Hi. I’m Amy. I’m a highly sensitive person.
I’ve spent over four decades learning to live with my emotional and sensory sensitivities. They have sometimes felt like a curse and sometimes like a profound gift.
For me, being highly sensitive shows up as an intense ability to feel what others are feeling — often without them even saying anything. I also have intensely felt emotions, particularly during change or loss. I am extremely sensitive to loud noises. I am also scent-sensitive. Disarray in my environment leads to feelings of distress and being overwhelmed. I have a low tolerance for caffeine, alcohol and other substances. It is not uncommon for me to be moved to tears by a song, a television show (even a comedy), or a newspaper article.
Thankfully, I have many tools to support me that help me manage the challenges and elevate the gifts of being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP).
Key Tools I Lean On
Dynamic Emotional Integration
One of the most useful discoveries I’ve made was Karla McLaren’s book, The Lanaguage of Emotions. It helped me to befriend all my emotions, including the one I most disliked… anger. I learned how to work with them constructively. I studied with Karla for two years, which profoundly improved my ability to regulate my emotional state. It also helped me learn how to set healthy boundaries and communicate my needs.
Goal Setting & Time Management
As a highly sensitive person, it can be easy for me to confuse others’ needs and emotions with my own, thus causing me to get distracted from my own priorities and goals. This means I need to be especially intentional about how and when I allow myself to get taken away from my own priorities. Using tools like Todoist, Way of Life, Pomodoro and Momentum Planners helps me balance the various areas of my life and focus on the people and things I value most.
Degrees & Certifications
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I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Toronto in 2002.
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I am a Registered Occupational Therapist in the province of Nova Scotia.
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I am a certified Dynamic Emotional Integration Teacher and Consultant.
I am currently completing my certification as a Psychedelic Assisted Therapist at Vancouver Island University.