By Therese Naber — Last Updated: July 9, 2024

Have you ever felt good before you went to an event or gathering, but you left feeling bad or sad or just off for no apparent reason? Do you often know how people around you feel, even if they’re good at hiding it? Do you find it difficult to be in busy, crowded places like shopping malls or concert venues? Do you easily react to lights, noise, or smells?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions – or if they brought to mind similar examples – then you’re probably a person with high sensitivity, sometimes also called an empath. In my experience as an energy practitioner, I’ve found that most people are more sensitive than they realize. I estimate that about 65% of my clients self-identify as sensitive or highly sensitive, while others become aware of how sensitive they are through energy work, which helps them tune into themselves. People in the second category have often shut off their sensitivities to function, only to find that this has created emotional or physical challenges. These challenges are often hard to explain or modify with conventional approaches, so highly sensitive people often end up seeking alternative answers.

The 21st century seems to have brought more awareness of high sensitivity: there are now a plethora of articles, books, and podcasts on the topic. This is wonderful because it helps people feel less alone and perhaps even less weird for being sensitive. As someone who is highly sensitive and has spent a lot of time reading, listening, and searching for more understanding of the issue, I’ll say that much of the information I’ve found – though good in a general sense – feels quite abstract to me and hasn’t necessarily helped me feel that I can manage my sensitivities with more ease.

My path of learning about energy has been a meandering one, encompassing classes in many different modalities. It was really only when I discovered Eden Energy Medicine that I began to make progress with my sensitivities. It’s been a slow process (I suspect real, deep change usually is); the specific exercises that Eden Energy Medicine offers have definitely helped me change my patterns over time. I still can feel challenged by my sensitivities in certain situations, though less often and, when I do, I have tools to help me get back into balance.

I suspect that the complexity of our modern world is likely making more of us more sensitive, which can seem discouraging. The good news, though, is that based on my experience and that of many clients, it’s possible to build more resilience in our energies and navigate sensitivity with ease. I describe being sensitive as both a challenge and a blessing. The blessings include higher levels of awareness, empathy, and intuition. However, many people only realize they’re sensitive because it becomes overwhelming, and then they only view it as a challenge. I believe it is absolutely possible to shift this balance and begin to feel more blessing than challenge from being sensitive. The key is learning to work with your energies.

There are many energy techniques I recommend for sensitivity. Here are two foundational ones:

• Grounding or Earthing

Here’s a secret: getting more grounded will help with just about anything that’s bothering you. Research has shown that connecting with the earth helps with pain and inflammation. A lack of grounding will make sensitivity feel more overwhelming. The easiest way to feel more grounded is to have your bare feet connect with the earth, so standing barefoot on the grass even for a few breaths will help. If it’s not possible to get outside, even taking a few deep breaths while imagining your bare feet on the earth should help.

• The Hook-Up

This is a foundational exercise from Eden Energy Medicine. It connects a meridian (or channel of energy) that runs along the front of the body with one that runs along the back of the body. It helps grounding and, especially for sensitivity, it feels like it brings your energies back to yourself. For me, it feels like it kind of encapsulates my energies to clarify what’s mine versus what’s not mine.

To do the hook-up, place one middle finger at your navel and place your other middle finger at your third eye (between the eyebrows). Hold and breathe. You can hold as long as you like and do this as often as you like.

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Therese Naber is an advanced practitioner of Eden Energy Medicine and a certified practitioner of Biofield Tuning and EFT/Tapping. She has an M.A. in education and has been a teacher, teacher trainer, and freelance writer. She is a certified therapeutic horseback riding instructor and adaptive ski instructor. Therese loves doing energy work with both people and animals, and she is passionate about helping everyone become more aware of their energies and feel more balanced.

Emotional Well-Being