HSP Topics: HSP Gatherings, Groups and Workshops

This article is part of an ongoing series about the facts, joys and challenges of life as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). For more background information about HSPs please read my initial article The Highly Sensitive Person: An Introduction which also contains an index of all my HSP-related articles.

"HSP Gatherings" started in 2001 as a way for HSPs to come together for learning, personal development and fellowship. The name "Gathering" was coined as a result of the fact that these events are neither entirely "workshops" nor "conventions" nor specifically a "social group." In more recent years, they have more often become referred to as "Gathering Retreats."

So what exactly are they? In the broadest sense, they could be described as a "self-exploration retreat for HSPs." Typically, an HSP Gathering is a 4-5 day event held at retreat center venues around the US, Canada and Europe, and they typically take place several times each year.

As implied by the name, attendees are all HSPs, and the events offer a mixture of learning through workshops, structured activities and small workgroups, as well as social events. Unlike many self-growth retreats which focus on one particular topic, the workshops at HSP Gatherings can be quite diverse, and are usually taught by a variety of guest presenters. Most Gatherings include a "keynote presentation" by Dr. Elaine Aron or another key author/expert on High Sensitivity.

As a tool to help an HSP both learn and feel more connected to the greater global HSP "Community," HSP Gatherings are an excellent option. Although many HSPs are introverts-- and thus often uncomfortable with groups-- the atmosphere at these events tends to be very low key, inclusive and accepting. The upsides include the learning, and the chance to spend a full four days with all HSPs, allowing attendees to gain insights, validation and new friends. The downsides might be considered cost and travel distance, as well as the fact that most fellow attendees will likely live far from your home, unless the event takes place near you.Thus, you may make friends, but many will become long-distance connections.

It often amazes people who have just discovered that they are an HSP that 15-20% of the overall population is highly sensitive. For many, this statistic offers a sense of relief, at the realization that these "strange feelings" you've had all your life aren't some "weirdness" that's specific to you. For a moment, you relax a bit, as you think "Oh. There are others like me."

When I first learned about the trait, I was also amazed by this statistic-- but at the same time, I was too busy reading, and trying to understand how all the different facets of sensitivity applied to me. After a while, however, I paused and wondered "But where are all these other HSPs?"

It seemed reasonable to me that a good way to learn more would be to talk to someone else who was a lot "like me."

At the time I stared my HSP learning process (1997), the Internet was still a fairly limited place. Sure, there were a few web sites that mentioned "High Sensitivity" or "hypersensitivity," but I was unable to find any references to support groups or workshops where I could learn more. Things have changed considerably, since 1997. There is now a wealth of resources for HSPs-- both online, and off-- allowing us to find peers, groups and workshops and other forms of information and support. In this article, I'd like to share just a few options, along with some tips on how and where to expand your search.

If the idea of spending five days at an HSP Gathering sounds a bit daunting, another option is to join a group for highly sensitive people. Such groups typically come in two different "flavors:" Online and offline.

Well... most of the time. There are also a few "combination" and "hybrid" groups out there, and I'll talk a bit about those, too.

Part of the beauty of the Internet is that you can find an interest group to fit your needs, almost no matter how odd or esoteric that interest may be. And with the knowledge that being a highly sensitive person affects 15-20% of the population, it should come as no surprise that "groups for HSPs" abound, on the Internet. The first web group for HSPs was started less than a year after the publication of the book "The Highly Sensitive Person," and its successor is still going strong today with a membership in excess of 1800 people.

In addition to "general" web groups for HSPs, there is also a wide range of "interest based" groups, covering topics from parenting, work and raising HS children, to HSP writers' groups, HS singles groups and groups discussing HSPs and sexuality.

Finally, there is a wealth of regional and international groups, catering to HSPs in areas ranging from a single city (Chicago, San Francisco) to an international region (Australia & New Zealand).

Groups for HSPs are fairly easy to find on the Internet, but a little harder to find "out there" in the real world. Whereas there are certain websites that exist to help create real-life groups, most local "in the flesh" HSP support and social groups are either run through a local counselor who specializes in working with HSPs, or pehaps by an individual, getting organized through a local holistic health center or learning annex. Finding them might require a little research, although announcements typically can be found in the "events" area of local newspapers, on bulletin boards in food coops or health food stores, or in "alternative" weekly newspapers.You might also check the public posting board at your local library.

I also mentioned that there are "hybrids" out there. Web sites like meetup.com are designed to be Internet "gateways" for people to establish and participate in local area activity groups. Another type of hybrid combines "web groups" and a social networking utlility (for HSPs) with a framework for managing local groups.

Workshops for HSPs-- specifically about high sensitivity-- come in two basic formats (beyond the "HSP Gatherings," which I've already covered): There is the large scale workshop, usually taught at a major retreat center like the Esalen Institute in California, or the Omega Center in Rhinebeck, NY, and then there are "local" workshops, often taught by a local therapist or life coach, perhaps at a venue such as a learning annex or holistic health center.

The large events tend to be quite broadly publicized by both the teacher and the retreat centers offering them, and thus are not difficult to locate with a bit of searching on google. They often are 2-3 day events, and they can be fairly costly, by the time you add in travel, workshop fees, and room & board. As of this writing (Spring 2012) most of these workshops in the US are taught by Dr. Elaine Aron, herself, although others are starting to teach about the trait.

The smaller local events are often offered by a local counselor or life coach as a free lecture about high sensitivity, commonly used as a tool to make contact with new potential clients. That said, there is nothing wrong with attending, even if you're not looking for a therapist. Attendees often end up making new friends in their local community.