About Me

I have a PhD in Psychology, which means that I have experience in research in psychology, including conducting experiments, writing articles reporting on my research, and locating and understanding research studies. I provide information and education for highly sensitive individuals based on my research and the research of my colleagues. I am not a medical doctor, nor a psychotherapist licensed to diagnose psychological illnesses or counsel people with their mental health problems.

I, along with Elaine Aron, was one of the first people to do scientific research on high sensitivity and the first person to do experiments on the highly sensitive brain. I have done scientific research for 20 + years and am one of very few people  in the world that does scientific research and sees highly sensitive clients as well. ​It was my own high sensitivity that led me to do my research .

I am passionate about using  scientific findings  to help highly sensitive persons and deeply committed to evidence-based practice. This means that I use information that was discovered using scientific methods and checked by other scientists before being published in scientific journals. I, along with my colleagues, is one of the authors of The Highly Sensitive Brain: Research, Assessment and Treatment of Sensory Processing Sensitivity. It is the first handbook to cover the science, measurement, and treatment of high sensitivity. She has been an Expert Advisor for International Consultants in High Sensitivity (ICHS), and Vantage: A Charity Campaigning for HSPs.

Qualifications

B.Ed, PhD (Psychology)

  • PhD (Psychology) Stony Brook University, Long Island, NY, USA , supervisors were Elaine and Arthur Aron

  • Workshop in Molecular Biology (Genetics), Smith College, MA, USA.

  • B. Ed., Additional qualifications in Learning Disabilities/Behavioural Problems & Intellectually Gifted

 

Philosophy

Evidence - Based.

I use the findings from the scientific peer-reviewed research, including my research, on high sensitivity to help you understand how your sensitivity affects your career, your friendships, and your relationships.  Research scanning the  brains of highly sensitive people will help you understand how your highly sensitive brain is different from those of less-sensitive people. Research on the effect of parenting and attachment on high sensitivity will help you understand what role they have played in your sensitivity. Many times, what you may have thought was ‘abnormal’ will turn out to be very similar to how other highly sensitive people think and feel. I will also help you to understand how less-sensitive people think and feel and why they may not understand you.

Personalized.

We will work closely together. I will ask you about your goals for our sessions and personalize our sessions to help you meet those goals. I respect the fact that highly sensitive people are deep thinkers, and self-aware.  I use science to investigate what makes highly sensitive people function. My job is to share what I and my research colleagues have found out, listen closely, reflect what you have said back to you, ask you if my understandings are correct, look for patterns, and  motivate you when you are discouraged. Most importantly of all, I will give you tools that you can use to help yourself. Using these techniques should, over time, help you feel less overwhelmed by life.