High sensitivity: why being 'too much' might actually be your greatest strength (Therapy practice in Paris 10 - for Expats)

You cry easily. You feel other people's emotions as if they were your own. You need more time to recover after a demanding day. You have probably been told at some point that you are "too sensitive", that you take things too much to heart. But what if this sensitivity were not a flaw to be corrected — but simply a way of being in the world that deserves to be better understood?

High sensitivity is not a disorder. But when it goes unrecognised, it can be a source of real and lasting suffering.

What is emotional high sensitivity?

The concept was developed by American psychologist Elaine Aron, who coined the term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). Highly sensitive people process sensory and emotional information more deeply than others. They pick up on nuances that most people miss — in relationships, in atmospheres, in what is left unsaid.

In practice, this can look like:

• Intense emotional reactions to conflict, criticism or injustice

• Fatigue after highly stimulating environments (open-plan offices, public transport, parties)

• A strong capacity for empathy — sometimes to the point of losing track of where your own feelings end and others' begin

• A genuine need for solitude and quiet to recharge

• A tendency towards deep thinking, analysis, and rumination

High sensitivity is not fragility

This is perhaps the most widespread misunderstanding. A highly sensitive person is not "fragile" in the sense of being unable to cope. They feel things more intensely — but that does not mean they cannot weather difficulty. In fact, highly sensitive people often show remarkable resilience, once they have learned to take care of themselves properly.

The suffering rarely comes from the sensitivity itself. It comes from the gap between who you are and a world that rewards efficiency, speed, and emotional restraint.

Where does therapy fit in?

Therapy can be a genuinely valuable space for a highly sensitive person — not to "dial down" the sensitivity (that would mean losing something essential), but to:

• Learn to set boundaries without guilt

• Identify what drains you and what sustains you

• Untangle what belongs to you and what you have absorbed from others

• Reclaim your sensitivity as a strength rather than a vulnerability

In my practice in Paris 10e, I welcome highly sensitive people with care and attentiveness. Together, we explore thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations — to find a gentler, more honest relationship with yourself and with what you feel. If any of this resonates — whether you are feeling overwhelmed, running on empty, or simply sensing that something is no longer quite right — I welcome you to my practice in Paris 10th arrondissement. I offer therapy in English, as well as online sessions. If you feel the need for support, please feel free to contact me to book a first session.