Therapy for Highly Sensitive People in Richmond, VA
When the World Feels Like Too Much
You've always felt things deeply. Sounds that don't bother anyone else leave you drained. Crowds feel like an assault. Other people's moods land in your body before you've even registered what's happening. By the end of most days, you're completely depleted, and you're not sure why, because you didn't really do anything.
You've heard it your whole life: too sensitive, too emotional, too intense. You cry at commercials. You need more downtime than seems reasonable. You notice everything, the flicker of a fluorescent light, the shift in someone's tone, the texture of fabric against your skin. And you've spent years wondering what's wrong with you.
Maybe you've tried to toughen up, build thicker skin, stop being so affected by everything. It hasn't worked. The sensitivity doesn't go away just because you wish it would. Instead, you're left feeling broken, high-maintenance, and exhausted from trying to be someone you're not.
High sensitivity is a trait, not a disorder. Research suggests that roughly 15-20% of the population processes sensory information more deeply than others. This means you take in more, more detail, more nuance, more stimulation, and your nervous system works harder to process it all.
Being highly sensitive often overlaps with neurodivergence. Many HSPs are also autistic or have ADHD, which adds additional layers to how they experience the world. The common thread is a nervous system that's wired for depth rather than speed, for noticing rather than filtering out.
Therapy for highly sensitive people isn't about fixing your sensitivity or teaching you to feel less. It's about understanding how your system works and developing strategies that honor your actual capacity. It's about moving from fighting your nature to working with it, and discovering that what you've been told is a weakness might actually be a form of depth.
Understanding High Sensitivity and Therapy Support
Working with an HSP-Affirming Therapist
License: LPC,
0701013055, Verify License
I'm Kamillah Gray, and I understand what it's like to move through a world that feels louder, brighter, and more intense than it seems to for everyone else. As a neurodivergent therapist, I know the exhaustion of sensory overwhelm and the frustration of being told you're "too much" when you're simply experiencing the world as your nervous system receives it.
I also know the shame that accumulates when you need more rest, more quiet, more recovery time than the people around you. When you can't just push through the way others seem to. When your capacity fluctuates and you never know how much you'll have on any given day.
In our work together, we won't try to make you less sensitive. Instead, we'll explore what your sensitivity actually needs. We'll look at boundaries, not just with people, but with stimulation, energy output, and your own expectations. I'll help you develop practices that protect your nervous system without requiring you to isolate or shrink your life. And we'll work on releasing the shame that's been layered on top of a trait you never chose.
What HSP Therapy Sessions Feel Like
Sessions are paced for sensitive nervous systems. There's no rapid-fire questioning or pressure to process faster than feels comfortable. We take our time. We pause when needed. The space itself is designed to feel calm rather than activating.
We'll explore your relationship with your sensitivity, how it shows up, what triggers overwhelm, and what you've learned to believe about yourself because of it. Some sessions might focus on practical strategies: how to structure your day, set limits, or recover from overstimulation. Others might be about unpacking the messages you've absorbed about being "too much."
I bring genuine curiosity about how your specific sensitivity works. Not all HSPs are the same, and what overwhelms one person might not affect another. We'll figure out your particular patterns together, building an understanding that's tailored to your actual experience rather than generic advice.
The tone is collaborative and unhurried. You're not a problem to solve, you're a person learning to work with a nervous system that processes deeply. That's not something to fix. It's something to understand.
What HSP Therapy May Offer You
Therapy looks different for everyone, and I won't promise specific outcomes. What I can share is that many highly sensitive clients notice shifts as they develop new understanding and tools:
Less Shame
The mental noise may begin to soften, making space for clarity.
Better Boundaries
You might find it easier to protect your energy without guilt or explanation.
More Self-Trust
You may start honoring your needs instead of overriding them.
What Life Might Feel Like When You Honor Your Sensitivity
Imagine knowing your limits and respecting them, without the guilt spiral that usually follows. You build in recovery time after intense experiences because you know you need it, not because something's wrong with you. The voice that says you should be able to handle more has gotten quieter.
You might notice that when you stop fighting your sensitivity, it stops fighting back. The overwhelm doesn't disappear, but it becomes more manageable because you're not adding shame on top of it. You start to recognize early warning signs and respond before you're completely depleted.
Some things you used to push through, you now opt out of. Not because you're weak, but because you've learned that protecting your energy isn't selfish, it's necessary. And in the space that opens up, you might discover that your sensitivity brings gifts too. The depth of connection. The richness of experience. The ability to notice what others miss.
This isn't about becoming someone who isn't sensitive. It's about becoming someone who knows how to live well as a sensitive person.
Beginning Therapy for Highly Sensitive People
If you're ready to stop fighting your sensitivity and start working with it, here's what the process looks like:
Reach Out
Send a message through the contact form. Share a little about what's bringing you to therapy, no need for perfection, just honesty.
Free Consultation
We'll have a brief call to see if we're a good fit. You can ask questions, share concerns, and get a feel for whether this space feels right.
Begin Sessions
If we decide to work together, we'll schedule your first session and begin exploring what support looks like for you
Insights That Emerge in HSP Therapy
As highly sensitive clients develop new awareness, certain realizations tend to surface on their own:
- "My sensitivity isn't a flaw, it's how I'm wired."
- "I've been apologizing for needs that are completely valid."
- "Rest isn't lazy. It's how my nervous system recovers."
- "I can set boundaries without being a bad person."
- "What I thought was weakness is actually depth."
- "I don't have to earn the right to take care of myself."
Frequently Asked Questions About HSP Therapy
How do I know if I'm a highly sensitive person?
Common signs include feeling easily overwhelmed by sensory input, needing more downtime than others, being deeply affected by others' moods, noticing subtleties others miss, and having strong emotional responses. There's no formal diagnosis, it's a trait, not a disorder.
Is high sensitivity the same as being introverted?
Not necessarily. While many HSPs are introverted, some are extroverted. The key feature is depth of processing and sensitivity to stimulation, which can exist alongside different social preferences.
Can therapy actually help with sensitivity, or is this just how I am?
Sensitivity itself won't change, it's part of how you're wired. But therapy can absolutely help with how you relate to your sensitivity, the shame around it, and the practical strategies you use to navigate a world that often feels like too much.
What if I'm also neurodivergent?
Many HSPs are also autistic, have ADHD, or both. I work with neurodivergent clients regularly and understand how these traits can overlap and compound. We'll work with your whole picture, not just one piece.
Are sessions virtual?
Yes, all sessions are virtual. I serve clients throughout Virginia, which means you can attend from whatever environment feels most comfortable for your nervous system.
Ready to Work with Your Sensitivity?
If you're tired of being told you're too much and ready to discover what becomes possible when you stop fighting your nature, I'd love to connect. Reaching out is just a conversation, no pressure, no commitment.
You've spent enough time trying to be less sensitive. Let's try something different.
