Jessie Roffe (she/her)

You may love your partner for being gentle and empathetic - so it’s confusing when they’re suddenly insensitive or uncaring at times. It’s hard to be angry when we clearly see another person is reacting from a triggered place, and deserves our compassion and understanding. Yet *reasons* are not *justifications* for a pattern of unkind behavior. You may worry that your frustration or anger continues to hurt them too, even if you feel unheard about why. Therapy can help to create new patterns.

Neurodivergent adults live with constant anxiety about not being enough or “living up to our potential.” Even if you chose to reject the standards of dominant culture long ago… being disabled, oppressed, or living with scarcity DOES mean that we work harder to feel good about ourselves and to sustain ourselves without chronic burnout. If social anxiety, panic attacks, nightmares, avoidance, or being numb get in the way of living a good life, you’re right that it’s not supposed to be this way.

Neurodivergent adults live with constant anxiety about not being enough or “living up to our potential.” Even if you chose to reject the standards of dominant culture long ago… being disabled, oppressed, or living with scarcity DOES mean that we work harder to feel good about ourselves, and to sustain ourselves without chronic burnout. If social anxiety, panic attacks, nightmares, avoidance, or being numb get in the way of living a good life, you’re right that it’s not supposed to be this way.

Neurodivergent adults live with constant anxiety about not being enough or “living up to our potential.” Even if you chose to reject the standards of dominant culture long ago… being disabled, oppressed, or living with scarcity DOES mean that we work harder to feel good about ourselves and to sustain ourselves without chronic burnout. If social anxiety, panic attacks, nightmares, avoidance, or being numb get in the way of living a good life, you’re right that it’s not supposed to be this way.

This world is traumatic for sensitive and empathetic people. There is so much suffering to experience and bear witness to, everything may be too chaotic or unpredictable or loud or bright for a sensitive nervous system, and you may not even understand how or why you react a certain way. Our body carries trauma and pain beyond our conscious understanding that can be unburdened and healed, even in the context of real chronic pain and autoimmune conditions that deserve diagnosis and treatment.

The world is traumatic for sensitive and empathetic people. There is so much suffering to experience and bear witness to, everything may be too chaotic or unpredictable for a sensitive nervous system, and you may not even understand how or why you react a certain way to lights, sounds, smells, textures, foods, people, environments, or intrusive thoughts/memories. Our body carries trauma and pain beyond conscious understanding, and with enough safe opportunities, can be unburdened and healed.

The world is traumatic for sensitive and empathetic people. There is so much suffering to experience and bear witness to, everything may be too chaotic or unpredictable for a sensitive nervous system, and you may not even understand how or why you react a certain way to lights, sounds, smells, textures, foods, people, environments, or intrusive thoughts/memories. Our body carries trauma and pain beyond conscious understanding, but with enough safe opportunities, can be unburdened and healed.

The world is traumatic for sensitive and empathetic people. There is so much suffering to experience and bear witness to, everything may be too chaotic or unpredictable for a sensitive nervous system, and you may not even understand how or why you react a certain way to lights, sounds, smells, textures, foods, people, environments, or intrusive thoughts/memories. Our body carries trauma and pain beyond conscious understanding, but with enough safe opportunities, can be unburdened and healed.

You may live with constant anxiety about not being enough, feeling unsafe, or unsure how to connect with others. Even if you chose to reject the standards of dominant culture long ago… being disabled, oppressed, or living with scarcity DOES mean we have to work harder to feel good about ourselves, and to sustain ourselves without chronic burnout. If anxiety, panic, the “I can’t” feeling, shame, or avoidance get in the way of living a good life, you’re right that it doesn’t have to be this way.

The world is traumatic for sensitive and empathetic people. There is so much suffering to experience and bear witness to, everything may be too chaotic or unpredictable for a sensitive nervous system, and you may not even understand how or why you react a certain way to lights, sounds, smells, textures, sex, food, people, environments, or intrusive thoughts/memories. Our body carries trauma and pain beyond conscious understanding, but with enough safe opportunities, can be unburdened and healed.

The world is traumatic for sensitive and empathetic people. There is so much suffering to experience and bear witness to, everything can be too chaotic or unpredictable for a deeply attuned nervous system, and you may not even understand how or why you react a certain way to lights, sounds, smells, textures, people, environments, sex, or intrusive thoughts/memories. Our body carries trauma and pain beyond conscious understanding, but with enough safe opportunities, can be unburdened and healed.