Ep 274: From too sensitive to embracing being an HSP

SelfKind with Erica Webb

Ever heard that you're just 'too sensitive'? Yep ... same. And so has my guest on this episode of SelfKind with Erica Webb (that's me!). In fact, my guest Tina heard that message so much that she actually resisted the idea of being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) for a long time.
But something changed, and Tina is here to share with us what shifted in order to find acceptance of her inherent sensitivity.
Tina Bramley, Psychotherapist, Poet and Highly Sensitive Person is my first guest in a series of conversations I'm having with fellow HSPs. There's something so ... gratifying in seeing our sensitivity mirrored in others. How do they navigate the tricky bits that can come with this trait? And how have they embraced and explored its superpowers?
In this episode with Tina, you'll hear:

- the challenges that Tina is mindful of as an HSP
- the gifts Tina sees in her sensitivity
- the ways Tina has responded to the needs of her sensitivity in her life - including in her work.
- the role of nature, creativity and, in particular, poetry in Tina's exploration of herself.
Tune in to hear our full conversation. We'd love to hear from you, so connect with us using the links below!
About Tina:
Tina Bramley is an ecotherapist, poet, dreamer, seeker and consultant based in Brisbane- Meanjin. She lives with her husband and two greyhounds. They share their home with an enchanted bamboo grove, a generous mandarin tree, possums, lorikeets, magpies, butcher birds and many, many spiders.
Tina enjoys a chat, and loves nothing more than working with other people who want to deepen their connections with the more-than-human world. Feel free to send her an email. Tina’s book and contemplation cards, entitled Poetic Nature, will be out soon. Follow her on
Facebook for updates.
Connect with Tina:
Email: [e-mail]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edgewiseicp
About SelfKind Host, Erica Webb:
Erica is a Registered Counsellor, Somatic Exercise Coach and Highly Sensitive Person. Her work centres around supporting fellow HSPs to navigate the tricky bits of their trait with self-compassion and somatic practices.
Connect with Erica:
Website: https://www.ericawebb.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericawebb_selfkind
Time Stamps:
00:00 Introduction to the Series and Guest
00:57 Tina's Journey to Embracing Sensitivity
02:39 Challenges of Being Highly Sensitive
04:25 Navigating Sensitivity in Relationships and Work
06:44 Embracing Sensitivity and Finding Balance
08:48 The Role of Nature and Creativity
14:51 The Importance of Highly Sensitive People
21:50 Workplace Challenges for HSPs
28:59 Exploring People Pleasing and Trauma Response
29:36 The Martyr Complex and Its Rewards
31:52 Recognizing Burnout and Its Symptoms
33:41 Strategies for Managing Burnout
36:00 The Importance of Sensory Resets
39:00 Embracing Sensitivity and Strength
42:41 A Poetic Tribute to Sensitivity
48:51 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Projects

Share your thoughts with me over on Instagram or via my website.
Want the video version? Come follow over on YouTube.
Let's stay in touch! You can sign up to my newsletter, Simple Shifts to SelfKind Habits, here.
Curious about working together? Find all the details here.