Highly Sensitive People & Childhood Emotional Neglect
Understanding the Overlap and Healing the Past
As a therapist, I specialize in working with Highly Sensitive People (HSPs). High sensitivity, also known as sensory processing sensitivity, is a biologically based trait supported by scientific research. The brains of HSPs are more responsive to stimuli, which enhances their ability to observe and process deeply but also makes them more vulnerable to overstimulation.
High sensitivity is not just about emotional reactivity. It includes:
Depth of processing – thinking deeply about experiences
Overstimulation – becoming easily overwhelmed in high-intensity environments
Emotional responsiveness and empathy – feeling emotions strongly and absorbing others' emotions
Sensory sensitivity – heightened awareness of senses: light, sound, temperature, and texture
HSPs fall under the neurodivergent umbrella. Many HSPs feel like misfits, struggling with decision-making, joining conversations, or keeping up with the pace of others.
The Link Between HSPs and Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN)
Many HSPs first discover their trait during a personal crisis, such as chronic anxiety or depression. Because high sensitivity is not widely understood, well-meaning parents may misinterpret their child's needs, leading to misattunement—a disconnect between what the child requires and what they receive. When this pattern of being misunderstood, overlooked, or even ignored is ongoing, it can result in Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN).
CEN occurs when a child’s emotional needs go unrecognized or unmet, often unintentionally. Dr. Jonice Webb, a clinician specializing in CEN, emphasizes that parents can be loving and well-intentioned yet still fail to emotionally connect with their child in the ways the child needs. Adults who experienced CEN often grow up feeling unseen or unlovable—not because they were unloved, but because their emotions were not adequately acknowledged or responded to.
In therapy, we work through the effects of CEN—not to assign blame, but to help you understand where you may have internalized feelings of unworthiness. Revisiting these experiences with an adult perspective can help you see that your sensitivity was never a flaw, and your struggles were never a reflection of your worth.
It’s easy to imagine how a non-HSP parent might feel confused or overwhelmed by the intense emotional reactions of an HSP child. This dynamic increases the likelihood of CEN in highly sensitive individuals.
Exploring the Overlap
Just as two siblings can grow up in the same household yet have vastly different experiences, not all HSPs have CEN, and not everyone with CEN is highly sensitive. However, if you resonate with either, it may be worth exploring both, as addressing them together in therapy can lead to deeper and more lasting change.
