How High Sensitivity Shapes HSPs and the World Around Us

*Content Warning: This episode includes mentions of suicide, which may be sensitive for some listeners.

Today I’m joined by Dr. Tracy Cooper. He is a leading expert in our field who is known for his research and a wide-ranging scope of projects. 

If you’re an HSP who loves to think deeply about the entire picture of high sensitivity and from a variety of angles, then this episode is for you.

Dr. Cooper Shares

• How societal expectations influence the way men mask or embrace their sensitivity.
• The importance of early development in shaping coping strategies.
• How HSPs can create supportive and sustainable work environments.
• His work with Sensitive Men Rising, a film project showcasing sensitive men.
• Thoughts on the role sensitivity plays in personal growth.

Topics covered:

• Understanding high sensation seeking HSPs.
• Navigating HSP masculinity in modern culture.
• Career insights for HSPs and supporting sustainability and growth.
• The balance between thrill-seeking and emotional depth.
• Mental health, trauma, and resilience for HSPs.

About Dr. Tracy Cooper

Dr. Tracy Cooper is a leading expert on highly sensitive people (HSPs), high sensation seeking HSPs, and highly sensitive men. He co-produced the documentary Sensitive Men Rising and authored three books: Thrive: The Highly Sensitive Person and Career, Thrill: The High Sensation Seeking Highly Sensitive Person, and Empowering the Sensitive Male Soul.

Dr. Cooper serves as a professor at Baker University Graduate School of Education, mentoring doctoral candidates in higher education leadership. His work has been published in Current Research in the Behavioral Sciences, The New York Times, and Psychology Today, as well as numerous podcasts and articles.

As an ambassador for non-profit Walt's Waltz.org, he promotes raising public awareness to reduce the stigma around mental health conversations, harm reduction, and suicide, especially in men. Dr. Cooper’s current focus is a 7-week online professional training for helping professionals focusing on high sensation seeking highly sensitive people. 

Follow along on Dr. Cooper’s journey:

Website: drtracycooper.org, sensitivemenrising.org
Social: @tracycooperphd (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram)

Let’s Connect:

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📖 Learn about Kimberly’s work: happyhspcoaching.com

About Kimberly:

Kimberly Marshall is a career coach for highly sensitive people (HSPs) and host of The Happy HSP Podcast. After 20 years in the publishing industry working for companies like Time Inc., Monster.com, and W. W. Norton, she left her corporate career to pursue work that better suited her HSP needs. She now helps HSPs overcome burnout and low confidence in the workplace and create gentle and nurturing careers that bring them lots of purpose, meaning, and joy.

Through her work and creative ventures, Kimberly hopes to shed more light on the reality of living with high sensitivity and inspire more HSPs to embrace their empathetic, loving, and gentle natures.

• Hosted/produced by Kimberly Marshall
• Edited by Fonzie Try Media
• Artwork by Tara Corola
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