Empaths and Highly Sensitives
An empath is a person who can deeply feel and understand the emotions of those around them. Their heightened sensitivity allows them to sense even subtle changes in emotional energy. They can often anticipate how others will react or feel in certain situations and may be able to provide insight on a situation that no one else could offer. Empaths are naturally compassionate and caring, but they can become overwhelmed when they absorb too much negative energy. They need to be mindful of how they manage their emotional well-being by setting healthy boundaries with others and carving out space for self-care activities.
Common traits of empaths include:
- High levels of sensitivity, empathy and compassion
- An ability to sense the emotions and feelings of others without words
- A deep understanding of other people’s motivations and feelings
- A tendency to absorb the emotions of those around them, leading to feelings of being overloaded
- A need for alone time in order to recharge their energy
- An eagerness to help others, often putting their own needs aside in order to do so
- A keen intuition and sharp instinctual awareness
High Sensitive Persons (HSPs) are individuals who have a heightened level of awareness and sensitivity to their environment. They are particularly in tune to subtleties and details, often paying more attention to the nuances of the world around them than others may. HSPs process information deeply, which can lead to feeling overwhelmed or anxious in certain situations that may be too stimulating for them. Despite this, they are often highly creative and intuitive people with a great capacity for empathy and understanding. However, as HSPs can easily become overstimulated, it is important that they practice self-care regularly in order to manage their emotions effectively.
Common traits of High Sensitive Persons (HSPs) include:
- A heightened awareness and sensitivity to their environment, often perceiving subtleties and details that others may miss
- A tendency to become overstimulated in certain situations
- Intolerance for loud noises and bright lights
- Emotional depth and complexity
- An excellent capacity for empathy, understanding and intuition
- A tendency to think deeply about things, leading to a greater ability for creativity and problem solving
- Easily being overwhelmed by too much social interaction or activities.
While empaths and High Sensitive Persons (HSPs) may share some trait similarities, they differ in a few key ways. HSPs are more attuned to physical stimuli and their environment, such as sights, sounds, smells, etc., while empaths are more attuned to emotional energy and the feelings of others. In addition, empaths tend to be more emotionally intuitive and have an increased sensitivity to the emotions of those around them. HSPs also tend to be "deep thinkers" with an excellent capacity for creativity and problem solving.
Counseling can be beneficial for empaths and HSPs in a variety of ways. By having a safe, non-judgmental space to express their emotions, empaths and HSPs can develop better understanding and control of their feelings. Through counseling, empaths and HSPs learn effective strategies to manage and cope with their heightened sensitivity. This can include ways to practice self-care, strategies for setting healthy boundaries, and tips for managing stress levels when faced with overwhelming energy from others. Counseling may also help empaths and HSPs develop a greater sense of self-confidence and emotional security, as well as forming more meaningful connections with others.