2nd Story Counseling | HSP Therapy in Chicago’s Lakeview
📍 655 W Irving Park Rd #204, Chicago, IL 60613 | 📞 773-528-1777
Are you a highly sensitive person (HSP) in Chicago looking for a therapist who actually understands what that means? Not just a counselor who nods along, but one who gets the specific experience of moving through the world with the volume turned up on everything — the emotions, the sensory input, the weight of other people’s feelings?
At 2nd Story Counseling in Lakeview, our therapists work with highly sensitive people who are ready to stop treating their sensitivity as a problem to be managed and start understanding it as the complex trait it actually is.
What Is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?
Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is a term coined by psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron to describe people who carry a genetic trait that makes them more responsive to stimuli — both internal and external. Research suggests that approximately 15–20% of the population are HSPs.
HSPs process information more deeply than most people. They are easily affected by the emotions of others, can become overwhelmed by loud environments, strong sensory input, or high-stimulation situations, and tend to notice subtleties that others miss entirely. This is not a disorder or a weakness. It is a trait — one that comes with genuine strengths and genuine challenges.
🌿 Does This Sound Like You?
- You feel things more deeply and intensely than most people around you
- You are easily overwhelmed by busy environments, loud noises, or strong smells
- You absorb other people’s emotions and moods — sometimes without realizing it
- You need more downtime and recovery after social situations than others seem to
- You have a rich inner life and tend to think deeply about everything
- You are highly conscientious and affected by criticism more than most
- You have been told you are “too sensitive” or “too emotional” your whole life
- You feel anxious or depressed in ways that feel connected to how intensely you experience the world
How Therapy Helps Highly Sensitive Persons
Therapy for HSPs is not about changing who you are. It is about building a relationship with your sensitivity that feels empowering rather than exhausting. Our therapists help HSPs develop a deeper understanding of their trait, learn to set boundaries that protect their energy, and find ways to live and work that honor how they are actually wired.
Individual therapy sessions at 2SC provide a safe, low-stimulation environment where you can process your experiences at your own pace — without having to explain yourself or justify your sensitivity.
🧠 Therapy Approaches We Use for HSPs
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) — particularly well-suited for HSPs; works with the inner critic, the part that absorbs everything, and the protective parts that have developed to manage overwhelm
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — helps you build psychological flexibility and move toward what matters even when the world feels too loud
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — addresses thought patterns that amplify distress for HSPs, including rumination and self-criticism
- Mindfulness-based approaches — grounding and present-moment awareness tools that help regulate an easily overwhelmed nervous system
- Boundary-setting and energy management — practical skills for protecting your capacity in relationships, work, and daily life
HSP and the Inner Critic
One of the most common experiences HSPs bring to therapy is an intense inner critic — a voice that has spent years echoing the message that being “too sensitive” is a flaw. IFS therapy is especially powerful here because it allows you to work directly with that critical part, understand where it came from, and ultimately change your relationship with it. Many HSP clients find this the most transformative part of their therapy experience.
HSP, Anxiety, and Depression
Highly sensitive people are not inherently anxious or depressed — but the trait does create vulnerability when the environment is chronically overstimulating, dismissive, or unsupportive. Many HSPs develop anxiety or depression not because something is wrong with them, but because they have been living in conditions that don’t fit how they are wired. Therapy helps untangle the trait from the symptoms that have grown around it.
If you are a highly sensitive person in Chicago looking for a therapist who genuinely understands your experience, we’d love to connect you with the right person on our team.
Ready to get started? Call us at (773) 528-1777 or reach out through our confidential online contact form. In-person sessions in Lakeview and telehealth throughout Illinois.
Frequently Asked Questions: HSP Therapy in Chicago
What is a highly sensitive person (HSP)?
A highly sensitive person is someone who carries a genetic trait — identified by psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron — that causes them to process stimuli more deeply than most people. HSPs feel emotions intensely, absorb the moods of others, and can become easily overwhelmed by sensory or emotional input. It is estimated that 15–20% of the population are HSPs.
Is being a highly sensitive person a disorder?
No. HSP is a trait, not a disorder or diagnosis. It is a normal variation in how the nervous system processes information. That said, being highly sensitive in a world that isn’t designed for it can contribute to anxiety, depression, and chronic overwhelm — all of which respond well to therapy.
What kind of therapy works best for highly sensitive people?
We find that Internal Family Systems (IFS) is particularly well-suited for HSPs because it works directly with the inner critic and the protective parts that have developed around sensitivity. ACT, CBT, and mindfulness-based approaches are also effective depending on what you bring to therapy.
Do you offer telehealth for HSP therapy?
Yes. Virtual therapy sessions are available for HSPs anywhere in Illinois. Many highly sensitive clients actually find telehealth preferable — the comfort of your own environment can make it easier to show up fully.
How do I get started with HSP therapy at 2nd Story Counseling?
Call us at (773) 528-1777 or use our online contact form. We’ll match you with a therapist who understands the HSP experience and get you scheduled for an initial consultation.