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In this episode, I’m joined by Michael Pluess, PhD. He’s a Professor in Developmental Psychology at the University of Surrey and one of the leading researchers on environmental sensitivity. Dr. Pluess has spent decades studying why some people are more deeply affected by their experiences — for better and for worse — and how genetics, childhood environments, and life experiences interact to shape highly sensitive individuals. We explore the science behind high sensitivity, including the concepts of differential susceptibility and vantage sensitivity, and discuss the powerful role that childhood experiences play in shaping resilience, mental health, and wellbeing throughout our lives. Dr. Pluess shares: What environmental sensitivity is, and why some people are more affected by their experiences than others.The relationship between genetics and environmental influences.Why sensitivity is not fixed solely by genetics.How childhood experiences influence resilience later in life.Why some highly sensitive people develop greater vulnerability to stress while others develop resilience.The link between high sensitivity, anxiety, and depressionWhy highly sensitive people often respond exceptionally well to therapy and interventions.Parenting styles that best support sensitive children.Topics covered: The science of environmental sensitivity and what it means to be highly sensitive.How genetics and environment work together to shape sensitivity.Differential susceptibility and why some people are more affected by life experiences than others.The impact of childhood experiences on resilience, wellbeing, and mental health.Why some highly sensitive people thrive while others struggle.The parenting styles that best support highly sensitive children.The strengths of high sensitivity, including creativity, empathy, depth, and purpose.Practical ways highly sensitive people can create environments that help them flourish.About Dr. Michael Pluess: Michael Pluess, PhD, is a chartered psychologist and Professor in Developmental Psychology at the School of Psychology, University of Surrey. Prof Pluess’ research focuses on the investigation of individual differences in the capacity for Environmental Sensitivity, the notion that some people are more affected by negative as well as positive experiences than other people. His research on Differential Susceptibility and Vantage Sensitivity has been published in the leading journals of the field. Follow along on Dr. Pluess’ journey: Website: sensitivityresearch.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michael-pluess-90674752/ Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode, I’m joined by licensed professional counselor, certified professional coach, and writer Mark Wigginton for a conversation about high sensitivity, men’s mental health, and self-acceptance. Together, we explore the realities of growing up highly sensitive in chaotic environments, navigating overstimulation and emotional reactivity, and trying to fit into careers and identities that don’t truly align. We also dive into masculinity and emotional expression, discussing how many men are taught to suppress vulnerability and disconnect from their emotions to appear “strong.” Mark shares his thoughts on addiction, grief, and learning to let down the walls that kept us emotionally isolated. Mark shares: The connection between overstimulation, emotional reactivity, and shame.How alcohol became a coping mechanism for managing sensitivity and anxiety.His experience working in counseling, addiction recovery, and men’s mental health.The emotional isolation many highly sensitive men experience.Why vulnerability is often the true definition of strength.Career instability, job-hopping, and searching for the “right fit.”The importance of identifying hidden strengths in career journeys and life.The role grief and loss can play in helping HSPs feel more emotionally connected.Topics covered: Men’s mental health and emotional sensitivity.Addiction recovery, career struggles, and job changes.Overstimulation and emotional reactivity.Vulnerability and masculinity.Radical self-love and -acceptance.Midlife growth and healing.About Mark Wigginton: Mark Wigginton is a licensed professional counselor, certified professional coach, and writer who discovered only later in life that he’s a Highly Sensitive Person — specifically a High Sensation Seeking HSP — a realization that helped him make sense of a lifetime of overstimulation, restlessness, deep processing, and adaptation.  His story includes recovery, reinvention, grief, and endurance, all of which shaped his belief that life’s next chapters often begin with understanding ourselves differently. Through his coaching, writing, and conversations with others, Mark explores what it means to navigate change with greater self-awareness, curiosity, and compassion. Follow along on Mark’s journey: Website: focusingonresults.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/focusingonresults/ Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode, I’m joined by Anna Moretti, a highly sensitive coach and former pharmaceutical leader, for a powerful conversation about authenticity, psychological safety, and redefining success as a highly sensitive person. Anna shares how discovering the highly sensitive trait through her son’s struggles led her into a transformative healing journey of reconnecting with herself after years of masking, perfectionism, and overachieving in the corporate world. Together, we explore what it means to lead from sensitivity — and why highly sensitive leaders bring incredible value to workplaces when they feel safe, supported, and empowered to be themselves. We also talk about rejection sensitivity, nervous system regulation, emotional overload, self-compassion, coaching, and the deep shift from seeing sensitivity as a burden to embracing it as part of who you are. If you’ve ever felt like you were “too much” and never enough at the same time, but you still feel driven to lead and step into your purpose, then this episode is for you. Anna shares: Why many highly sensitive people grow up feeling defective or “wrong.”The connection between masking, perfectionism, and overachieving.Why highly sensitive people can make exceptional leaders.The importance of psychological safety in workplaces.How HSPs are impacted more deeply by their environments.Why self-awareness and self-compassion are essential for HSP healing.How embracing sensitivity can lead to more purpose, fulfillment, and alignment.Topics covered: Highly sensitive leadership.Corporate culture and psychological safety.Rejection sensitivity, perfectionism, and people pleasingHSP women in leadership.About Anna Moretti Anna Moretti is a Highly Sensitive Person and the founder of The Highly Sensitive Coach, empowering sensitive women leaders to turn overwhelm into clarity and lead with confidence.  Combining science, corporate leadership experience, and transformational coaching, she helps clients transform their sensitivity into a superpower. Follow along on Anna’s journey: Website: www.thehighlysensitivecoach.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/annamoretti-coach Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode, I’m joined by licensed marriage and family therapist and coach Ibinye Osibodu-Onyali for a deeply validating conversation about what it really means to live as a highly sensitive person in a world that often rewards overworking, overgiving, and emotional suppression. Ibinye shares the moment she first discovered high sensitivity and how that realization shifted the way she viewed her exhaustion, relationships, and work as a therapist. Together, we explore the hidden burnout many HSPs experience, especially those who are high-achieving, deeply empathetic, and constantly carrying responsibility for others. We also talk about boundaries, perfectionism, emotional depth, and how highly sensitive people can create lives that truly support their nervous systems instead of fighting against them. If you’ve ever felt exhausted from trying to be everything for everyone, this conversation is for you. Ibinye shares: Why discovering high sensitivity completely changed the way she understood herself.The exhaustion she experienced growing up as a highly sensitive child.How HSPs often spend years masking, camouflaging, and trying to fit in.Why burnout is so common for high-performing highly sensitive people.The importance of creating an HSP-friendly life and environment.Why HSPs often become the “helper” or “resource person” in families and friend groups.Why perfectionism and over-responsibility lead to nervous system burnout.The importance of slowing down and honoring different seasons of life.Her experience navigating emotional depth as an HSP.Topics covered: HSP burnout, exhaustion, and boundary setting.Perfectionism and high-performing HSPs.Effective therapy and coaching practices for HSPs.The importance of emotional depth and empathy.About Ibinye Osibodu-Onyali Ibinye Osibodu-Onyali is a licensed marriage and family therapist, practicing virtually in Texas and California. She helps high performing, highly sensitive women heal trauma and quiet overwhelm, so they can feel confident setting set clear, kind boundaries and show up powerfully in their relationships and work. She loves utilizing brainspotting for women who have tried talk therapy without success. As a HSP coach, she helps women better understand the HSP trait, create a life that aligns with who they are, so they do not lose themselves in the shuffle of life. You can connect with her on www.thezinniapractice.com Follow along on Ibinye’s journey: Website: thezinniapractice.com Instagram/TikTok/Facebook: @thezinniapractice Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this conversation, I’m joined by organizational development strategist and executive coach Sira Laurel to explore what it really means to support the highly sensitive nervous system at work. We talk about how neurodivergence shows up in professional environments, why so many HSPs struggle in traditional workplaces, and how to begin creating more aligned, supportive ways of supporting your staff. Sira shares: Her experience of being labeled with sensory processing disorder and how that shaped her identity.How she managed the shift from a calm environment to the intensity of a big city.How meditation became a powerful tool for regulating her nervous system.Her transition from quantitative corporate work into human-centered, systems-based work.What it means to be a systems strategist and how her work supports individuals and organizations.The importance of understanding your own nervous system and recognizing your personal signals of overwhelm.Topics covered: Nervous system regulation for HSPs.Neurodivergence in the workplace.Neuropsychological safety and why it matters.How work environments affect HSP well-being and performance.Meditation as a tool for grounding and awareness.Systems thinking and human-centered workplaces.The future of work and why HSP traits are becoming more valuable.Creativity, empathy, and intuition in the age of AI.About Sira Laurel: Sira Laurel is an organizational development strategist, executive coach, and certified Highly Sensitive Person coach who helps thoughtful professionals design work lives that actually fit how their brains and nervous systems function. With more than 15 years of leadership and HR experience, she specializes in helping highly sensitive and cognitively intense people understand their sensitivity as a strength rather than a limitation. Through her work in organizational development and neuro-affirming coaching, Sira helps people reduce hidden cognitive load, navigate leadership and career transitions, and build work environments where they can contribute their best thinking without burning out. Follow along on Sira’s journey: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/siralaurel Website: leadnorthofnormal.com Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this conversation, I’m joined by Kathrine Anker to explore how highly sensitive people can heal through consciousness and learn more about the mind-body connection. We talk about what it really means to be aware as an HSP and how the nervous system plays a role in chronic stress and illness. Kathrine shares her personal journey of integrating her high sensitivity into a powerful source of awareness, insight, and healing, and we also chat about the power of honoring our intuition and energy. So, if you’ve always wondered whether your sensitivity was working against you or trying to communicate something deeper, then this episode is for you. Kathrine shares: What “consciousness” means and how it relates to everyday awareness.The concept of HSPs having a “wider bandwidth” for emotional and sensory information.The connection between chronic stress, the nervous system, and physical symptoms.Why language we use about our bodies (like “symptoms” vs. “sensations”) matters.The importance of listening to the body and trusting subtle internal signals.Topics covered: High sensitivity and self-awareness.Consciousness and living in the present moment.The mind-body connection for HSPs.Nervous system regulation and chronic stress.Authenticity and unmasking sensitivity.Intuition, energy awareness, and embodiment.Healing through perception and language.About Kathrine Anker: Kathrine Elizabeth Anker is a Danish Mind-Body practitioner and nervous system educator specializing in high sensitivity, burnout, and long-term stress patterns. With a background in transdisciplinary research and lived experience as a highly sensitive person, she helps individuals understand their nervous system “bandwidth” and transform overwhelm into embodied clarity and authentic living. Her work focuses on nervous system literacy, emotional integration, and supporting highly sensitive and neurodivergent individuals in reclaiming their inner wisdom. Follow along on Kathrine’s journey:  Website: https://kathrineelizabeth.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KathrineELJohansson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7332390640216969216/ Substack: https://kathrineelizabethjohansson.substack.com/p/detoxing-from-the-matrix-of-stress Free Sound Gift: http://mailklub.kathrineelizabeth.dk/aP8GGI Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode, I’m joined by Tammy Goen to explore what it really looks like for highly sensitive people to trust their intuition, set energetic boundaries, and create a life that actually feels good. We talk about the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways HSPs override their inner knowing, how burnout can show up even when you love what you do, and why learning to say “this doesn’t work for me” can be one of the most powerful shifts on your journey. This conversation is a grounded and compassionate reminder that you don’t have to be everything for everyone…and that your sensitivity, when honored, can become your greatest strength. Tammy shares: The connection between burnout and not honoring your sensitivity.Why HSPs struggle with being everything for everyone.What energetic boundaries look like in real life.Learning to trust your intuition and body awareness.The difference between what you should do and what truly resonates.Letting go of relationships that no longer feel aligned.The role of intuition, energy, and inner wisdom in personal growth.How to begin reconnecting with yourself in a deeper, more authentic way.Topics covered: Burnout and misalignment in career and business.Energetic boundaries and self-protection.Intuition and body awareness.Letting go of “shoulds” and societal expectations.Relationship misalignment and knowing when to let go.Emotional depth and learning to feel without numbing.Energy, spirituality, and interconnectedness.About Tammy Goen: Tammy is an Empowered Sensitivity Coach and Nervous System Alchemist. As a highly sensitive, spiritual female entrepreneur she is poised to help others like her who are choosing to replace overwhelm, being misunderstood and unsupported and feeling the need to change who they are, with feeling calm, being heard and feeling valued just as they are. With certifications in EFT/Tapping, HeartMath, and Women Centered Coaching, and training in mindfulness based-stress reduction and energy healing modalities, Tammy brings many skills to her work with other sensitive women. Follow along on Tammy’s journey: Website: https://coachtammygoen.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammygoen/ Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode, I’m joined by clinical psychologist, conscious parenting coach, and author Dr. Genevieve von Lob. We explore what’s really happening beneath the big emotions, meltdowns, and overwhelm in highly sensitive children (and parents), and why so many HSP children are not only misunderstood but misdiagnosed. Dr. Genevieve shares her compassionate, grounded approach to parenting that focuses on slowing down, creating space, and supporting emotional regulation. This is a powerful and validating episode that will help you shift from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What do you need?” Dr. Genevieve shares: How she discovered high sensitivity through her work as a clinical psychologist.Why highly sensitive children are often misdiagnosed or misunderstood.What’s really happening beneath meltdowns and intense emotional reactions.Why discipline and correction can backfire with HSP children.The dynamic of highly sensitive parents raising highly sensitive children.Topics covered: Highly sensitive children (HSPs).Emotional regulation and big feelings.Parenting without shame or punishment.Parent-child emotional dynamics.Misdiagnosis and pathologizing sensitivity.Slowing down and creating supportive environments.Self-acceptance and understanding the HSP trait.About Dr. Genevieve von Lob Dr. Genevieve is a clinical psychologist, conscious parenting coach, and author. She spent 15 years working in the NHS, private practice on Harley Street, and within large corporations, and is the author of two parenting books published by Penguin. She is a leading expert on Highly Sensitive Children and recently contributed to a training module for teachers on high sensitivity developed by researchers at the University of Surrey. She also works one-to-one with Highly Sensitive People, with a particular focus on supporting them through bullying and trauma. Genevieve regularly advocates for greater understanding of high sensitivity in the media, with appearances on BBC Woman’s Hour, Channel 4, and in The Guardian. She has a deep passion for community and healing, and co-facilitates retreats for HSPs, with the next one in June at Selgars Mill, Devon. Follow along on Dr. Genevieve’s journey: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgenevievevonlob/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgenevieve/ Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode, I chat with Christine Passo, the Head of Community and Connection at Shareapy, to explore how highly sensitive people crave depth, meaning, and emotional connection…and what happens when those needs go unmet. We talk about the difference between surface-level interaction and true connection, why HSPs often feel exhausted in shallow social settings, and how finding the right spaces and people can completely transform your life. Christine shares: How small talk can leave HSPs feeling empty and depleted. The emotional impact of not feeling seen or understood. How discovering true community changed everything for her.What makes peer support so powerful (apart from coaching or therapy). Why being able to show up honestly and without fixing is so healing. Her journey through depression and the role connection played in her healing. Topics covered: Small talk vs. meaningful conversation. Social exhaustion and emotional depletion. The importance of being seen and heard. Finding your people as an HSP. Authentic connection and belonging. Peer support and shared lived experiences. About Christine Passo: After 20 years in sales, Christine felt called to focus on what mattered most to her: connection. In 2022, she shifted her work to support people through emotional pain, resilience, and meaningful change. As Head of Community & Connection at Shareapy, she combines her background in social work, four coaching certifications, and years of collaboration to walk alongside individuals navigating loss, overwhelm, growth, and the desire to feel understood. She believes healing happens in connection—and that no one should have to go through life’s hardest moments alone. Follow along on Christine’s journey: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinepasso_supportcoach/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-passo-665a70a/ Shareapy: https://www.shareapy.com Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

*This episode contains discussion about depression and suicide. Catherine Stratta shares her lived experience with bipolar disorder alongside high sensitivity, offering insight, hope, and practical tools for navigating both. From her early struggles with overwhelm to finding stability through medication, nervous system regulation, and holistic healing, this conversation highlights the importance of self-understanding, support, and compassion. Catherine also shares how her journey led her to support others through coaching, helping individuals better understand bipolar, regulate their nervous systems, and move toward a more stable and empowered life. Catherine shares: Living with bipolar disorder from a young age.The challenges of misdiagnosis and stigma. How medication supported her stability. Her journey through loss, illness, and healing. Exploring holistic modalities beyond medication. Why identity matters and you are not your diagnosis.Topics covered: High sensitivity and sensory overwhelm. Bipolar disorder and mood patterns. Nervous system regulation and anxiety. Breathwork, EFT, and vagal stimulation. Self-compassion and identity healing. Holistic approaches to mental health.About Catherine Stratta Catherine is an international coach and speaker, with over 50 years lived experience of anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. She coaches and supports individuals and their families, friends, supporters and offers coaching to managers and employees in the workplace. She can also work with schools and offers informational presentations to both staff and pupils. Catherine has the HSP trait. She is also a 1/3 Projector, which means she is always looking into new techniques to help others in her work. She is currently working with quantum sound therapy, to become certified in voice code analysis so she can help people leave their anxiety and stress behind as they raise their vibration. Follow along on Catherine’s journey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-stratta-bipolar-expert/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/movebeyondbipolar/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/beyond_bipolar?igshid=YmtuOWJ5OGF1cm1w TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@move_beyond Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

If you’ve ever felt completely drained, overwhelmed, or like your brain just stops working when there’s too much going on, then you’re not alone. Claire Thomas is a registered nutritional therapist, NLP Practitioner, and phlebotomist who empowers busy, high-achieving women to increase their energy levels, strengthen their resilience, and do more of what they love. Together, we unpack how nutrition, energy levels, and cognition shape the HSP experience, and why so many highly sensitive people find themselves exhausted, overstimulated, and struggling to keep up. Claire shares: How chronic fatigue shaped her understanding of energy and health.What overstimulation actually does to the HSP body and brain.How she supports clients through fatigue, burnout, and energy depletion.The role of blood testing and identifying root causes.The connection between nutrition, crashes, and emotional overwhelm.How nervous system dysregulation and past experiences impact health.The holistic mind, body, and spirit approach to healing.Topics covered: Energy depletion and burnout in HSPs.Nutrition and its impact on emotional regulation.Blood sugar balance and “hangry” responses.Chronic fatigue and underlying health factors.Nervous system regulation and stress responses.Mind-body-spirit connection in healing.Letting go of shame and learning to support yourself differently.About Claire Thomas: Claire Thomas is a Registered Nutritional Therapist (BANT, CNHC), NLP Practitioner, and CQC-regulated Phlebotomist. She empowers busy, high-achieving women to increase their energy levels, strengthen resilience, and do more of what they love. Through her practice, Nourish to Soar, Claire takes a personalised, data-led approach, combining advanced testing, nutrition, and lifestyle and behaviour change to join the dots and uncover what’s really driving fatigue and low energy. She creates clear, tailored strategies that work for each individual, removing guesswork and delivering practical, lasting results. Follow along on Claire’s journey: Website:  https://www.nourishtosoar.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishtosoar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairethomasdevon/ Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode, I’m joined by Denise Morrison. She’s an integrative health practitioner and emotional eating coach who shares her powerful journey from people-pleasing and burnout to self-trust and body-based healing. Together, we explore the often-overlooked connection between emotional suppression, gut health, and nervous system regulation, and why so many highly sensitive women find themselves struggling physically after years of “pushing through.” Denise shares how tuning into the body, rather than overriding its signals, became the key to her healing journey…and how she now helps other women do the same. Denise shares: Growing up as the emotional thermometer in the family.How people-pleasing and masking impact the nervous system.Burnout, hormone imbalances, and physical symptoms in HSPs.The powerful connection between the gut, emotions, and health.Emotional eating and using food to cope with suppressed feelings.The value of personalized health testing (gut, hormones, toxins, sensitivities).Learning to trust your body’s signals and intuition.Topics covered: How emotional suppression can create disease in the body.Symptoms of your body and the wisdom they convey.How healing for HSPs requires both emotional and physical support.Why the one-size-fits-all approach to healthcare doesn’t work.About Denise Morrison: Denise Morrison is an Emotional Eating Coach, Integrative Health Practitioner, and Highly Sensitive Person who knows firsthand what it’s like to feel everything deeply, and to use food as a way to cope with overwhelm. With a background in healthcare and trauma-informed coaching, Denise helps women understand their patterns without shame and learn how to live in a way that actually supports their nervous systems. Her work is rooted in honesty, compassion, and the belief that sensitivity is not a weakness, it’s wisdom. Follow along on Denise’s journey: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denise.l.morrison.1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deniselynnmorrison/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniselynnmorrison/ Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode, I’m joined by executive coach and award-winning author Rachel Radway for a thoughtful conversation about burnout, neurodivergence, and the unique experience of highly sensitive leaders navigating workplaces that often prioritize speed and productivity over depth and reflection. We explore the difference between being “too sensitive” and being highly perceptive, why many HSPs struggle with burnout in leadership roles, and how empathy and thoughtful decision-making may be some of the most valuable leadership qualities in today’s world. If you’ve ever questioned whether your sensitivity belongs in leadership, this conversation is for you. Rachel shares: How many HSPs experience burnout in traditional work environments.Why sensitivity is often misunderstood in leadership.How highly perceptive leaders notice emotional dynamics and patterns others miss.The pressure many leaders feel to suppress empathy in data-driven workplaces.How empathetic leadership can create stronger teams and organizations.Topics covered: High sensitivity in leadership.Burnout among highly sensitive professionals.Neurodivergence and workplace culture.Empathy and emotional intelligence in leadership.Pattern recognition and big-picture thinking.The challenges of fast-paced work environments.Reframing sensitivity as a leadership strength.Building healthier, more human-centered workplaces.About Rachel Radway: Rachel Radway is a certified leadership and executive coach, mentor, speaker, and award-winning author with more than 25 years’ experience in corporate leadership roles at startups, national nonprofits, Fortune 100s, and global enterprises. With compassion and a deep understanding of all the disconnects between the corporate world and brains that are wired a little differently, Rachel helps high-achieving, highly perceptive, and neurodivergent clients lead with confidence, clarity, and authenticity — and without burning out. Her book, Perceptive: Insights for leaders who feel more, process deeply, and think differently, has won a Nonfiction Book Awards Silver, a NYC Big Book Award, a Best Book Award, and a Best Indie Book Award. Follow along on Rachel’s journey: Website: https://www.rercoaching.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reradway Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

What happens when highly sensitive people stop trying to match everyone else’s energy and embody their own? In this episode of The Happy HSP Podcast, I’m joined by Anna Forsline for an honest conversation about meditation, silent retreats, authenticity, and the deep inner shift that happens when HSPs begin honoring their own needs instead of abandoning themselves to fit in. We talk about the challenge of absorbing others’ emotions, the fear of disappointing people, and the courage it takes to trust our intuition…especially when outside voices feel louder than our own. Anna shares: The powerful role silent retreats played in her healing journey.How HSPs can lose themselves in other people’s energy.Learning to trust our intuition.The emotional complexity of setting boundaries. Moving from self-protection to empowerment.Creating moments of spaciousness in everyday life.How presence transforms relationships and deepens connection.Topics covered: Meditation and mindfulness for HSPs.Silent retreats and emotional processing.Boundaries and people-pleasing.Overstimulation and managing energy.Authenticity and empowerment.Finding magic and meaning in everyday life.About Anna Forsline: Anna Forsline (pronounced Forslynn) is a coach, facilitator, and HSP who supports Highly Sensitive People in reconnecting with their intuition, reclaiming their power, and moving toward living in alignment with who they truly are and with what they want to bring into the world.  In her practice, Threshold Shift Coaching, she guides people who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected into deep self-discovery. Anna can also be found posting on YouTube and Substack — and is available for free discovery calls and one-on-one coaching sessions.    Since recording this episode, Anna has transitioned to doing most of her work directly with clients via one-on-one Zoom sessions and is also developing supportive content on her YouTube channel and website.  You can find out more information about her and her work at www.thresholdshiftcoaching.com. Follow along on Anna’s journey: Website:  www.thresholdshiftcoaching.com   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thresholdshiftcoach Substack: https://substack.com/@thresholdshiftcoach Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola

In this episode of The Happy HSP Podcast, I speak with PhD student and women’s health advocate Maria Saucedo. She shares how fearing bipolar disorder led her to discover she is a highly sensitive person and also a deeper awareness in self-understanding, boundaries, and how she relates to herself and the world around her. We explore the nuances of overstimulation, crossing personal thresholds, the emotional weight HSPs carry, and the societal pressure to constantly power through.   Maria shares: How overstimulation and lack of personal space led to panic attacks.The importance of knowing your threshold as an HSP.Growing up feeling different and forced to “fit in.”Studying mitochondrial disease and the science of energy production.Why women’s health research is still deeply lacking.The connection between cyclical energy and performance.How “powering through” training impacted her mental health.Empathy overload and learning emotional boundaries.Topics covered: High sensitivity vs. misdiagnosis.Overstimulation and emotional regulation.Personal boundaries in relationships.Bioenergetics and mitochondrial function.Women’s health education gaps.Hormonal cycles and productivity myths.Balancing giving and receiving as an HSP.About Maria Saucedo: Maria is originally from Mexico and is currently based in the Czech Republic, where she is working on her PhD. She is a former triathlete and a highly sensitive person, and for many years, she struggled with fluctuating energy levels and feeling misunderstood. What she once saw as inconsistency or lack of effort, she later understood as physiology. This realization led her to focus on women’s health, hormonal cycles, and the importance of living in alignment with the body. She is now building a project dedicated to education, open conversations, and empowerment around women’s physiology.  Follow along on Maria’s journey: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/maria-jose-saucedo Medium: https://medium.com/@mariaj.saucedordz/about Let’s Connect: 🤍 Share your biggest takeaway or follow us on Instagram @happyhsppodcast — we’d love to hear from you!  🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more HSPs find this space: thehappyhsppodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to Kimberly at: [email protected] 📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com About Kimberly: Kimberly Marshall is an ICF-certified Energy and Intuition coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now help HSPs reconnect with their intuition, energy, and purpose so they can live gentle, soul-aligned lives.  Through her work, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.  Hosted/produced by Kimberly MarshallEdited by Fonzie Try MediaArtwork by Tara Corola