HSP Advocacy

HSPs tend to fill that advisor role. We are the writers, historians, philosophers, judges, artists, researchers, theologians, therapists, teachers, parents, and plain conscientious citizens.
- Elaine N. Aron, The Highly Sensitive Person

HSP ADVOCACY:
Bringing More Awareness to our School Systems

As an HSP, Substitute Teacher, and School Portrait Photographer, I have a unique perspective on school systems and how they impact highly sensitive child, highly sensitive teachers and staff as well as highly sensitive parents.

In March 2020, right before spring break, I had started to talk to a small, local, private elementary school (where I had subbed often) about doing a talk for parents and staff about HSPs. Little did I know then, that I wouldn't step back into the school system for nearly two years. Schools never reopened after that spring break. We all know what unfolded from there. The pandemic would disrupt schools and everything that comes with schooling like never before.

I returned to subbing in January 2022 after a full year of working from home, holding weekly Clubhouse rooms where I educated, advocated and built community with my fellow HSPs. My voice was strong from all that practice on Clubhouse and now that I had the opportunity to speak about this trait with others, in-person, it was as if my two worlds started to merge.

I was no longer a newb at being aware of my trait, talking about the trait and standing up for the trait. I was grateful to finally have the opportunity to apply everything I had done in Clubhouse out in the real world.

Any opportunity I had while subbing, I talking about this trait.
With teachers in the teacher lounge, with the paraeducator in my classroom, with students who were curious enough to listen. I was planting the seeds of a fruit that I may never see. I thought, if I had known about this trait as a child, how would my young school life be impacted? What if my parents had known that I was a highly sensitive child? Or my teacher? How would I have interacted differently with my peers? What if I had a learning experience that accepted my sensitivity and my depth of processing? And educators who understood that I had different needs in the classroom? This is why I have dedicated my life to infiltrating these systems that do not serve highly sensitive people and to do something about it!

I never had a plan in place, I just trusted my gut. I found ways to speak up and educate others. This is what led me to HSP advocacy. This is the work I was meant to do. This is the work I feel most passionate about knowing that this work can change lives for the better.

After subbing for a high school journalism class for 3 days in the high school I graduated from (WHS class of 1993!), I submitted an article pitch for the school newspaper.

This is what I wrote:

I would love to help spread awareness about an innate biological trait called, "Sensory Processing Sensitivity" or "Highly Sensitive Person." This is not a disorder or diagnosis - it is a trait you are born with. This trait is found in 20-30% of the population. Highly sensitive people deeply process everything around them through their nervous system. This is not a form of autism, but the two can sound similar in terms of strongly reacting to bright lighting, loud noises, strong smells and irritating fabrics. HSPs tend to get overwhelmed and overstimulated easily due to the amount of information they are processing - and process longer - through their nervous system. It's important for HSPs to slow down, rest more, get solid sleep, alone time, quiet time and downtime for processing. Once an HSP KNOWS they are an HSP, this can be life changing! HSPs often feel that there is something wrong with them and when you don't know that this is something you are born with, this can deeply impact your self-esteem, self-worth, ability to learn efficiently, cope in social situations and handle life stressors. HSPs have to live a creative lifestyle and care for themselves differently then 80% of the population. Our society also deems "sensitive" people as weak, cry babies or overly emotional so HSPs are often told that they are "too sensitive" by their peers which lead to an internal thought process of, "There is something wrong with me." But the truth is, our nervous system is designed to deeply process information and to process it longer. There are different parts of the brain that are more activated in an HSP: insula, mirror neurons and amygdala. Elaine Aron, who wrote the book, They Highly Sensitive Person, also coined the term and brought more awareness to this trait through her research in the 1990s. Her website is HSPerson.com. If you take her HSP self-test from her website, you can see if you are in HSP and where you lie on the HSP spectrum. I would love to be a resource for this article idea if used as I educate, advocate and coach other HSPs since learning I was an HSP in 2018. I'm also a substitute teacher in the district and graduated from West High in 1993.

- Julie Staub, HSP Advocate, Educator & HSP

I hit send and almost forgot about it.
A few weeks later, I received a letter from the editor and a writer on the high school newspaper staff.

My heart nearly skipped a beat when I read that email! Oh my goodness! Did I just let two HSPs, who didn't know they were HSPs, learn that they are HSPs!?!? This is WHY I do this work! This could make a HUGE difference in these two young person's lives!

READ STORY HERE

I started asking some of my teacher friends how to best connect with schools as a sub, as an outsider, to get this kind of information into the schools. One teacher mentioned the NESTT (Navigating Emotions and Stress Through Training) as a possible starting point. I had never heard of this program before, but I knew instantly from the name of it, that it was creating a safe space for HSPs!

So I sent this email:

I was contacted shortly after I sent this email and was happy to hear that the school counselor had heard of the trait but appreciated the information I shared and would gladly accept a book donation.

When I dropped off the book, the big screen in the front of the room was playing videos of puppies, the kids were using tactile objects to soothe themselves and the adult supervising the room was explaining to the student how to use essential oils on his temples to create a feeling of calm. Wow. I thought, where was this room when I was a kid?! I LOVE what this space can offer kids who are processing stress, overstimulation and overwhelm at school. We need more of this in schools. And I would love to find a way to get involved as a compassionate human but also an educator of the HSP trait.

I wanted students to have access to Elaine Aron's book,
The Highly Sensitive Person,
so I donated copies to both of the high school libraries in my school district.

The Highly Sensitive Person, Elaine N. Aron

The Highly Sensitive Person (155.2 ARO) - shelved at West High Library

West High Library, Iowa City, Iowa // May 2022

City High NESTT Library // April 2022

Creating a conversation in Clubhouse around HSP Advocacy and community leadership to support HSPs in our local community was the next logical step in my mind! So that's what I did!

You can listen to the Clubhouse replay on YouTube by clicking the play button below!

HSP Community Support: Creating a Local HSP Community

HSP Advocacy: Celebrating my first community WIN!