The Healthy Sensitive's Podcast

Have you ever felt devastated by criticism, overanalyzed an unanswered text, or found yourself questioning your worth after a perceived rejection?

You're not alone.

In this episode of The Healthy Sensitive, we're exploring Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)—an experience of intense emotional pain associated with real or perceived rejection, criticism, or failure.

Inspired by the work of psychiatrist Dr. Sasha Hamdani, we'll explore the science behind rejection sensitivity, how hormonal fluctuations may influence emotional regulation, and practical tools for developing greater emotional resilience.

In this episode, we'll explore:

What RSD is, its history, and its connection to ADHD and emotional sensitivity

Five biological and psychological factors that may contribute to rejection sensitivity

How estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and testosterone may influence emotional regulation throughout life

Mindfulness, self-compassion, emotional awareness, and nervous system regulation

How to interrupt overthinking, catastrophic thinking, and the need for external validation

Navigating mixed signals, delayed texts, boundaries, and emotional distance in relationships

How rejection sensitivity can affect friendships, creativity, careers, and personal growth

Learning to experience rejection without allowing it to define your worth

This Week at The Healthy Sensitive

We're continuing the conversation about rejection through our community gatherings!

Mindfulness Monday: Practicing mindfulness when rejection hurts

Empowered Relationships: Navigating rejection sensitivity in relationships

Anti-Hustle Think Tank: Overcoming fear of rejection in creativity and personal growth

Healthy Sensitive Coaching Circle: Our very first group coaching session! Bring your own meaningful goals and join us for encouragement, reflection, and accountability.

Join Our Community — Free Meetup Events

https://www.meetup.com/the-healthy-sensitives/

Join the Healthy Sensitive Membership — $35/month

Our membership includes weekly group coaching, access to our growing resource library, and a private Discord community.

https://phoenixrisingmidlife.mykajabi.com/offers/3sYLzoNk/checkout

Further Reading: Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply by Dr. Sasha Hamdani.

A Note About This Podcast: I have a master's degree in health education and hold coaching credentials through NBHWC and ICF. My role is to make complex health and psychological information accessible and practical. I'm an educator and coach, not a therapist or diagnostician. This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical or mental health care. RSD is not currently a standalone clinical diagnosis, and research on its hormonal mechanisms is still developing.

Remember: You don't have to become less sensitive to become more resilient.

At The Healthy Sensitive, we're learning to create lives we don't have to recover from—one meaningful step at a time.

You can know exactly what matters to you—and still find yourself mysteriously not doing it.

In this episode of The Healthy Sensitive, we explore what happens after you find your Why. Sometimes the problem isn't a lack of motivation or discipline. Moving toward something meaningful can also make us vulnerable, which can activate old adaptive strategies designed to keep us safe.

We start with a quick review of the five pathways to finding your Why:

Healing — turning what you've experienced, learned, or healed into something meaningful

Curiosity — following the questions, ideas, and subjects you can't stop exploring

Love — contributing to, nurturing, or protecting someone or something you deeply care about

Joy — pursuing what makes you feel alive simply because it brings you joy

Growth — following the pull toward learning, creating, stretching, and becoming

Then we explore four common stress styles and how they can interfere with the very things we care about most:

The Warrior (Fight)

The Fortress (Freeze)

The Chameleon (Fawn)

The Nomad (Flight)

Importantly, these aren't four kinds of people. They're four strategies available to people.

You might be a Warrior at work and a Chameleon in relationships. A Fortress around creativity and a Nomad with your career. Different situations can bring out different adaptive responses.

The goal isn't to eliminate these strategies. Each has strengths.

Instead, we can learn to notice when one has taken the wheel—and return to our Why as a compass.

What is something you genuinely want for yourself right now?

Which pathway connects you to it: Healing, Curiosity, Love, Joy, or Growth?

And when you try to move toward it, what happens?

Do you push?

Then ask:

What is this strategy trying to protect me from?

And finally:

What would it look like to honor my Why while helping this protective part of me feel safe enough to take one small step?

Your adaptive strategies can come along for the ride.

They just don't always get to drive.

Want to explore these ideas with other highly sensitive people through live conversations, workshops, and community events?

Join The Healthy Sensitives Meetup:

Join The Healthy Sensitive Membership:

Come build a life that feels like yours—without burning yourself out in the process.

What keeps calling your attention—and what might happen if you actually listened?

In this episode of The Healthy Sensitive, Leah explores why knowing your “Why” may be especially important for highly sensitive people. We’ll talk about purpose, meaningful work, motivation, deep work, slow productivity, and why sensitivity isn’t just about what overwhelms us—it may also shape what makes us come alive.

Leah also shares why the podcast went quiet for a while, what she’s been building behind the scenes, and the deeper Why guiding the next chapter of The Healthy Sensitive.

Because maybe the goal isn’t to become better at recovering from an exhausting life. Maybe it’s to create a life you don’t have to recover from.

Join the free community, explore upcoming events, and learn more about The Healthy Sensitive membership at:

Website: http://healthysensitive.com/ 

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/the-healthy-sensitives/?eventOrigin=home_groups_you_organize 

Membership: https://phoenixrisingmidlife.mykajabi.com/offers/3sYLzoNk/checkout 

Coaching: https://phoenixrisingmidlife.mykajabi.com/health-coaching 

In this episode, I spend a few minutes updating folks on my latest passion project (The Energy Generator). It's for women who run a business and who want more energy. In our program, we talk about how there are multiple types of burnout (they come in more flavors than one). I adapted the content to speak directly to highly sensitive people. 

If you like the content and want to find out more, please join us for our webinar! I would love to see you. Even if you can't make it for the live presentation, you'll still get a recording of it afterward if you're interested. It's free! 

Join us for the webinar! (Link below) 

https://dani-dupuis.mykajabi.com/microcast-registration

If you would like to join the Healthy Sensitive Meetup group and get access to unlimited live events, and to our private discord channel, click here: 

"The Healthy Sensitives": https://www.meetup.com/the-healthy-sensitives/ 

Hi everyone. I’m Leah Burkhart, and welcome back to The Healthy Sensitive—a podcast for sensitive souls trying to live awake in a world that’s still half-asleep.

This is a space for those of us who don’t just want to get through life—we want to feel it.

We’re the kind of people who tend to live like everything is a miracle, to borrow the quote often attributed to Einstein.

There’s a quote I’ve always loved by Vivian Greene:

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”

And for sensitive people, I think we’re not just dancing in the rain. We’re memorizing the smell of it, writing poetry about it, and wondering if we’re supposed to be doing it better.

That brings me to what I really wanted to share today.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what kind of content I want to create.

At first, I thought: maybe if I sound smart enough, I’ll be adding value. Maybe I should teach more. Prove I’m useful.

What has helped me most when I felt low?

Sometimes, sure—I wanted information.

But more often…

That’s part of why I’ve funneled so much energy into the Meetup groups I run. I want to create a place where sensitive people can gather and just be real with each other.

So I’m building something.

It’s not done yet—it’s still in the messy, creative, patchwork phase—but I’m building a full ecosystem for sensitive people.

Free content (like this podcast and my Substack)

A $5/month membership that gives you access to all the live Meetup groups and coaching circles

And, eventually, a space where you can take courses, engage in community discussions, and find tools tailored to how your system works

Right now, that $5/month just covers the cost of the Meetup account itself. But here's the bonus:

It’s my way of saying thank you—to the early believers.

Now let me take you to the story that’s been living in my chest all week.

I’ve been thinking about my grandmother.

She had three kids, including my dad. And she went through something that—at the time—was quietly devastating.

But they navigated it with grace.

He said, “If you get a child support check, it’s because I have money. If you don’t, it’s because I don’t.”

She didn’t crumble. She figured it out.

And what I remember most is not the hardship—but the way she sat in her chair at the end of the day, a beret perched on her head, a glass of scotch in hand, and this sly, self-satisfied smile as she’d say:

“It’s good to be the king.”

It was as if, in that moment, she wasn’t waiting for anything else to fall into place.

That image of her came to me during this week’s Mindfulness Monday.

If money, time, and energy weren’t an issue—what would you choose to experience?

What is the feeling you’d be chasing in that scenario?

Because sometimes, we can skip the middleman.

We don’t need the mansion to feel cozy.

What we’re really longing for is often a sensation. A felt experience.

We ended that session by writing our own permission slips:

“I hereby give myself permission to feel free.”

It reminds me of Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

He wasn’t being naïve.

And when we can frame even a hard moment in purpose—or tenderness—or beauty—that’s where real power lives.

So maybe today’s question is:

And to know that you’re not alone.

Because you’re not just listening to a coach or a health educator—you’re tapping into a community of sensitive, deeply human people who are asking the same questions and sharing the same kinds of reflections.

If that’s a community you want to join, the link’s in the show notes.

Until next time—be well, be curious, and give yourself the feeling… before the fix.

Want to join our meetup group?

Click Here: The Healthy Sensitive Meetup Group

Why is it that so many highly sensitive people struggle to ask for what they want? Is it fear of rejection—or something deeper?

In this gentle, reflective episode, we explore the quieter truth: that many HSPs aren’t afraid of being told no... they’re afraid of being told yes. We walk through the hidden fears beneath desire, the right-brain wisdom that often goes unheard, and the cultural noise that drowns out intuitive knowing. Along the way, we draw from the research of Bianca Acevedo, the teachings of Martha Beck, and the soul-deep ache for both authenticity and belonging.

This episode is an invitation to return to the power of sensitivity—not as weakness, but as precision. And to remember that what you want may already be unfolding... if you’re quiet enough to notice.

The counterintuitive reason HSPs hold back from desire

Why asking for what you want can feel like a risk to your nervous system

Insights on right-brain processing and language barriers for intuitive people

The tension between personal power and the longing to belong

A gentle reminder that you may already be living someone's dream (it might just not be yours)

I'm back after almost a year!

In this episode I discuss:

- Why it is that the question "who are you?" is so important for HSP's

- Strategies for how to sneak up to the answer to this question

- Why it may be the case that the answer is not static (perhaps I am not so much a particular kind of person so much as I am a process)

- Why it is that highly sensitive people tend to struggle in this area (hint: we are so good at adapting that we sometimes don't know who we are when we aren't busy trying to achieve something or please someone)

- Where you can go if you want a deeper discussion with fellow sensitive people and/or more engagement with additional content

Join Our Meetup Group!

https://www.meetup.com/the-healthy-sensitives/

Join Our Substack Group (VERY new)

https://leahburkhart.substack.com/ 

In this episode, we cover five activities HSP's can use to befriend their sensitivity (all inspired by Elaine Aron's Highly Sensitive Person Workbook). 

• Identify negative labels you have either told yourself or heard others say to you. Create a rebuttal to each one.

Follow me on Instagram @thehealthysensitive (https://www.instagram.com/thehealthysensitive/) 

Join our Meetup Group: https://www.meetup.com/The-Healthy-Sensitives/ 

Join our Online Community: https://the-healthy-sensitive.mn.co/ 

In this episode of The Healthy Sensitive, Leah navigates the poignant journey of grief and loss, drawing from her personal experiences. Following the loss of her cherished cat Sasha, Leah offers an exploration into the process of grieving, examining the varied forms and stages of grief as described by experts like Brené Brown and David Kessler.

Delving into the profound words of Thomas More's Dark Night of the Soul, she draws a parallel between her personal growth and the transformative power of profound grief. Leah also touches on the concept of post-traumatic growth, demonstrating how sensitive individuals can positively channel their emotional reactivity during times of loss.

Emphasizing the importance of deriving meaning and purpose in the wake of a loss, Leah integrates wisdom from thinkers such as David Kessler, Cheryl Sandberg, and Thomas More. She weaves scientific findings on resilience and personal-stories into a comprehensive narrative that sheds light on our emotional response to loss.

This episode also presents an in-depth analysis of various practices aimed at easing the pain of loss, from spiritual engagement and fostering connections to creative pursuits. Leah underscores the significance of shared grief and social connections in facilitating healing.

Whether you are grappling with a personal loss or guiding someone else through theirs, this episode sparks hope, offering comfort and perspective. It illuminates the path from grief to growth, transforming the loss into a catalyst for personal evolution.

To join the Healthy Sensitive Community, Join Us Here: https://the-healthy-sensitive.mn.co/ 

In this episode of The Healthy Sensitive, Leah Burkhart delves deep into the intriguing relationship between high sensitivity and workaholism. Primarily focusing on highly sensitive people, she sheds light on their profound depth of processing, which often leads to extended work hours, perfectionism, and excessive preparation for tasks. This life-altering conversation illuminates the positive and negative effects of this overwhelming drive on their lives.

Highlighting the innate empathy and responsiveness of highly sensitive individuals, Leah elucidates how these traits can spiral into workaholism. Such individuals tend to absorb the emotional needs of others around them, inevitably adding to their workload. This episode candidly addresses the challenges highly sensitive individuals encounter when setting boundaries at the workplace, largely due to their intense passion and enthusiasm for their work.

This discussion further underscores how highly sensitive people often link their self-esteem to professional achievements. Such validation from work accomplishments, although gratifying, can make them vulnerable to conflating their career success with personal worth. The talk concludes by deftly tackling the fine balance between the pursuit of career satisfaction and the reality of overstimulation commonly encountered by highly sensitive individuals.

We dig into personal examples, delving onto the real impact of this phenomenon on personal lives. The value of understanding this dynamic is stressed as a stepping stone towards positive changes. Leah shares insightful tips about time management, boundary setting, task delegation and cultivating empathy while preserving one's personal space and identity.

We also delve into the benefits of seeking internal validation, diversifying interests, effective feedback acquisition and embracing imperfections. The topics extend to include methods to prevent overstimulation like creating serene workspaces, incorporating physical activity in routines and stress management. Furthermore, addressing fear of failure paves the way to setting attainable goals, nurturing a growth mindset and fostering self-compassion.

Ultimately, this episode champions self-awareness to improve work habits and achieve a healthier work-life balance while prioritizing wellbeing. Be sure to check out the show notes for links to an online community and free meetup events for continued learning and support. Dive into this enlightening discussion on high sensitivity and strategies for combating workaholism today.

To join our community and share your experiences with these subjects, you can find our online community here: https://the-healthy-sensitive.mn.co/ 

To Join our Meetup Group, click Here: https://www.meetup.com/The-Healthy-Sensitives/