At the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine we have a teaching clinic, The Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic where 4th year students spend their 12 months of internship treating patients in the clinic under the supervision of licensed NDs.

As first through third year students we were encouraged to support our bodies and minds, as well as experience naturopathic medicine first-hand by seeing an intern. Dr. Dimpi Patel was my first intern when I was a first year student.

Dimpi was one of the first doorways to my experience with naturopathic medicine. She helped me deal with the thyroid and adrenal dysfunction caused by an extremely intense program and taught me a lot about establishing a doctor patient relationship and the magic of what our medicine offers.

Fast-forward about 10 years... whoa... and Dimpi is not focusing her practice in Michigan on Highly Sensitive People, helping them support their bodies through functional testing and neural rewiring.

So before we dive into the interview, what's a Highly Sensitive Person?

Well, here's a quiz from hsperson.com.

Maybe keep track of how many times you say "Yes" to the following, and tally your results.

I am easily overwhelmed by strong sensory input.
I seem to be aware of subtleties in my environment.
Other people’s moods affect me.
I tend to be very sensitive to pain.
I find myself needing to withdraw during busy days,into bed or into a darkened room or any place where I can have some privacy and relief from stimulation.
I am particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine.
I am easily overwhelmed by things like bright lights, strong smells,coarse fabrics,or sirens close by.
I have a rich,complex inner life.
I am made uncomfortable by loud noises.
I am deeply moved by the arts or music.
My nervous system sometimes feels so frazzled that I just have to go off by myself.
I am conscientious.
I startle easily.
I get rattled when I have a lot to do in a short amount of time.
When people are uncomfortable in a physical environment I tend to know what needs to be done to make it more comfortable (like changing the lighting or the seating).
I am annoyed when people try to get me to do too many things at once.
I try hard to avoid making mistakes or forgetting things.
I make a point to avoid violent movies and TV shows.
I become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around me.
Being very hungry creates a strong reaction in me,disrupting my concentration or mood.
Changes in my life shake me up.
I notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes, sounds, works of art.
I find it unpleasant to have a lot going on at once.
I make it a high priority to arrange my life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations.
I am bothered by intense stimuli, like loud noises or chaotic scenes.
When I must compete or be observed while performing a task, I become so nervous or shaky that I do much worse than I would otherwise.
When I was a child, my parents or teachers seemed to see me as sensitive or shy.

How many times did you say yes? According to the quiz, if you scored 14, you might be a highly sensitive person.

I scored 10 on this test personally, but when I was a kid I might have answered yes to nearly everything.

Dimpi and I talk about how being an HSP is a superpower and how to support your body and mind in a world that doesn't necessarily support the 30% of us who might identify with being highly sensitive.

Follow Dr. Dimpi Patel at https://www.troynaturopathic.com/ Instagram: @doctordimpi

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