Key Takeaways:

• Sensitivity can be both innate and shaped by trauma; both can coexist.
• Highly sensitive people absorb their environment more deeply, making trauma and gaslighting more impactful.
• Gaslighting creates a destabilizing feeling; overthinking, while mentally exhausting, feels different and more internalized.
• Intermittent rewards and euphoric recall explain why we sometimes miss people who hurt us.
• HSPs and neurodivergent individuals may unintentionally attract narcissists due to their deep empathy and adaptability.
• Masking your sensitivity over time can lead to disconnection from your authentic self—Dr. Kelley shares how to reconnect.
• Healing from gaslighting starts with reconnecting to your voice through rest, play, and safe relationships.
• Sensitivity is not fragility—it’s a heightened awareness that can be a superpower when properly understood.
• Therapists should learn to differentiate between mental health diagnoses and sensitivity or neurodivergence for better treatment outcomes.

EPISODE LINKS

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