Highly sensitive people and empaths often feel like they're drowning in grief while others seem to handle loss with ease. They absorb emotions from everyone around them, feel overwhelmed by everyday environments, and find themselves reaching for things they know aren't good for them just to numb the pain.

But what if that sensitivity is actually a person's greatest strength?

In this episode, Dr. Aimie reveals why highly sensitive people experience grief so differently and how understanding your nervous system's unique needs can transform your relationship with both sensitivity and loss. She shares her own vulnerable story of self-sabotage after her best day ever, showing how even those who understand trauma can still get hijacked by grief.

You'll find out about why being an empath isn't about becoming less sensitive, but learning to support your sensitive system so you can hold pain without being overwhelmed by it. Dr. Aimie explains how your sensitivities can either drain your energy or become your superpowers, and why energy management is actually the key to living your life's purpose.

• How to tell if you're a highly sensitive person
• Why empaths feel grief more deeply and get overwhelmed faster than others
• Simple ways to support your nervous system
• How to tell which sensitivities drain your energy and which ones are your strengths
• Why highly sensitive people numb emotional pain in self-sabotaging ways
• What to do when grief takes over and you feel out of control emotionally
• The biggest challenge for highly sensitive people and how to handle it
• Easy ways to support your nervous system before you get overwhelmed

Whether you’re someone navigating grief yourself or a practitioner supporting sensitive clients, this episode offers practical insights to help you understand and support sensitive systems through the grieving process, transforming sensitivity into a strength.

Resources/Guides:

• Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. Pre-order now and, at the time of this recording, you’ll get over $400 in bonuses included! Those bonuses are only for the pre-order window which goes until Sept 22, 2025. When you’ve already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses.
• The Essential Sequence - Grab my free guide that shows you the difference between the stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response.
• The Foundational Journey - a 6 week program as the place to lay the foundation for all the phases of the healing journey explained in The Essential Sequence guide. If you are looking for emotional and nervous system regulation and changes in your physical health without a pill, this is for you. If you are a practitioner - this is where it all starts with the year certificate training program to become a Biology of Trauma professional.
  

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 22: The Role Trauma Plays In Highly Sensitive People with Dr. Natasha Fallahi
• Episode102: Strategies for Empaths: How to Navigate Sensory Overload, Shame & Trauma with Dr. Judith Orloff

Disclaimer:
By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.

Your mind says you’re safe, but your body still feels tense, overwhelmed, and stuck in danger mode. Why does this happen?

In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie goes into the biology behind why mental and emotional healing doesn’t always translate into physical healing. You’ll learn how trauma gets “stuck” in your nervous system, why your body can keep sending danger signals even when your mind feels better, and practical ways to help your body feel safe enough to recover.

Your nervous system works like a dashboard, constantly checking if you can handle what’s happening or need to shut down. When it stays stuck in survival mode, even after therapy, it can cause chronic pain, fatigue, and other symptoms. The good news is, you can help your body feel safe again and start to heal.

In this episode, you'll find out more about:

• The difference between stress vs. trauma (and why it’s not about the event itself!)
• Why your body creates a personal safety filter based on past experiences
• How inflammation, toxins, and hidden stressors send danger signals to your nervous system
• Why your body’s natural healing shuts down when you’re in survival mode
• Simple ways to track and shift your nervous system state every day

Whether you’re doing your own healing or supporting clients who still feel stuck physically despite mental progress, this episode reveals the missing piece of trauma recovery. You’ll gain a clearer understanding of the body’s signals and walk away with practical tools to help the body catch up with the mind.

🎧 For more on chronic pain and trauma biology, listen next to Episode 130: Why It’s Not Stress That Causes Chronic Pain and What Really Does.