The Sensitive and Neurodivergent Podcast with Julie Bjelland

Life can feel overwhelming and distressing in uncertain times, especially for sensitive and neurodivergent people. That’s why it’s even more important to turn inward, ground ourselves, and find a sense of stability within. By nurturing our inner world, we can create a safe, steady space amidst the external chaos, allowing us to respond with greater calm and resilience.

Welcome, everyone, to The Sensitive and Neurodivergent Podcast. I’m Julie Bjelland, a psychotherapist specializing in high sensitivity, late-discovered autism in women, and neurodivergence. This podcast is a space for you to find comfort, connection, and tools to navigate the unique challenges we experience.

In today’s episode, we will engage in a grounding meditation to help sensitive and neurodivergent individuals find calm during uncertain times. When life feels overwhelming and distressing, it’s a signal to turn inward. For those of us who are sensitive, these feelings can be magnified, making it essential to ground ourselves and cultivate a sense of stability within.

By focusing on our breath, reconnecting with our bodies, and practicing mindfulness, we can nurture a steady anchor amidst external chaos. It’s not about ignoring the world but about creating a sanctuary within ourselves. This meditation is a gift to yourself—a way to reconnect with your inner strength, to feel rooted, and to find comfort and safety within your own body.

I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s take this time together to pause, breathe, and ground ourselves in a moment of peace. You are welcome to show up just as you are, without any pressure to feel or be a certain way. This is your space to simply be.

If you’re seeking further support, visit my website at www.SensitiveConnection.com, where you’ll find additional free meditations, resources, and a loving Sensitive Empowerment Community for deeper connection and mutual support. Thank you for being here, and take extra good care of your beautiful, sensitive self.

I’m Julie Bjelland, LMFT, a psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment. I specialize in high sensitivity and adult-discovered autism. My passion is helping you live with more self-love and self-compassion and flourish more fully in the world. I’ve developed tools to balance the sensitive nervous system and reduce challenges so you can reach your fullest potential. My global support hub includes online courses, the Sensitive Empowerment Community, a top-ranked podcast, articles, webinars, and more. I’m a proud neurodivergent and queer therapist, and my mission is to create a world where differences are embraced as strengths and celebrated. I look forward to supporting your journey. Learn more at https://www.juliebjelland.com/

We are all too often bombarded by disturbing and distressing media and this can be extremely overwhelming for sensitive people. We can find it extremely challenging to manage the intensity of emotions that are often felt from over-witnessing suffering and violence in our media. As a result, we can spend a great deal of energy intentionally avoiding being exposed. Some things are, however, simply can't be avoided.

In this insightful interview, Dr Melanie Joy shares the psychology of why we turn away from the things we desire to change the most and shines a light on common misconceptions around what is required to instigate change.

Melanie discusses how easy it is for our nervous systems to become dysregulated without adequate self-care to build resilience around challenging issues and gives practical suggestions for self-regulation strategies. Throughout the interview, the topic is discussed in general terms with particular reference to animal welfare, reflective of Melanie's expertise in this area.

The Podcast is Founded by:

Julie Bjelland, LMFT, a psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment. I specialize in high sensitivity and adult-discovered autism. My passion is helping you live with more self-love and self-compassion and flourish more fully in the world. I’ve developed tools to balance the sensitive nervous system and reduce challenges so you can reach your fullest potential. My global support hub includes online courses, the Sensitive Empowerment Community, a top-ranked podcast, articles, webinars, and more. I’m a proud neurodivergent and queer therapist, and my mission is to create a world where differences are embraced as strengths and celebrated. I look forward to supporting your journey. Learn more at JulieBjelland.com

Episode Highlights:

Julie’s Resources & Links

Willow’s Resources & Links

Bios

Julie Bjelland, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment. She specializes in supporting high sensitivity, neurodivergence, and adult-discovered autism. Julie has developed tools to help balance the sensitive nervous system, reduce challenges, and help individuals reach their fullest potential. Through her global support hub, she offers online courses, the Sensitive Empowerment Community, a top-ranked podcast, articles, webinars, and more. As a proud neurodivergent and queer therapist, Julie’s mission is to create a world where differences are embraced as strengths and celebrated. Learn more at https://www.juliebjelland.com/

Willow McIntosh is the founder of Inluminance and has been working in purpose alignment and lightworker facilitation for 17 years. He specialises in initiating people with High Sensory Intelligence to experience their reality as a gift that can be implemented into valuable products and services. https://inluminance.com/

In this episode of the HSP and Neurodivergent podcast, host Julie Bjelland and Willow McIntosh explore how to find light in the darkness, even during grief and difficult times. They discuss the importance of intentionally seeking joy, even in small moments, and how this practice helps manage overwhelming emotions and build resilience. Julie shares her personal experiences with grief after losing her mother, highlighting the physical and emotional toll it took on her and how finding moments of joy, like photography, helped her heal.

The conversation touches on the challenges sensitive and neurodivergent individuals face, such as sensory overload and emotional depth, and the need for self-care, processing time, and emotional validation. They emphasize how acknowledging emotions without judgment and practicing self-compassion can ease the emotional burden. Willow adds insights into the journey of aligning with one's purpose, especially in business, and how important it is for sensitive people to embrace their truth and strengths. The episode supports and encourages those navigating emotional challenges and seeking resiliency and balance.

Julie’s Resources & Links

Willow’s Resources & Links

Bios

Julie Bjelland, LMFT, is a Licensed Psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment. She specializes in supporting high sensitivity, neurodivergence, and adult-discovered autism. Julie has developed tools to help balance the sensitive nervous system, reduce challenges, and help individuals reach their fullest potential. Through her global support hub, she offers online courses, the Sensitive Empowerment Community, a top-ranked podcast, articles, webinars, and more. As a proud neurodivergent and queer therapist, Julie’s mission is to create a world where differences are embraced as strengths and celebrated. Learn more at https://www.juliebjelland.com/

Willow McIntosh is the founder of Inluminance and has been working in purpose alignment and lightworker facilitation for 17 years. He specialises in initiating people with High Sensory Intelligence to experience their reality as a gift that can be implemented into valuable products and services. https://inluminance.com/

Welcome to this episode of the HSP and Neurodivergent Podcast with Julie Bjelland, LMFT, and guest Willow McIntosh. This episode celebrates the 5th anniversary of the Sensitive Empowerment Community. We discuss milestones, including reaching listeners in 183 countries and ranking in the top 1.5% of podcasts globally.

Julie’s Resources & Links

Willow’s Resources & Links

Julie Bjelland is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment. She specializes in supporting high sensitivity, neurodivergence, and adult-discovered autism. Julie has developed tools to help balance the sensitive nervous system, reduce challenges, and help individuals reach their fullest potential. Through her global support hub, she offers online courses, the Sensitive Empowerment Community, a top-ranked podcast, articles, webinars, and more. As a proud neurodivergent and queer therapist, Julie’s mission is to create a world where differences are embraced as strengths and celebrated. Learn more at https://www.juliebjelland.com/

Willow McIntosh is the founder of Inluminance and has been working in purpose alignment and lightworker facilitation for 17 years. He specialises in initiating people with High Sensory Intelligence to experience their reality as a gift that can be implemented into valuable products and services. https://inluminance.com/

In this episode of the HSP and Neurodivergent podcast, I share insights on managing the tough days that sensitive individuals often face. After recently losing my mom, I’ve realized how crucial it is to have a "Sensitive Person's Toolkit" to help navigate overwhelming emotions, sensory overload, and other unique challenges.

I discuss common struggles like emotional burnout, strained relationships, social exhaustion, and grief, offering practical tips and tools, such as the use of cold water and ice for immediate relief, practicing self-compassion, and grounding techniques.

I also invite you to join the Sensitive Empowerment Community, where you can connect with like-minded individuals in a supportive, ad-free environment. We’re celebrating our 5th anniversary with a special live chat on September 24th, and I’m excited to announce a new live course, "Nurturing Compassion as a Way of Being," starting September 16th, led by the amazing Gracie King. This course is free for all members and will guide you in cultivating compassion in your daily life.

If you're looking for more support, visit sensitiveconnection.com to find resources, book sessions, and explore the tools I recommend for sensitive individuals. Please like, subscribe, and share the podcast to help others find this supportive space.

Resources Mentioned in Episode

I’m Julie Bjelland, LMFT, a Psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment, specializing in high sensitivity, neurodivergence, and adult-discovered autism in women and AFAB individuals. I love developing tools that balance our sensitive nervous system, reduce challenges, and help us reach our fullest potential so we may excel in our unique talents. I’ve created a global hub of extensive support, including online courses, the Sensitive Empowerment Community—a nurturing sanctuary—a globally top-ranked podcast, articles, free webinars, and more. My passion is helping create a world where differences are embraced as strengths and celebrated. LGBTQIA+ and Neuroaffirming. Learn more at JulieBjelland.com

In this episode, Sensitive Empowerment Community members Carol Huckle and Carolina Mariposa co-host quarterly Intuitive Parenting events, in which members discuss the joys and challenges of parenting as HSP's, while supporting one another in our parenting and caregiving journeys. While these events are not normally recorded to maintain privacy of participants, Carol and Carolina hosted this public Q&A session in which SEC members submitted written questions ahead of time. The themes that arose included how to support our sensitive children with intense emotions, how to stay calm while we support our children, and how to help everyone in the family thrive through the stresses of major transitions and unexpected events.

In this heartfelt interview, Rebecca introduces us to the practice of KonMari for sorting through belongings at such a difficult time in our lives. The method is particularly beneficial for highly sensitive people as it gently encourages mindfully letting go while regulating our nervous system with what is manageable and with what resonates with our emotional readiness.

In this conversation, Misa Hopkins discusses the topics of fear, doubt, self-worth, and perfectionism. She explains that fear and doubt stem from the separation of consciousness and the belief in unworthiness, abandonment, and rejection. Misa emphasizes the importance of understanding that these experiences do not indicate anything is wrong with us, but rather are a result of consciousness becoming self-aware. She also explores the role of ego in our lives and how it can be embraced and balanced to create a healthy relationship. Additionally, Misa discusses the deep discontent that often arises in our 40s and 50s and how it is a pivotal moment for spiritual growth and leaving a legacy. In this conversation, Misa Hopkins and Julie Bjelland discuss the importance of embracing creativity and curiosity in our 40s and beyond. They explore how fear and doubt can hold us back from pursuing our passions and how to gently work through these emotions. They also discuss the impact of fear and doubt on our relationships and the power of compassion in healing and transforming these dynamics. Misa emphasizes the importance of leaving a legacy and how we can bring spiritual consciousness into the world. They also touch on the concepts of yin and yang energy and the need for balance in our lives.

Misa Hopkins is a 6-time bestselling author and a pioneer in feminine consciousness and women’s leadership for over 30 years. 

She has appeared on TV, film, and on stages with other conscious luminaries including Dr. Joe Dispenza, Marianne Williamson, Dr. Bruce Lipton, and Marci Shimoff. As the founder of SHE Rising Academy and the Guardian of a 2,000-year old feminine practice in spiritual awakening, she teaches women worldwide how to release the limits of their past and fulfill their Divine legacies. 

You can learn more about Misa and her teachings at https://misahopkins.com

Misa would love to gift everyone the Holding Guided Meditation, helping people discover the healing and awakening power of self-love. 

http://misahopkins.com/holding-meditation-gift/

Please note that while Misa does work mainly with women, anyone can practice the holding meditation and the yin and yang energy Misa talks about is present for everyone. We can often experience an imbalance of these energies which impacts our daily lives. When we understand the ways in which this can happen, it can help our overall wellbeing.

Andrea Weber is the Business Group and Events Co-ordinator for the Sensitive Empowerment Community and founder of Expansive Happiness®. Andrea provides encouragement and practical strategies for environmental sensitivity management through her self-paced program, articles and posts, helping people navigate the day to day challenges of emf, chemical and mold sensitivity. 

A love of writing and editing has led to the provision of these additional services for highly sensitive people.