How to Support an Empath Child
As a psychiatrist and empath, I’m often asked by parents for advice on raising their sensitive children. As an empath child myself, I never felt like I fit in. Much of the time, I felt like an alien on earth, waiting to be transported to my real home in the stars. My ordinarily loving mother would call me “too sensitive” and would say, “You need to get a thicker skin.” So, I grew up believing there was something wrong with me, and I had terrible shame about my sensitive self.
If you’re the parent of a sensitive child, it’s important to support their sensitivities and help them embrace their abilities. This will help them feel comfortable in their own skin now and as they mature into sensitive adults.
This is why I feel so passionate about my new children’s book, The Highly Sensitive Rabbit, because I want to help sensitive children embrace their gifts. I want to help liberate children from the shame I felt so they can thrive. The book is about a caring rabbit named Aurora who was shamed by her family for her sensitivities but learns to embrace these gifts through the love and support of other animals.
It is a blessing to support the gifts of empath children. When they learn to manage their sensitivities early on, their childhood and adult lives will be easier and more fulfilling. From this perspective, parenting sensitive children is a spiritual act and sacred responsibility.