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A Grateful LifeJoin Clinical Psychologist and Yoga Teacher Dr Lauren Tober for intimate conversations on yoga, mental health, psychology, spirituality and living a good life with some of the world's best teachers and thought leaders in the world. Find out more about... Author: Dr Lauren Tober Language: en Genres: Health & Fitness, Mental Health Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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On the Highly Sensitive Man with Will Harper
Sunday, 8 November, 2026
One day, Will Harper’s upstairs neighbour stopped him in the courtyard and said, “I think you’re highly sensitive.”That neighbour was Dr Elaine Aron.Will is the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker behind Sensitive: The Untold Story, Sensitive and in Love, and the documentary series, Sensitive Men Rising. Elaine joined me on the podcast earlier this year, and she’s the one who suggested I speak with Will.Will grew up in a Black community in Seaside, California, wanting to go surfing and play the flute, and was told that’s not how they rolled. Before he met Elaine, he went to psychologists and psychiatrists to ask whether he was okay, because he cried so easily. Meeting her, he says, was like finally finding his tribe.In our conversation, Will shares how that meeting led to Sensitive: The Untold Story, and how Alanis Morissette came to be part of it.We talk about why the word “sensitive” can make men shut down, how much the environment a sensitive boy grows up in can shape who he becomes, and why you can be highly sensitive and still be tough, play sport and do martial arts. Will also tells the story of Andrew, a big, burly Australian bloke who heard about Elaine on the radio and thought, “That’s me.”And we talk about leadership, about holding on to optimism in hard times, and about what Will would say to a man who is just starting to realise he might be highly sensitive.In this episode, we explore:How a chance meeting with his neighbour, Dr Elaine Aron, changed Will’s life and led to Sensitive: The Untold StoryGrowing up as a sensitive Black boy in Seaside, California, with a father who expected him to be a tough guy and a mother who was highly sensitive herselfWhat high sensitivity is, through Elaine’s D.O.E.S. framework of depth of processing, overwhelm, empathy and sensitivity to subtletiesHow Alanis Morissette came to be in the film, and her need for downtime as a highly sensitive young songwriterWhy the word “sensitive” can make men shut down, and how the term “sensory processing sensitivity” helpedHow high sensitivity may show up differently in men and womenDifferential susceptibility, and why the environment a sensitive child grows up in matters so much (including the risk of coddling)Why therapy can be especially helpful for highly sensitive peopleAndrew’s story, and how highly sensitive men can still be tough and sportyHighly sensitive leaders, resilience, and what sensitive and less sensitive people can learn from each otherWhy high sensitivity isn’t a diagnosis, and where it can overlap with autism and traumaHow to support the highly sensitive men and boys in your lifeWhat Will wants a man who’s just realising he’s highly sensitive to knowConnect with Will Harper at sensitivemenrising.orgGet the free Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join Join the Introduction to Yoga and Mental Health training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/introduction This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.
