How To Handle Sensitive People
The Art of Navigating Difficult Emotions
Sensitive Management
Learn to manage highly sensitive people, navigating their emotional sensitivity to prevent overwhelm and anxiety.
Interact Positively
Learn positive interaction with sensitive people through active listening, empathy, validation, and skilful criticism.
Master Criticising
Master giving critiques and setting healthy boundaries through effective communication with sensitive people.Refine your communication skills by learning to harness your emotional intelligence with one of the UK's most acclaimed management training courses.
Why Choose This Training?
More Than Just A Course Of Lectures
What gets in the way of developing and holding on to new communication skills are old habits of thinking and speaking. Even if the advice is very good the reason why it rarely sticks are the mental habits people inevitably revert to, especially under pressure.
Unlearning those old habits and internalising a more effective and lasting approach to communication needs more than a short course of lectures on how to do it.
What Makes This Training Stand Out?
What makes this training stand out is the exceptional support through one-to-one coaching sessions and continuous feedback. Changing behaviour is not an easy task as old habits are hard to break.
With a 40-year track record we can help you cultivate practical skills, and build your confidence to so you can successfully navigate real-world challenges, ensuring lasting behavioural improvements.
Testimonials
Join thousands of participants getting results
"What I love about this course is that I didn't just learn about the topic, this course is about ME. I'm confident I can reliably use my new skills, even when under pressure".
"A lesson for life! The power of effective communication is incredible when one masters the skills "listening with empathy" and "speaking assertively"
Clients We Have Worked With
Well-known companies who have used this course again and again, over many years
Course Summary
Training Objectives
This course is designed to help you develop your skills at handling and how highly sensitive people. Highly sensitive people process sensory and emotional information more deeply than a typical person does, often leading to feeling overwhelmed or anxious in certain situations.
On this course you’ll learn how to understand high sensitivity, how to interact positively with highly sensitive individuals, handling potential problems that may occur, and coping strategies for both parties involved.
You'll learn that some people have a more sensitive nervous system that picks up on subtle cues in their environment. To interact positively with sensitive people, practice active listening, show empathy and validation. You'll need to be very careful how you offer criticism, and avoid making judgments when interacting with them, but you'll need to set clear boundaries and communicate openly.
Develop Emotional Intelligence
You will learn a set of powerful emotional intelligence communication techniques so that you can manage difficult conversations, handle challenging situations, build relationships and set firm boundaries.
Transferable Skills
The goal of this training is to equip you with the tools they need to build strong, lasting relationships in your professional life, although because these skills are so transferable many clients report vast improvements in their personal relationships as well.
Develop Skills
This is a skills development rather than just a theoretical programme, so the emphasis throughout will be on you taking turn after turn, practising your skills, while receiving feedback and coaching about your effect on others.
Repeated Practice and Feedback
In your coaching sessions you will be helped to practise dealing with the kinds of situation you find challenging, again and again, until you are confident you can do it successfully.
Video Analysis
We'll combine practical, hands-on experience with video replay and analysis and discussion of the principles involved to help you gain both skills and understanding. Special attention is paid to your individual training needs, so you can practise your skills in real-life situations that you have to handle at work.
Sustained Change
That's why as well as your place in a small group, this training includes a generous amount of private and confidential one-to-one coaching sessions online, spread over several months, ensuring an exceptional level of support. This will ensure the changes you make are sustained over a longer period of time and any obstacles are overcome. Choose between online training available worldwide, or in-person face-to-face courses in the UK.
Course Dates and Price
For a list of upcoming course dates (for online coaching and face-to-face training), the locations of the next 3-day public courses in the UK and pricing Click here.
Free Initial Session
This initial coaching session serves as an introduction to the "Skills with People" course, allowing you to understand the course's relevance and effectiveness for your specific needs before committing to it.
Understanding Sensitivity
Knowing what it means to be a highly sensitive person and having an awareness of their traits can help you better interact with them.
What is sensitivity?
Sensitivity is an innate trait of personality and behaviour where individuals perceive both external and internal stimuli more intensely than the average person. Highly sensitive people have a nervous system that picks up on subtle cues in their environment more quickly, leading to an increase in emotional responses to things like loud noises, bright lights, and strong smells.
They also feel emotions deeply and can be sensitive to other people’s emotions too — often feeling overwhelmed or stressed in crowded or busy spaces due to their heightened sensitivity.
Highly sensitive people tend to notice subtleties that most people overlook, they are easily overwhelmed by sensory information, experience strong reactions to conflict or negative emotions around them as well as display increased emotional sensitivity.
Traits of highly sensitive people
- Increased emotional sensitivity: Highly sensitive people may become overwhelmed by intense or difficult emotions more quickly than an average person. They may also be aware of other people's emotions and react strongly to criticism, judgment, or disapproving treatment from others.
- Stronger reactivity to external and internal stimuli: Highly sensitive people tend to be oversensitive to auditory, visual, tactile as well as smell inputs like bright lights and loud noises. They process sensory information deeplydue to their sensitive nervous system making them more vulnerable when under stress.
- Complex and deeper inner life: Highly sensitive individuals often have a complex inner world leading to a need for time alone in order to reflect on the events of the day. Additionally they are able discern greater depths within relationships which can provide rich experiences but poses unique challenges for boundaries setting between themselves and those around them.
Interacting Positively with Sensitive People
Being mindful of your words and actions, practicing active listening, displaying empathy and validation are key components to interacting positively with highly sensitive people.
Be mindful of your words and actions
When interacting with a sensitive person, it’s important to be mindful of the words and actions you take. Highly sensitive people (HSPs) tend to both feel emotions deeply, more deeply than average people in all areas - from perceiving subtleties others may miss, to understanding emotions on a deeper level.
As such, they can easily internalise or get overwhelmed by external stimuli such as loud noises or bright lights. This means that when we are interacting with them, our words and behaviour can have an even greater impact on their emotions or state of mental health.
It is essential to be considerate about how we speak and conduct ourselves around HSPs if we want to maintain healthy communication between us. Practicing active listening skills and showing empathy gives us better insight into their thoughts and feelings which helps reduce stress for both parties while creating a calm environment for discussion.
Practice active listening
Practicing active listening is an essential aspect of interacting positively with sensitive people. Active listening involves making a conscious effort to hear and understand what the person you speak with is saying.
Accurate empathy is also key: when you practice active listening, you seek to understand and validate the person’s emotional experience. It's important to remember that up to 65% of communication is unspoken, so it’s necessary pay attention not only verbal cues but also nonverbal behaviours such as facial expressions or body language when conversing with someone who may be particularly sensitive.
If done correctly, active listening can help build stronger relationships and foster a positive environment for those who identify as highly-sensitive individuals. Through practicing this type of attentive dialogue, one can enhance their ability make others more comfortable in conversation by better understanding their needs and boundaries.
Show empathy and validation
Showing empathy and validation is a key element when interacting with highly sensitive people. By actively practicing active listening, deeply understanding body language and being mindful of words and actions, it is possible to create a calm environment where those who are vulnerable feel safe to open up.
Acknowledging the emotions of others boosts their sense of self-worth and encourages them to build trust in relationships. Validation doesn’t require agreement or even support for what they think or feel; it is simply communicating understanding that creates an empathetic connection.
For example, when talking about difficult topics with a highly sensitive person, using phrases such as "I understand your feelings" or "That must have been hard for you", instead of offering advice that implies criticism can help this individual process their emotions.
Additionally, avoiding harsh tones or words sends out a supportive message that communicates sensitivity towards the particular situation without judgmental attitude - demonstrating acceptance helps break through difficult conversations creating an atmosphere conducive to positive change.
Avoiding and Handling Problems
Establishing healthy boundaries and communicating openly with sensitive people can help avoid or better manage potential problems.
Criticism and judgment
When interacting with sensitive people, it is necessary to be careful with criticism and judgment. Criticism and judgment can create a sense of inadequacy that may have long-term damaging effects for sensitive individuals.
Such negative feedback has the potential to further their feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem, leaving them feeling vulnerable feel stressed and defensive. They often internalise criticism more than the average person—leading to an increased emotional reaction which can manifest in extreme levels of distress or anger.
To ensure a constructive dialogue occurs when dealing with a highly sensitive person or people, it’s essential to be mindful of your words and actions since highly sensitive people tend to pick up on subtleties in communication that others may miss. On this course you’ll learn how to criticise without upsetting the other person.
Set boundaries and communicate clearly
Setting healthy boundaries is key to maintaining relationships with sensitive people. For highly sensitive people it can be particularly challenging as they may feel overwhelmed or unable to handle conflict. It is important to learn how to clearly communicate your boundary setting intentions and needs. The following are some tips for communicating boundaries effectively with a highly sensitive person:
- Learn how to express your needs and boundaries in a respectful way, without making the other person feel attacked, judged, or belittled.
- Offer honest feedback without being too blunt or aggressive that could be interpreted as hostile behaviour or perceived criticism.
- Practice identifying your physical, emotional and mental needs while also taking into consideration the feelings of those around you.
- Respect limits set by others while still honouring your own personal boundaries at all times
- Utilise active listening skills such as summarising what has been said and addressing any questions that arise which indicate discomfort about the situation
Offer support and resources
Supporting sensitive people can make a huge difference in their lives, and there are various types of support that can be provided. Therapy is always an option to consider if you notice an individual is struggling to cope with feelings of overwhelm or stress.
Team members might find benefit in workplace training courses specifically tailored for managing highly sensitive people. These can assist by teaching methods for ensuring the right environment is created for everyone’s success.
Tips for Dealing with Sensitive People
Creating a calm and safe environment, providing reassurance and encouragement, and using humour to lighten the mood are all important for having successful interactions with sensitive people.
Read on to learn more about how to deal with this innate trait!
Create a calm and safe environment
Creating a calming and secure environment is essential for individuals who are sensitive. Establishing routines can help make the world around them feel more predictable and manageable.
This includes setting consistent bedtimes and setbacks for morning activity, such as meditating or doing yoga to start their day off right. Planning ahead also helps eliminate potential stressors – organising activities, meals, travel plans in advance can be incredibly beneficial for highly sensitive people to manage their day with ease.
They might need to literally work around triggers by avoiding certain places or scenarios that stir up strong sensations like loud noises or bright lights (both external and internal stimuli).
Building close relationships with others without creating conflicts is key as this supports emotional stability; involving yourself in conflict-based conversations will not do anything less than disrupt this calm atmosphere so it’s best to steer clear of such discussions when possible.
Allowing time after a busy day to relax is integral – HSPS tend to benefit from having a few minutes away from all stimulation at the end of the night before going to sleep.
Provide reassurance and encouragement
One way to handle sensitive people is by offering reassurance and encouragement during times of stress. Reassuring individuals can help reduce their negative emotions, fears, and concerns associated with illness or physical changes.
By communicating openly and honestly with gentle words or understanding body language, you can create a safe space for them to express their feelings without judgment or criticism.
It’s important to provide genuine support from a place of compassion to ensure that your reassuring actions are positively received. When someone needs extra assurance, be prepared to actively listen and provide emotional validation instead of giving advice.
This allows the individual to feel acknowledged in their own unique experience while building trust between two people along the way. Specific examples could include: providing hugs when needed; having meaningful conversations about topics other than what must be done in order for "improvement"; allowing time away from other busy-body family members; introducing relaxation techniques such as music therapy; sending inspirational quotes via text or email; scheduling regular check-ins on how they are managing day-to-day tasks among others.
Use humour to lighten the mood
Humor is a powerful tool that can be used to bring joy and decrease tension when dealing with sensitive people. Humor styles are considered coping strategies that can help manage distorted thinking, reinforce positive status in groups, build trust and improve the quality of work.
It’s important for everyone when interacting with sensitive people to know their boundaries so as not to accidentally cause distress or offence. Telling funny stories or humorous anecdotes can also be helpful in lightening up the mood and showing a willingness to laugh together.
Plus, laughter has been shown to help ground highly sensitive people and offer relief from stressors they may encounter in their daily lives through increased emotional sensitivity.
An expert view on dealing with highly sensitive people
Sensitivity t is a trait which manifests as an increased internal and external stimulation with a corresponding heightened display increased emotional sensitivity and reactivity.
Highly sensitive people pick up on emotions, body language, positive and negative energy, loud noises, bright lights, smells etc. more quickly than the average person-- leading to greater stress levels that require additional resources for stress management.
To better handle & understand sensitive people it is necessary to be mindful of your words & actions when interacting with them; minimising destructive behaviour such as judgment while providing sources of support instead; being aware of boundaries & communicating clearly; developing an emotional intelligence by paying attention to other people's feelings & respecting them without getting overwhelmed; forming strong relationships based on empathy rather than fear-based ones.
Common questions and answers
Why is empathy important when dealing with sensitive people?
- Empathy involves understanding how someone feels and expressing sympathy or support for their feelings. It is one of the key elements in cultivating healthy relationships, which can be especially beneficial when dealing with highly sensitive people. Acknowledging another’s emotions and demonstrating kindness helps build trust and validation, allowing for a more meaningful connection between individuals.
How do I maintain a safe space if I'm interacting with a highly sensitive person?
- Creating an emotionally open environment in which you both can feel comfortable to express yourselves is essential for any interaction involving sensitive topics or emotions. Try to reduce anxiety by having your conversation in a place where you both are familiar; set boundaries that make everyone equally respected; practice active listening; be aware of tone of voice; avoid speaking over one another; and ask clarifying questions if needed throughout the conversation. Additionally, establishing trust through honesty will help ensure that each party involved feels heard as well as supported during the discussion.
How can I create better self - awareness when dealing with highly sensitive people?
- Self - awareness begins with understanding yourself first before delving into understanding other's situations deeply. Pay attention to internal emotional reactions you have towards others' behaviours or words—this could give insight into greater emotional patterns within themself or trigger sensitivity sensitivities on behalf of the observer due to high levels of personal connections formed from previous experiences either similar/different than what's currently being observed . Knowing your blind spots will also help manage any negative triggers while making sure not overwhelm yourself by trying to absorb too much outside energy at once during difficult conversations involving sensitivity topics such as death loss or grief processing recently lived traumatic events like abuse mental health conditions trauma recovery etc. Being mindful, attentive, practicing patience, being non-judgemental, respectful, showing your humility and compassion are all great traits for dealing with sensitive people.
Coping Strategies for Sensitive People
Highly sensitive people can practice self-care by engaging in activities such as getting enough sleep, listening to calming music, and reducing exposure to strong smells, loud noises, or bright lights.
Self-care practices
- Get enough sleep– Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep, and pay attention to your body’s needs if it calls for more.
Stress management techniques
When dealing with highly sensitive people, it's important to provide a comfortable work environment and help them manage and treat any stress they are experiencing. Here are some tips for managing the stress of highly sensitive people:
- Practice meditation or mindfulness – mindfulness helps individuals relax by shifting their attention away from everything that is going on around them and onto what is happening in the moment.
- Set boundaries – establishing healthy boundaries can be essential for maintaining peace of mind as overly sensitive individuals may find themselves overburdened if too much interaction or stimulation occurs at once.
- Accept high sensitivity as an innate trait– acknowledging this part of a person’s personality and being supportive can decrease stress levels and lead to more positive interactions between both parties involved
- Insulate against excessive stimuli - reducing noise pollution, ceasing exposure to bright lights, avoiding violent movies/video games or other disturbing content- all these steps should be considered when trying to insulate HSPs (Highly Sensitive People) from external sources of stimulation
- Manage emotions & energy - managing strong emotion don't allow it to 'build up' inside you- whether through deep breaths,, counting until 10 before responding or using soothing music., Its ok seek someone who will listen without judgment when feeling overwhelmed by powerful emotions due conflict etc
- Get Enough Sleep - Most people require 7-9 hours per night but HSPs tend need extra sleep rest so get plenty restful good quality sleep
Seeking professional help if needed
Highly sensitive people often need a helping hand from a professional at times. Highly sensitive people can start to feel overwhelmed by their environment or internal stimuli and struggle to cope with everything life throws at them.
With specialised therapy, quality mental healthcare professionals can help equip individuals with the tools needed to manage distress and learn how to be in touch with their own needs and feelings while also staying mindful of those around them.
Therapy provides an opportunity for highly sensitive people to work through any traumatic events that may be affecting them as well as gain valuable insight into managing stressors better so they can appreciate their heightened sensitivity more fully rather than feeling uncomfortable about it.
Benefits of Understanding Sensitivity
Gaining a better understanding of how sensitive people think and feel can lead to stronger relationships, greater empathy and compassion, as well as an overall positive and inclusive environment.
Building stronger relationships
Understanding sensory processing sensitivity, and responding to the needs and feelings of highly sensitive people can help in constructing stronger relationships. Sensitivity is often misunderstood, but it can be a strength when used effectively.
For example, sensitive individuals tend to pick up on subtle nuances which makes them great mediators for resolving conflicts or understanding objections quickly. They also appreciate genuine support from those around them, leading to more meaningful connections with their environments.
Genuine empathy and compassion are key attributes necessary for creating strong bonds both personally and professionally – traits that many HSPS excel at developing due to understanding what it feels like to be different from most people.
Fostering empathy and compassion
Empathy and compassion can have profound positive impacts on relationships, helping us to better relate to the experiences of others. For instance, in foster care settings, displays of empathy are essential for forging strong connections between children and adults.
Likewise, practicing empathy in counselling and healthcare helps show that the individual is truly listening and understanding what their client or patient is going through. Furthermore, showing genuine compassion towards another person builds trust with those we interact with which can go a long way in creating an inclusive environment.
With this said it’s important not only to express empathy but also provide reassurance as well as resources if needed so all parties involved feels supported throughout whatever they are dealing with.
Promoting a positive and inclusive environment
In today's day and age, it is increasingly important to ensure that everyone feels comfortable in their environment by fostering a sense of acceptance and support. Organisations should strive to create an atmosphere which promotes diversity, equality, understanding and collaboration.
This means actively encouraging a collaborative working environment where employees feel valued regardless of their background or ethnicity. By promoting cultural sensitivity businesses can better optimise their services and meet the needs of all stakeholders involved.
Furthermore, providing equal opportunities for all applicants demonstrates trustworthiness towards other organisations as well as customers who may use your services.
At an individual level, paying attention to how people interact with each other can have a huge impact on performance within a team or community setting .Promoting respectfulness amongst peers helps foster healthy relationships that aid in increasing confidence levels and improving overall quality of life both at work premises as well s socially.
Real-Life Examples and Stories
Sharing personal anecdotes and case studies of how to handle sensitive people can be a great way to learn firsthand from others. On this course we'll share techniques for making relationships with sensitive people successful!
Success stories of handling sensitive individuals
When it comes to handling sensitive people, understanding, empathy and patience are key. An effective approach can involve empathising with how they feel while gently offering emotional validation without judgment, criticism or pressure.
For example, a colleague might have difficulty finding the words to express their feelings which causes them to become overwhelmed in work meetings. One way to help is by setting boundaries and giving that person space when needed, as well as gently reminding them that it's okay not to understand everything happening around them right away and they will find the appropriate language for expressing themselves over time.
In other cases when it’s difficult to relate empathically due to cultural gaps or other issues of common understanding one can still offer warm supportive messages such as ‘It must be really difficult for you right now’ acknowledging their emotional experience without taking responsibility for resolving their negative emotions.
Conclusion
Understanding sensitivity and how to handle sensitive people is an important skill that can help foster stronger relationships and a more inclusive environment. Validation and acceptance of the traits that make someone a highly sensitive person can go a long way in preventing problems and fostering empathy.
It’s key for those dealing with sensitive individuals to be mindful of their words, show understanding and patience, practice active listening, set boundaries, provide support resources, create a calm space for them to work in, avoid criticism or judgmental language, use humour appropriately if needed — all while staying aware of one's own needs too.
With clear communication and genuine effort on both sides it will ultimately result in healthier interactions between individuals no matter where they fall on the spectrum of sensitivity.
FAQs
1. What does it mean to be a highly sensitive person?
Highly sensitive people tend to have an increased awareness of internal and external stimuli, meaning they can become easily overwhelmed or feel overstimulated by strong emotions. This may lead to them feeling stressed, annoyed or upset more easily than someone who is not as affected by their surroundings.
2. How can I tell if someone is a highly sensitive person?
Kensington Publishing Corp suggests that some common signs of being highly sensitive include needing quiet time alone with minimal stimulation; discomfort in noisy environments; having difficulty concentrating when tired or exhausted; finding change challenging and getting disoriented in complex places like shopping malls and airports.
3. What should I do if the person becomes overwhelmed?
If the highly sensitive person appears overwhelmed, try helping them find solace in distraction-free activities such as going for a walk outdoors or reading a book quietly at home until he/she has calmed down from the unwanted stimulus affecting him/her behaviour negatively..
4 Is there any way to prevent overwhelming situations involving Highly Sensitive People?
Preventive measures involve making changes such as setting realistic expectations ahead of time and scheduling appropriate amounts of downtime for those who need it so as not overload them with numerous tasks requiring immediate attention without adequate preparation time beforehand.
