136: Depression & the Highly Sensitive Person

Women In-Depth: Conversations about the Inner Lives of Women

This episode of Women In-Depth features Bronwyn Shiffer, LCSW, a psychotherapist from Madison, Wisconsin who works with highly sensitive women struggling with depression. Bronwyn supports women who want to feel more strong, connected and comfortable in their own skin. She has a Masters of Social Work from Smith College School for Social Work and believes that personal transformation is what heals the world.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• What it means to be highly sensitive (2:03)
• How Bronwyn was drawn to working with highly sensitive women (5:52)
• How depression can mirror the experiences of a highly sensitive person (HSP) (6:52)
• The importance and value in creating space for grief and depression (8:55)
• What is depression and how it shows up for HSPs (9:23)
• The characteristics specific to the HSP brain and their impact on HSPs (15:25)
• How HSPs feel deeply the full range of emotions and the experience of being human (16:47)
• The challenges of an HSP in discerning and disentangling from other’s emotions (17:52)
• The differences in an HSP’s experience of recovering and healing from depression (18:55)
• The importance of seeking out an HSP-informed therapist when you are a HSP (19:47)
• Tips to help HSPs manage the trait (27:31)
• The benefits of being an HSP (37:37)

Resources:

Bronwyn’s website: https://www.bronwynshiffertherapy.com/

Bronwyn’s blog post on how to find a therapist: https://www.bronwynshiffertherapy.com/blog/how-to-find-a-therapist

Bronwyn’s blog post on asking yourself what you need:

https://www.bronwynshiffertherapy.com/blog/self-care-needs

Dr. Elain Aron’s website: https://hsperson.com/

Donna Eden’s website: https://edenenergymedicine.com/