacterial/viral implications. But the cause is not clear with a complex medical history; M.E./CFS, suspected untreated chronic lyme at 14 years of age, head and face trauma, a rare cranial condition and survivor of sepsis. Although according to Anthony Williams book the Medical Medium Many of these neurotoxicity symptoms are simply the fourth stage of very a rare form of Epstein Barr Virus. But I am unsure if I will ever know for sure.
However the reality is noise sensitivity seems to be triggered by a variety of causes, diseases, accidents, trauma and stressors. Sound intolerance also appears to be a common problem in those who are highly sensitive or have sensory processing disorders. Many clinicians used to assume noise sensitivity has a purely psychological basis. But more research and evidence is demonstrating many of the physiological causes behind various types of noise sensitivity.
Noise sensitivity challenges are very common for those with sensory processing challenges on the Autism/Asperger Spectrum. Which can seriously impact their quality of daily living, education and their careers.
Noise sensitivity is something that is certainly misunderstood and misdiagnosed by many medical practitioners. Especially as there is so many different classifications and causes of sound sensitivity.
Here Are Some Of The Different Types Of Noise Sensitivity
Hyperacusis – is usually linked with amplified sensitivity or auditory increase in the central auditory system which is the hearing pathways of the brain. A “collapsed tolerance to normal environmental sound” The Hyperacusis Network. It is suggested that unexpected exposure to deafening noise can sometimes trigger hyperacusis. But there are some medical conditions associated with hyperacusis which include Bell’s palsy, Lyme disease, migraine, post head injury syndrome and William’s syndrome. Also many people with hyperacusis have tinnitus and many with tinnitus have hyperacusis.
There are two forms of hyperacusis; cochlear hyperacusis and vestibular hyperacusis
Cochlear Hyperacusis; annoyance, distress, ear pain and to very quiet or high-pitched sounds.
Vestibular Hyperacusis; balance, postural control and vertigo problems, nausea, fatigue. Known sometimes as Audiogenic Seizure Disorder and Tullio’s syndrome
Hypersensitive Hearing – where someone is born with a hyper sensitivity to frequencies above 70 decibels normally viewed as problematic frequencies. This is common in the autism spectrum.
Misophonia – is when someone hates a particular sound but it is not collapsed tolerance to sound. Usually there is an atypical limbic and autonomic nervous system response ( fight or flight response) which is related to the auditory system. Examples are repetitive sounds, consonants, sniffing, lip smacking which can often trigger emotional rage.
Phonophobia – is a sub-category of misophonia where one suffers anxiety/fear of events related to their noise sensitivity. Which triggers isolation in the outside world.
Recruitment – is when there is an increased perception of noise sensitivity when someone is suffering from a type of hearing loss where they cannot hear certain pitches but can hear others. Which is perceived as too quiet to dramatically loud.
Treatments And Support For Noise Sensitivity Issues
Ear Plugs or Ear Phones: For most types of noise sensitivity challenges recommendations are that ear plugs should not be relied on for day to day living. As there is suggestions that in the long run this may reduce tolerance to every day sounds. But it certainly would depend on the type and degree of noise sensitivity. I personally do not use ear plugs in my home doing most tasks. But because my noise sensitivity triggers severe balance challenges and a violent movement disorder. I choose to use ear phones outside otherwise I have very limited control over my bodily movements.
Noise Cancellation Ear Phones: Some people find noise cancellation useful, I find for long car drives they can cancel out and reduce some noise and can help reduce general over stimulation.
Pink Noise Devices: For some types of noise sensitivity pink noise devices are used as a form of sound therapy.
Meditation– helps you access that inner calm, peace inside despite what is happening around you. It helps you become more mentally, emotionally and physically resilient. Meditation has helped keep me so mentally strong over the last 25 years. It has helped me find my own equivalent to a power nap, when I can’t sleep due to noise issues.
Craniosacral Therapy – can be helpful where there has been noise sensitivity after trauma to the head and neck. Also bowen and osteopathy is useful for again alignment issues due to trauma.
Healthier Thinking – it is important with any condition or life challenge that a person has the ability to look at their life challenges and focus on what they can do, rather than what we feel disabled by.
Stress Management – generally reducing and manging your anxiety and stress can seriously help reduce any hyper sensitivity to external stimuli. And can be a great cushion at helping you remain as emotionally, mentally and physically strong against noise stressors.
CBD Oil: Cannabis derived oil and paste is used by many who’s noise sensitivity appears to be related to their medical conditions. It is widely uses by lymes and now more popular in ME/CFS sufferers.Many people with noise sensitivity issues including those with sensory processing issues seem to be benefiting from CBD or marijuana in some component.
On Guard Blend: Another product that I have found helpful in my building my sound tolerance is the essential oil blend by doTERRA . These are highly vibrational essential oils which appear to strengthen our energetic boundaries, boost the immune system and protect our body against viruses and microbes.
These are just some of the ways you can help manage your noise sensitivity issues. If like me travelling in a car is a huge problem because you can actually feel a lot of vibrations through the nerves of your body. I find sitting and placing my feet on memory foam cushions and a duvet helps to cushion me from the impact. Some cars are more better than others in relation to the seat and height design
I am fortunate enough to start seeing slowly but surely a reduction in the severity of my symptoms. Having lived with chronic health challenges that have disabled me in various ways for many years. I choose to focus daily on my abilities, strengths and gifts. I am very fortunate to be able to do my work online. Although it can have its challenges.
But when we focus on the things we can change and accept those we can’t. We come from a much stronger, calm and happier place. Noise sensitivity can be extremely challenging, it needs more research/awareness especially on the actual conditions that cause it.But meanwhile the healthiest thing you can do is look after your own health and wellbeing, especially your anxiety and stress levels. As anxiety and stress will certainly make you more hyper-sensitive .
If you are looking for help and support in managing your sensitivity challenges. I share lots of tips and resources in my free facebookcommunity Soul Care For Sensitives
Essential Oils For Empaths And Highly Sensitive People
The many benefits of essential oils for empaths, highly sensitive people and healers. As a qualified aromatherapist for many years in many ways, I take for granted how versatile essential oils are. As I have used essential oils for nearly 30 years to support my own physical, mental and emotional well-being.
But what are some of the best blends and essential oils for empaths and HSP’s?
Essential Oils For Health And Healthy Boundaries
There are so many essential oils for empaths to choose from today, it is important you choose the right essential oil that is therapeutically safe and right for you.
Many people assume all essential oils are completely safe because they are natural but like every herb or essence each has unique properties and effects so it is important to choose essential oils suited to your specific needs.
Some essential oils have analgesic or anti-inflammatory properties, some like peppermint which is used in mainstream medicine can be a digest aid. Some essential oils like tea-tree and thyme have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.
But pure essential oils don’t just support us physically, but mentally and emotionally. Essential oils like Clary Sage and Geranium are used to help balance hormonal imbalances in females. Some are safe when you are pregnant some are not, some are unsafe if you suffer from epilepsy, and some essential oils should never be used on children or infants.
Quality Essential Oils For Empaths And Highly Sensitive People
If you are using essential oils therapeutically you also want to choose a high-grade quality pure essential oil especially if your are highly sensitive and/or empathic.
Highly Sensitive People tend to be not just sensitive emotionally and mentally but physically to both allopathic and natural medicine. Empaths often struggle with grounding and often have a much porous energetic field. So it is important if you are an aromatherapist to choose high grade quality essential oils for empaths and highly sensitive people.
As someone with rare and chronic health challenges for over 30 years, essential oils have been an essential part of my health and self-care. I have found essential oils a great replacement for so many allopathic treatments normally in one’s medicine cabinet.
In fact recently as someone who became completely housebound due to extreme noise, vibration, and light sensitivity which would trigger seizures. I was looking for anything to support me after Neurologists told me nothing could be done and any medication would cause further complications.
But when I started to use a variety of Doterra’s high vibrational essential oils including the product On Guard which I mention below. I couldn’t believe how much physically stronger and more energetically resilient and boundaried I become.
Those of us who are more sensitive and or empathic tend to have a more finely tuned sensory and central nervous system. Which can make us much more vulnerable to a variety of environmental stressors such as EMF Electro Magnetic Frequency, noise, light, other people’s emotions, trauma, and physical pain.
Essentials Oils For Empaths Who Are Hyper Sensitive
As someone who has had rare neurological complications from suspected bacterial and viral complications for approx 30 years. I have used a wide range of high-quality essential oils and blends. One that has been really supporting me energetically and as a support to my immune system has been the On Guard Blend. Which instantly made me feel more energetically stronger and protected.
So What Are The Perfect Essential Oils For Empaths And HSPs?
Balance – The Ultimate Grounding Blend– A blend of Spruce, Ho Wood, Frankincense, Blue Tansy, and Blue Chamomile with Fractionated Coconut Oil. Empath and HSP struggle to feel grounded. This can be added directly to the skin or added to a diffuser for cars, homes, and the office. Frankincense is deeply grounding and Spruce was used by the Native Americans for various spiritual and medicinal purposes ( spruce tree regarded as sacred)
Frankincense – is deeply relaxing, calming very popular to assist meditation, and deeply grounding. Also helpful in supporting healthy cellular function and great rejuvenator for the skin. So it is one of the most commonly used nurturing essential oils for empaths and hsp’s.
Melaleuca (Tea Tree) – is an extremely versatile oil for your home first aid kit. It is also an anti-viral, anti-bacterial oil, that supports the immune system. It is also useful for creating stronger boundaries
On Guard – Can help support your immune system. Can help strengthen and protect your energetic field to create stronger energetic boundaries. and psychic protection especially if you are a healer or some sort of lightworker. So is one of the popular blends with empaths and sensitives. Helpful to protect against environmental threats. Safe for use on countertops, as a non-toxic cleaner, or to purify the air through diffusion
Oregano –Very powerful for boundaries and can help stop parasitic energy. Can assist with healthy digestion and supports healthy respiratory function. May help support a healthy immune system. Useful as a powerful cleansing and purifying agent.
Patchouli Essential Oil– Provides a grounding, balancing effect on emotions • Promotes a smooth, glowing complexion • Add to your daily moisturizer to help reduce the appearance of blemishes.
Purify –Protects against environmental threats such as EMFs and toxins. Can help clear the air and negative, stagnant energy in your home.
Sandalwood – is another favourite pure essential oil of mine, deeply grounding, and great for the skin. For those of us who tend to avoid or reject our masculine energy. This can be a great balancer, it can also be useful as a soothing rub on the chest or neck with chest and throat infections.
Serenity Restful Blend – can be a useful aid for those struggling with anxiety, stress, and overthinking. It also can help you connect more with the self, and connect with your own inner calm. So great aid for those of you who struggle to meditate, be still.
Whisper Blend For Women– a gorgeous blend of jasmine and ylang-ylang ( I adore ylang ylang) patchouli, vanilla, cinnamon, and cocoa. Useful to support any unresolved issues you may have with your femininity, mother, grandmother, or other close women figure in your life. Useful at helping ease unreleased anger.
Wild Orange – one of Doterra’s most popular oils, this has a gorgeous sweet scent. It is uplifting, energising, and stimulating. Helpful when you are feeling flat from others’ negative emotions.
Ylang Ylang – I have always been a huge fan of ylang-ylang which is known by some as the oil of the Inner Child. As a qualified aromatherapist, I would recommend it to clients who suffered from nightmares. I find it helps support you to have a much more soothing sleep often with sweet dreams. It is also a reputed aphrodisiac.
So why does the Highly Sensitive Empath Need To Ground More? How is grounding so soothing and important for Empaths, HSP’s and Lightworkers?
As a Highly Sensitive Empath, it took me many years to realise how ungrounded I was. Despite being a healer for 30 years, I didn’t start to fully appreciate the true level of grounding and why I struggled with it till my 40’s.
Now, grounding may sound like a lot of new-age hippy nonsense. But the reality is grounding and earthing is part of our innate nature. We are humans whose natural habitat is the earth. And part of being physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually balanced involves being connected to our nature, our natural surroundings, and to the earth.
What are Grounding And Earthing?
Basically grounding and earth involves different acts or habits that will naturally help you “ground” or reconnect you to the earth and nature. Grounding is actually something we would naturally do years ago. But sadly a lot of modern life especially city and town living has played a large part in disconnecting us from something that at a core level is innate.
The Highly Sensitive Empath In The Modern Environment
The truth is we all need to ground more especially when we are surrounded by technology, metal, concrete, toxic, plastic, and manmade fabrics. When we are exposed daily to high amounts of Electro-Magnetic Frequencies which contain damaging free radicals and positive electrons. Instead of natural fresh air, bright vitamin boosting sunlight
But for the Highly Sensitive Empath and many lightworkers, the modern environment and way of life can be extremely harsh. Many HSP’s and most empaths are so sensitive to their surroundings, the energy of others and to the external world, they are often not fully grounded in their body.
I know as an Empath and Highly Sensitive Person I was very different from my 8 siblings. Very sensitive to all sorts of things from a young age that dramatically increased at certain stages in my life. My heightened awareness of other people’s needs and emotions, even trauma made me more out of my energy field in some ways than in.
Even though I do work online I find too much EMF exposure can play havoc with my central nervous system at times. And find too much noise and busyness extremely physically and mentally exhausting. You just need to look at a child with sensory processing issues to see how much they are challenged by our chaotic toxic crazy life. A reason why we should be teaching children to ground more.
Why Highly Sensitive Empaths Are More Easily Stimulated And Uncentred
The highly sensitive person especially those that are empathic are already more hypersensitive to everything around them. They often struggle with too much sensory processing, get easily overstimulated, and can pick up and be more sensitive to the energy and frequencies around them. Many find the harsher energies and reality of modern-day living quite frantic and some overwhelming and traumatic. This is especially evident in many children who have serious sensory processing issues with autism. This busy crazy chaotic life is often too overwhelming for the physical, mental, and emotional body. And often in these experiences, the body want’s to like climb out of the energetic body, which leaves them ungrounded. Many HSP’s suffer from chronic anxiety and stress.
The Highly Sensitive Empath And Burn Out
In-fact many highly sensitive empaths end up easily some burn-out, some end up with CFS or Adrenal Fatigue, or other chronic health challenges.
The Highly Sensitive Person who is ungrounded is more likely to suffer from exhaustion especially Adrenal Fatigue or other chronic health challenges. I myself was diagnosed with severe M.E. in my early twenties, a time in my life when this debilitating fatigue and exhaustion left me predominately housebound and bedbound for about 7 years.
Now years later my diagnosis would be not just M.E. but a whole long list of other complex medical challenges including a high probability of late-stage Lyme.
But the reality is many Empaths and HSP’s are so finely tuned to their environment they are high-wired to function at a completely different level as other people, In many ways, their central nervous system is working so much harder. They are far more vulnerable to exhaustion, fatigue, dis-ease especially for the empath with boundary issues. If you are a bit of an unruly empath you will constantly be picking up and even taking on the emotional and physical wounding of others.
So How Can A Highly Sensitive Empath Ground More
Get outside more especially in nature, the countryside, forest, park even walking in some grass
Get barefoot as much as you can, get those shoes, boots even slippers off
Become more body aware, feel into your physical body, feel into your feet. Tai chi and Qi Gong exercises can be a great way to become fully in the body and become more grounded. They can also be extremely useful at helping empaths dispel negative energy they tend to absorb or take on.
Bring more plants into your surrounding, your office, your home, your garden, things like cacti and other EMF reducing plants. These are great to sit next to your computer to help reduce EMF exposure
Use grounding devices and grounding support aids, I use an electric bed to keep slightly upright in bed which is certainly not ideal. So I use a crystal grounding mat in my bed and grounding crystals under my bed.
Reduce stimulants such as caffeine, sugar, alcohol, nicotine these play havoc with your central nervous system and impact your ability to feel more balanced and grounded.
Use grounding essential oils like frankincense, sandalwood, vetivert, doterra has an amazing grounding oil Balance as well as more a protection oil – On Guard ideal for HSP’s. (Contact me directly if you would like to learn more.)
Learn to be in the moment, being in the moment encourages you to be more physically in and aware of your physical body. This is especially important for people with any sort of physical trauma to their body, car accident, traumatic operation, long-term physical violence. The last place people with those sorts of issues want to be is in their body because of the pain or shock but this causes huge emotional disharmony in the mental, emotional, and energetic body.
Learn To Meditate; meditation not only helps us be in the moment, feel calmer, but can help us feel more grounded especially if it is more proper traditional meditation rather than more guided meditations that are actually more guided visualisations where the person is in their head or heart, often out of their physical body.
As someone who has had extreme challenges around being grounded and fully in my body. I have spent nearly 30 years looking for answers and help to many of my challenges. I found that many of the grounding techniques that as I was taught as a healer just didn’t work for me.
So as I started to study this topic a lot more deeply working with many top healers around the world. I quickly realised that grounding has to be the or at least one of the first skills Empaths need to master. Especially today when we are so disconnected from nature and balance.
That is why I created Grounding Tools for Empaths– a grounding toolkit for empaths and highly sensitive people. Powerful yet simple and easy grounding techniques, essential oils, crystals that will help you feel more grounded and balanced on a daily basis. Which is also part of the Essential Empaths Toolkit see below
Tackling textures and smells – Healthier Eating For The Sensitive Child
Guest Post by Neil Welsh Nutrition.
Tackling Textures And Smells In The Sensitive Child
Feeding kids is difficult at the best of times and can have implications for the physical and mental health of everyone involved. It is stressful for kids who have sensitivities to food and can limit the range of food that are readily available to them from which they can meet their nutritional needs.
As for parents and carers, it impacts us too. The greatest impact on adults tends to be psychological in the form stress and anxiety in feeding a sensitive child. But the impact can also be physical. Kids who have difficulties when it comes to feeding can have a huge impact on the adults in their lives.
Why You Shouldn’t Narrow Down Different Textures And Smells
The narrowing down of a child’s food choices will often narrow down an adult’s food options too with many foods not being served as they are on the “do not like” list, and many of those foods being the healthier options which may be less palatable to a child. In addition to food options being narrowed time is a huge issue.
Sensitive kids will often require more time to eat, or try to eat. Many parents find themselves cooking twice, one meal for their sensitive child and then another for the rest of the family. This additional time in the kitchen adds up to hundreds of hours that could be put to use in other ways.
So what can parents do to help a child who is sensitive to textures and smells and improve everyone’s lives?
Don’t ignore it. The head in the sand approach is not your best option here but many parents do this hoping that it will be a phase which a child will grow out of. It may well be a phase but kids have lots of phases; tantrums, hitting, getting out of bed in the middle of the night and we would not just let them carry on these phases without some intervention. Food aversion is no different. Even if it were just a phase, it may unnecessarily carry on for years. There are ways to approach the problem which can be stress free for all involved and drastically improve the situation.
Talk about it. Many parents are concerned that talking about it with their kids may make it worse and reinforce it. It wont. As long as you are compassionate and empathetic then it should be fine. Let your child know that you understand and that you want to try and help. Tell them that you are on the same team and that you understand that things have been hard but you are going to try some new approaches. Now, let’s not be naïve here. There is a good chance that a child may be less than enthusiastic about this and that is fine. But warning them about a change and letting them feel part of the decision can be empowering and help improve the situation. This conversation is important.
This sounds easy but in reality it is quite difficult. Feeding professionals state that it can take up to 20 exposures for new tastes and textures to be accepted. If you were to serve a child the same problem food once a week that would mean that you would need more than 4 months of serving a food that your child does not like to see a progression from resistance to just licking. It’s a long time but the speed of acceptance does increase over time. Start with tricky foods just on the plate. Encourage a child to taste, they don’t have to eat it. There is a huge difference between eating and tasting to a child. Start with a sniff, go on to a lick, then a chew (followed by a spit) and hope for a swallow.
Get the environment right. Little details can add up to have big impacts. Getting a child ready to eat in plenty of time makes a big difference. Coming straight from playing to sitting down to eat can quickly result in “I don’t like it”, when what they really mean is “I want to go back and play”. Get kids in the kitchen. Get them helping to cook and lay the table… and clearing up afterwards. If they are old enough to operate an ipad then they are old enough to put plates in a dishwasher! Serve food in portions that are age appropriate, cut up tricky foods into bite size pieces, serve food family style so kids can help themselves and don’t always leave it until dinner to try to expose kids to difficult food (kids will be tired at the end of the day and it can make the job more difficult).
Keep calm and carry on. Know that this is a slow process and accept this. Do not stress if you don’t see results this week, or next week but keep going. Keep exposing and keep talking.
Be Patient Challenges Around Textures And Smells Usually Improve
Over time the situation and difficulties around different textures and smells should begin to improve. If there is no improvement then professional assessment may be required but at least you will know that you have taken steps to address the issue before moving on to this step.
For more information about getting kids to eat the healthy food that you want to eat go to www.neilwelshnutrition.com
More and more people are starting to realise they are a highly sensitive person. According to various research 15-20% of the population are a highly sensitive person. Dr Elaine Aaron a HSP Expert, states that a lot more people think they are highly sensitive when they are not.
Now more and more studies are demonstrating being highly sensitive which is also known as hypersensitivity is not a dis-order or a weakness. Highly sensitive people are not emotionally unstable or emotionally immature in many ways they are simply more energetically conscious. Their nervous system is more fine tuned to their surroundings.
In-fact an FMRI study of the Highly Sensitive Brain demonstrated sensory processing sensitivity and response to others’ emotions. The highly sensitive person is shown to be physiologically affected by others moods and the environment that surrounds them.
An explanation why many HSP’s struggle with the harsh energy of modern day living. Especially sensory processing; for example noise and busyness. Which can lead to an increased risk of highly sensitive people suffering from chronic anxiety, stress and some other health related issues.
The Gifts And Challenges Of A Highly Sensitive Person
Being a highly sensitive person has tremendous gifts and challenges. In many ways being highly sensitive is a powerful needed trait in society. Especially when so many people block, deflect or suppress their emotions, their pain, their fear, their compassion. A highly sensitive person usually has much greater compassion, wisdom and awareness of the inner world of those around them.
Probably the reason many HSP’s are the Drs, nurses, healers, therapists, counsellors, carers, nursery nurses…But also the reason why many in these careers suffer from burn out and other chronic health challenges like CFS or depression. As they often have many challenges around grounding and having healthy boundaries.
Common Traits Of A Highly Sensitive Person
Here are some of the more common and easy to wide range of traits of a HSP
You can often recognise a HSP as they care for others very deeply. They are extremely compassionate it simply oozes out of them. And very giving to the extent they often put them self last. Self care is often last on their list.
Highly sensitive people tend to be highly intuitive and at least a bit psychic. Though many block their psychic abilities from a young age because of others perceptions and their own fear. But they have a strong inner knowing, especially about people they meet and those around them.
Highly Empathic
a highly sensitive person is usually highly empathic, easily affected by other people’s emotional and mental pain, fear or negativity.
Struggle With Violence And Strong Negativity
hypersensitivity usually comes with a strong aversion to negative or violent media such as the news and tv.
Highly Emotional
a highly sensitive person tends to appear more emotional, they cry more easily especially to situations, things and events not affected by others.
they are usually naturally attracted to various aspects of spirituality.
Struggle To Function in Busy Environments
many HSP’s struggle to function or work in busy environments like call centres, busy office, factory even at school, college. So they need to take time out away from their desk or work environment to become re-focused and re-energised.
Need More Time Out
a highly sensitive person tends to need more time out and time away from others. They need more time to unplug, switch off, relax, even sleep. As being a HSP means you tend to have a lot more sensory processing over load.
Many HSP’s Freeze Or Shutdown To Serious Overstimulation
Due to the degree of their sensitivity many HSP’s can become very shut off emotionally especially those that are empaths. Often life, their surroundings can feel quite traumatic so they become quite shut off emotionally. Most are very ungrounded and not fully in their body in an energetic way. Many suffer from chronic anxiety and stress even if they are unaware of it. That it is why it is important to heal inner child trauma.
So How Can A Highly Sensitive Person Become More Resilient To Modern Day Living?
One of the big challenges a HSP has is balancing the scales of their gifts with the harsher energies of modern day living. So it is important a highly sensitive person learns effective anxiety and stress management skills.They also need to learn how to ground and set healthy boundaries. Because HSP’s are often more in their heart and head than the rest of their body. Their energy fields tends to be a lot more scattered and porous so they are easy target to the energies around them.
Meditation
I know as a HSP how important it is to become more resilient to modern day life. One of the most powerful things I started to study over 30 years ago was meditation.
Meditation is one of the most powerful skills everyone should learn especially someone who takes on other’s emotional thoughts, feelings and physical symptoms.
Daily Meditation can give us instant access to inner stillness, inner peace. It can helps us become more centred within in our own space. Rather than expanded out into everyone else’s energetic field. You can start learning how to meditate more easily today.
is extremely helpful for most HSP’s and Empaths because it can help not just heal old trauma, but unhealthy beliefs or distortions that have arisen from their gifts. Unhealthy views or fears that have arisen because of other people’s views of their sensitivity.
As well as unhealthy patterns that are keeping their level of sensitivity to an unhealthy degree.
As a highly sensitive empath who has been studying in the holistic and spiritual field for over 30 years. I was very fortunate to learn many strategies to help me remain more mentally and emotionally resilient to life’s stressors. To access a plethora of tools and techniques, healing and coaching to help you, check out the Lightworkers Portal.
The lightworkers portal is a space of sensitive souls who want to become more emotionally and mentally resilient,
will being honoured, respected and supported you in your soul’s mission.
My name is Eileen Burns, a sensitives coach, healer and therapist and a highly sensitive empath.
Who has been on a healing journey of discovery for over 30 years
As someone who was chronically shy but very caring,
generous and compassionate.
I like you have struggled with some of the challenges of modern day living,
like many sensitives and empaths do.
Chronic health challenges from the age of 19 led me down the holistic route and on a journey of spiritual discovery I never imagined.
But it took me many years to realise how much my sensitivity had played such a huge part in the way I showed up in life, how life reflected back and how it also impacted my health.
As someone who has always been highly sensitive to the world and energies around me.
where I explored the teachings and workings of so many holistic and spiritual souls.
I got to learn so many wonderful and powerful tools that have helped me step more and more into my power, become so much more energetically resilient when others would have gave up.
I will be sharing so much of what lessons I have learned, tools I have been taught through my journey as the client, the healer, the student, the teacher.
Some painful, some sad, some amusing,
some inspiring and other’s mind blowing.
You can learn how to turn your greatest struggles as a sensitive into your greatest gifts
Ready to learn you how to LOVE, OWN and RESPECT who YOU are.
Not who or what others think or expect you to be.
Ready to stand tall the powerful sensitive you are here to be,
learn how to harness your sensitive gifts the right way?
And to learn even when we still haven’t got it fully right
Check out my Lightworkers Library a small sample of what is in my Lightworkers Portal for Awakened Empaths, Sensitives, Healers and Coaches
8 Ways How To Reduce Teenage Exam Stress And Anxiety
Top tips on helping reduce student and teenage study and exam stress, hep your teen feel more calm, confident and relaxed when exam time and study time comes around.
Sadly Exam Stress And Anxiety Is A Big Problem For Many Students And Teenagers. Especially with such increase in mental health challenges in young people, especially chronic anxiety and depression.
Exam stress for many is actually stress anxiety, for some it is more anxiety performance. Most students and teenagers are suffering from both exam stress and exam anxiety, so it is important to approach both.Most of us when we hear the word exam get a feeling of panic.
But there is so many simple things your young adult or teenager can do to reduce exam stress and anxiety. With the right approach and the right tools you can help increase calm and confidence.
Top Tips To Reduce Teenage Exam Stress And Anxiety
Create A Suitable Study Space:
Make sure your child or teenager has a suitable comfortable space to study where they wont be disturbed or distracted. A space that is ideal to encourage more calm and focus. For teenagers who lack focus or suffer from ADHD, the NYR Study Remedies roller ball is ideal to fit in a pocket, purse, or bag. Lemon essential oil improves focus and concentration.
Encourage A Balanced Study Routine:
Help or encourage your teenager to create a healthy and balanced study timetable. It is so important your teenagers prioritise their time effectively. It can be so easy for them to want to avoid subjects they struggle with or are concerned over.
Reduce External Stressors:
Help take the pressure off your teenager by reducing external stressors as much as you can. If your child normally has a lot of household chores, a job, try reducing them temporarily during study and exam time. So they are not overwhelmed, overstressed and over exhausted
Boost Your Teens Confidence And Self-Worth:
Support your teenage by boosting their confidence, self-worth and self-esteem. Focus on their strengths, praise them, be kind to them reduce criticism and help them understand that their worth does not equate to their exam results. Teenagers today are put under extreme pressure from all angles, especially peer and educational pressure. It is important to do what you can to encourage healtheir confidence, self-worth and self-esteem
Encourage Time Out:
Make sure your teenager takes plenty of breaks between study time and exams. It is important they take time to switch off and have fun.
Reduce Technology Overload:
We use technology for so much in our lives that we forget how over-stimulating and energy-depleting it can be. Also, most computers and mobile devices such as iPads emit blu ray technology which can play havoc with our nervous system and sleep patterns. So ensure they spend time off computers, phones, facebook…
Teach Them How To Meditate And Relax:
Meditation and relaxation techniques can be really helpful at helping anxious teenagers switch off. Teenagers love my less than 5 Minute Meditation (included in the Exam Stress Kit) is the most popular tool I have taught for 20 years. Muscle relaxations are great at reducing anxiety, muscle tension and sleep challenges, all in my Exam Stress Toolkit For Teens And Students.
Encourage Deep Quality Sleep:
Good quality sleep can make a huge difference to our concentration, focus, and memory recall. Guided meditations designed to support sleep can be really helpful so can muscle relaxation techniques. Lavender oil is a great essential oil that can encourage a deep restful sleep. One product many clients and friends love is the NYR Organics Night Time aroma ball
Want to support your child or teenager the right way?
My Exam Stress Toolkit is ideal for young adults, teenagers, student,s and parents who want to learn how to manage exam stress in a more natural and holistic way
Why Lavender Essential Oil Should Be In Every Home First Aid Kit
Lavender essential oil is one of the most widely known and used popular essential oils for the whole family’s health and wellbeing. Learn why lavender should be in every home first aid kit is widely used by families of the world, even kids and infants. Especially when Lavender is so versatile, in its therapeutic properties, extremely calm, soothing, and generally safe.
Why Your Lavender Essential Oil Should Be Pure And High-Grade Quality
Lavender essential oil is distilled from the lavender plant which grows in rural areas and gardens all over the world. But it is important when buying lavender oil to check it is 100% pure essential oil and of high-grade quality. If you want to use lavender essential oil for therapeutic use you want to know it has a high therapeutic level unfortunately not all brands of essential oils have the same quality. I personally buy from NYR Organics and dOTERRA and the reason why I am a consultant for both.
The Use Of Lavender in The Pharmaceutical Industry
Lavender is widely used in the pharmaceutical, skincare, and holistic industry. It is often used in burns treatments and a lavender-oil preparation in gel capsule known as Silexan is used to reduce anxiety. It is also used in a variety of ways in mainstream medicine. One clinical study demonstrated the benefits of Lavender in helping reduce blood pressure and pulse in those undergoing a Coronary Angiography.
I began studying aromatherapy over 25 years ago and found it fascinating how much you can treat with essential oil Ins. I loved the fact that aromatherapy gave families a more holistic and safer option than many over the counter prescriptions. Very quickly my family and friends began to replace their medicine cabinet and first aid kit with essential oils, especially pure lavender.
It can be sedating for most people, the reason why it is so widely used in sleep therapy products, especially bedtime sprays and nighttime oil and bath blends. And some parents find it helpful for ADHD
Antimicrobial:
Lavender has been shown in some situations to help reduce microbial activity
Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory:
This explains why lavender can be useful for bumps, bruises, burns, sport, and other muscular injuries.
Generally, lavender essential oil is used as an aid to reduce anxiety, bumps, bruises, bites, burns, eczema, emotional lability, exhaustion, fear, hot flushes, hyperactivity,insomnia, low mood, panic attacks, PMT, restlessness, stings, stress, sunburn swollen joints, tantrums, temperatures, worry…
How to Use Pure Lavender Essential Oil
Bath:Add one-two drops of pure essential lavender oil to your child’s bath, 2- 3 drops for older kids 12+.
Massage Blend: Blend one drop of lavender oil with 15ml of carrier oil or unscented pure massage oil and apply to the skin. Infants and toddlers love baby massage it is a great way to encourage healthier bonding and as long it’s done gently for about 5-10 minutes it can help them relax or fall asleep. Use 2-3 drops of essential oils for 7-12 years. Most suitable for children over 2 years.
Spritzer:Add a few drops of lavender oil to water in a large spray bottle, this can be used to help children cool down or calm down. So great for holidays
Compress: Add a drop of lavender to a wet compress for bums, bruises, bites, headaches or a high temperature.
Aromatherapy Diffuser: Diffuse lavender oil to help your child off to sleep. it can also help reduce some type of bacterial infections.
NOISE Sensitivity – Why Noise Can Be A Child’s Biggest Stressor
Why Noise Sensitivity Could Be One Of Your Child’s Biggest Cause Of Stress, Anxiety And Depression
So What Is Noise Sensitivity?
Noise sensitivity is reduced tolerance to sound. It is exacberated by fatigue, infection, medications, medical conditions, stress and other stimuli. It causes different changes to brain function . In-fact it is shown that some noise sensitivity shows an increase in grey matter volume
There are different kinds of noise sensitivity.
Hyperascius is an intolerance or even pain to different types of sound, it often occurs with tinnitus. It is extremely common in children, though many children out grow it.
Hypersensitive hearing of specific frequencies is seen in many children with autism. Some frequencies such as those above 70 decibels can be unbearable.
Misophonia is a strong reaction to specific sounds, the individual is triggered by specific sounds. There is often a strong emotional correlation to the specific sounds.Misophonia is viewed as a neurological condition it can be a symptom seen in adhd, aspergers, autism
Phonophobia (also called ligyrophobia or sonophobia) is viewed as a sub-category of misophonia. It is an emotional or anxiety disorder which is triggered by a fear of particularly loud sounds. And is often triggered by the discomfort and environmental conditioning of living with hyperacusius
Recruitment is linked to sensorineural hearing loss, the individual often has extreme hearing loss. But when someone for example shouts they suddenly hear and it can be very uncomfortable.
Many assume noise sensitivity is a psychological condition but it is main causes are a neurological reaction.
Some children do get less sound sensitive, some adults or those with specific medical conditions like untreated chronic lymes can develop increased sound sensitivity.
Some children with autism are oversensitive others are undersensitive.
Causes of noise sensitivity
According to the Brain Injury Society those with noise sensitivity “may have a history of Lyme’s disease, Meniere’s disease, TMJ, serious head injury, frequent migraines, Bell’s Palsy, facial nerve dysfunction, excessive ear irrigation or surgery. Hyperacusis can later develop as a result of damage sustained to the hearing apparatus, or inner ear, or the condition may be acquired as a result of damage to the brain or the neurological system during a head trauma event.”
I have lived with noise sensitivity for at least 28 years. But over the last few years the hyperacusis became very extreme and was accompanied by serious light and sound vibration. It got worse after surviving sepsis and approx 30 years diagnosis of m.e. But I have to say according to a test in germany it may be chronic lymes ( I had strange bites at 14 years old) and I was mercury poisoned.
As somone who has taught stress management to parents and kids for 18 years. I have worked with many children who have hyper sound sensitivity issues. But until recently And I had no ideal how disabling, painful, uncomfortable and exhausting hyperascisus could be.
Many people say it can be torterous and I understand why they decribe it this way. I had to move from my previous home because of how the noise started to affect me. It was changed into a main through road for local traffic. And most people could never imagine how dramatically this impacted my daily life and health. On many occasions I nearly passed out, lost my balance and had violent non-epileptic type seizures all times triggered by noise. Now yes mine would appear to be caused by long-term bacterial and viral infection.
But I would urge you to try and comprehend how uncomfortable or painful noise may be for your child. Particularly if you have a very young child or a child who struggles to communicate what they are experiencing.
I am a stress management expert, with highly extensive and advanced techniques and tools to help me remain calm and relaxed in any situation. And although thank goodness I am lucky to have these tools this does not take away how much this disorder can impact your child’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
So How Can You Support your Sound Sensitive Child?
1.Understand your child’s type of sound sensitivity, their triggers and symptoms.
2. Educate your child’s school and teachers on your child’s specific noise sensitivity challenges, the level of sensitivity and key triggers.
3. Prior warning of alarming and noisey sounds can prepare your child’s central nervous system. So work together with teachers, family and friends to work out cues that prepare your child for noise isssues like alarms.
4. Plan and prepare ahead- when you can choose specific times of day, places and areas of a room where your child will be less exposed to too much or particular noises. I know of a situation where a child’s mental wellbeing became seriously distressed and depressed due to the noise of the internet router next to her in her classroom.
5. Minimise the impact when you can: although it may not be a good ideal to completely eliminate your child from all noises. Noises that are extremely uncomfortable, painful or disabling can be reduced by ear muffs, ear plugs and sound cancellation ear phones.
6. Teach your child how to set healthy boundaries– an important part of growing a strong resilient child is teaching them healthy boundaries. A noise sensitive child has usually a very sensitive central nervous system. Noise is one of modern day living’s biggest stressor. So to keep your child physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. It is vital your child can learn how to say NO to noises, games and situations that are di-stressing.
7. White Noise – Some children who are noise sensitive find white noise or fans can soften out the sharp shock of other loud noises.
8. Take Breaks & Rest – regular rest breaks from noisey environments, too many people, parties or events helps keep a child’s nervous system in check.
9. Calm And Patience: It is important that the child and parent learn hows to be calm and patient around sound sensitivity issues. Meditation is an extremely powerful tool that can help the individual cope more resiliently with the challenges. Anything that will calm the central nervous system and help reduce the stress response will help the sound sensitive child.
10. Holistic aids; Deficiencies are sometimes viewed as an issue in sound sensitivity. Many people reduce their sensitivity with supplements of magnesium. Magnesium helps inhibit glutamate which can be a major cause of tinnitus. Magnesium also protects the ears from damage to noise sensitivity. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame often in many children’s foods, sweets, yoghurts and drinks are reputed to be neurotoxic. So elimination may be helpful.
So what can parents do to help a child who is sensitive to textures and smells and improve everyone’s lives?
