Sensitive, The Movie
Last month Dr. Elaine Aron, along with filmmakers Will and Diana Harper, released their film Sensitive: The Untold Story, the first documentary to closely examine the trait of high sensitivity. It was screened in San Francisco for one sold-out night, and was concurrently made available over live streaming for three days. I managed to watch it at 10:30pm on the final night, while in Milwaukee with my family, cuddled in the big hotel bed with my sensitive four-year-old who was committed to staying up to watch it with me.
The film is a lovely consolidation of research and individual perspectives on the trait of high sensitivity and life as a Highly Sensitive Person. The structure includes interviews with researchers who study various aspects of the trait and its expression, testimonials from people who identity as highly sensitive such as the singer Alanis Morissette (featured prominently in the film), recommendations from Dr. Aron on how to apply the research findings in the areas of work, relationships, and child-rearing, and my favorite feature - fictional vignettes depicting some of the more poignant challenges of living as, or loving, an HSP.
Although I've read extensively about high sensitivity, I still found it helpful to see so many perspectives drawn together. The film is lovely and moving. It would would be an excellent introduction to friends and family who are new to the idea of high sensitivity and it offers many starting points for conversation and future reading. My son made it through the whole film and I expect we will watch it together again as he gets older. If you are an HSP, you may leave the film feeling better understood and ready to view this aspect of yourself as a strength rather than a liability.
Since seeing the movie, I have felt guilty and inept for failing to share news of its release - How could you not tell your readers about the first movie focusing on the very topic that your blog is about? - and I didn't even want to say I'd seen it, in case I heard the words, "Oh, it sounds great! How can I see it?" and I'd have to say the movie was no longer available, with no wide release date set.
But here's some great news! Sensitive the Movie has very suddenly been made available through VHX (a new online service) for immediate online rental and purchase! The filmmakers are also hoping to release it on DVD in time for the holidays, for those of us who still like to have physical copies of things.
So you can watch the movie today! Or this weekend, or next week, or next month. You know, no rush. And I can check this off my list of things to feel bad about.
The film is a lovely consolidation of research and individual perspectives on the trait of high sensitivity and life as a Highly Sensitive Person. The structure includes interviews with researchers who study various aspects of the trait and its expression, testimonials from people who identity as highly sensitive such as the singer Alanis Morissette (featured prominently in the film), recommendations from Dr. Aron on how to apply the research findings in the areas of work, relationships, and child-rearing, and my favorite feature - fictional vignettes depicting some of the more poignant challenges of living as, or loving, an HSP.
Although I've read extensively about high sensitivity, I still found it helpful to see so many perspectives drawn together. The film is lovely and moving. It would would be an excellent introduction to friends and family who are new to the idea of high sensitivity and it offers many starting points for conversation and future reading. My son made it through the whole film and I expect we will watch it together again as he gets older. If you are an HSP, you may leave the film feeling better understood and ready to view this aspect of yourself as a strength rather than a liability.
Since seeing the movie, I have felt guilty and inept for failing to share news of its release - How could you not tell your readers about the first movie focusing on the very topic that your blog is about? - and I didn't even want to say I'd seen it, in case I heard the words, "Oh, it sounds great! How can I see it?" and I'd have to say the movie was no longer available, with no wide release date set.
But here's some great news! Sensitive the Movie has very suddenly been made available through VHX (a new online service) for immediate online rental and purchase! The filmmakers are also hoping to release it on DVD in time for the holidays, for those of us who still like to have physical copies of things.
So you can watch the movie today! Or this weekend, or next week, or next month. You know, no rush. And I can check this off my list of things to feel bad about.
Dear Sugar Radio
I discovered this podcast through Elizabeth Gilbert's podcast, Magic Lessons (which I first introduced here and highly recommend). This is the tagline for Dear Sugar: "Listen to your heart -- Radically Empathic Advice from Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond". Every hour or half hour is spent in compassionate and empathic discussion of letters sent in by listeners, and it's so moving that every time I listen I feel like this:
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The story goes that back around 2010 Steve Almond wrote this advice column, Dear Sugar, until he was ready to pass it along to someone new. About this time writer Cheryl Strayed, the future author of the gorgeous memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (please read it if you haven't already), was writing to Steve Almond to tell him how much she loved his column. And it turns out that she was the EXACT PERSON he had in mind to take over for him. So she did, without revealing her identity, and she became an internet phenomenon.
Her writings as Sugar are collected in a book, Tiny Beautiful Things, which is currently on my reading list and probably should be on yours too.
The great news is that Almond and Strayed recently collaborated to develop a podcast where together they discuss listeners' letters and call friends and family to chime in on the topics, too. They consider multiple perspectives and talk about what it means to live and love through loss and grief and pain. They push each other to share themselves fully and in doing so offer the optimistic hope that everyone has the capacity to heal and grow.
I can't get enough of this podcast. Sometimes I listen to it before I go to sleep and have the most vivid, interesting, storied dreams. Sometimes I listen to it while I'm folding the laundry. Sometimes I listen to it while the kids nap. It's the best way to spend a few unallocated minutes because it takes me out of myself and stretches my heart. Give it a shot. I hope you love it as much as I do.
Her writings as Sugar are collected in a book, Tiny Beautiful Things, which is currently on my reading list and probably should be on yours too.
The great news is that Almond and Strayed recently collaborated to develop a podcast where together they discuss listeners' letters and call friends and family to chime in on the topics, too. They consider multiple perspectives and talk about what it means to live and love through loss and grief and pain. They push each other to share themselves fully and in doing so offer the optimistic hope that everyone has the capacity to heal and grow.
I can't get enough of this podcast. Sometimes I listen to it before I go to sleep and have the most vivid, interesting, storied dreams. Sometimes I listen to it while I'm folding the laundry. Sometimes I listen to it while the kids nap. It's the best way to spend a few unallocated minutes because it takes me out of myself and stretches my heart. Give it a shot. I hope you love it as much as I do.
Creations by Janet
I've been busy for the last several months working on a project with my mom that I want to share with you.
My mother is an artist, inspired by years of travel through Europe and trained with a B.S. degree in illustration and graphic design. She is also one of the most generous people I know, ready to do anything for her children and those close to her who need help. This generosity over time translated into self-sacrifice and the loss of her art. For years she believed that her talents and gifts had escaped her and would never be recovered.
Last Christmas she started playing around with the illustration program on her new tablet, and suddenly she had discovered a brand new medium through which to express her talent. Since then she has amassed a portfolio of over 100 diverse pieces capturing her love of nature and travel.
When I was growing up, I knew that my mom was artistic and that she loved her chosen profession of graphic design. However, it is only recently that I began to understand the importance of daily creative activity in our lives. For me it's writing, for her it's illustration and design. Cut from the same emotional cloth as we are, it's not surprising to me that we both need our creative outlets to thrive. She has been a model for me in honoring your drive to create and allowing a talent and passion for art and creative work to be expressed and shared.
In her Gallery you will find the following collections: Flower Faves, Stunning Sights, Salutations, and Le Connoisseur. Beautiful items such as notecards, posters, pillows, and more offer you many opportunities to display unique art in your home or share it with friends and family. Click-to-buy any of the Featured Products, or apply your favorite design from any gallery to any of the products using the Custom Product option. Products are manufactured to order and shipped straight to you.
Make sure to apply the coupon code GrandOPENING for 20% of all orders! FREE Economy Shipping is available for orders $25 and up.
Follow creationsbyjanet.com on Facebook for updates on new designs and special deals.
If you do visit the website and enjoy her artwork, leave a comment here or send a note to my mom... she loves to get feedback that her art is reaching people.
My mother is an artist, inspired by years of travel through Europe and trained with a B.S. degree in illustration and graphic design. She is also one of the most generous people I know, ready to do anything for her children and those close to her who need help. This generosity over time translated into self-sacrifice and the loss of her art. For years she believed that her talents and gifts had escaped her and would never be recovered.
Last Christmas she started playing around with the illustration program on her new tablet, and suddenly she had discovered a brand new medium through which to express her talent. Since then she has amassed a portfolio of over 100 diverse pieces capturing her love of nature and travel.
When I was growing up, I knew that my mom was artistic and that she loved her chosen profession of graphic design. However, it is only recently that I began to understand the importance of daily creative activity in our lives. For me it's writing, for her it's illustration and design. Cut from the same emotional cloth as we are, it's not surprising to me that we both need our creative outlets to thrive. She has been a model for me in honoring your drive to create and allowing a talent and passion for art and creative work to be expressed and shared.
In her Gallery you will find the following collections: Flower Faves, Stunning Sights, Salutations, and Le Connoisseur. Beautiful items such as notecards, posters, pillows, and more offer you many opportunities to display unique art in your home or share it with friends and family. Click-to-buy any of the Featured Products, or apply your favorite design from any gallery to any of the products using the Custom Product option. Products are manufactured to order and shipped straight to you.
Make sure to apply the coupon code GrandOPENING for 20% of all orders! FREE Economy Shipping is available for orders $25 and up.
Follow creationsbyjanet.com on Facebook for updates on new designs and special deals.
If you do visit the website and enjoy her artwork, leave a comment here or send a note to my mom... she loves to get feedback that her art is reaching people.
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