We're pleased to announce that there is going to be an HSP Gathering on the East Coast, this year! Last time we had a Gathering in the east was in Pennsylvania, in 2005. HSP Gatherings are 5-day retreat/workshops where HSPs from around the US and abroad (attendees have come from as far away as Sweden, Japan and New Zealand) come together in a calm and relaxing atmosphere, to learn and find fellowship with each other. HSP Gatherings are highly validating and often transformative events for HSPs. Even those who feel some hesitance about being part of group activities tend to discover that a group of Highly Sensitive People is quite different from other groups.This year's East Coast HSP Gathering will take place from October 2-6 at the Menla Mountain Retreat Center in Phoenicia, NY. The venue is near Woodstock, about 2 hours north of New York City, and sits on several hundred private acres in the heart of Catskill Park. It is about 150 miles from Hartford, and about 225 miles from Boston, making it conveniently close to this part of the country. Accommodation options range from private rooms, to shared rooms, to camping-- for the budget minded.
Workshop presenters at the East Coast Gathering include:
Jacquelyn Strickland, The Myers Briggs Personality Inventory for HSPs
Sarah O'Doherty, Using Energy Medicine for HSP Self-Care and Wellness
Jessica Thayer, The Journey to Belonging for the Sensitive-- Tools and Challenges on the Journey
Elaine Aron will present recent work on "HSPs and Self-Esteem" to the group on Sunday afternoon via teleconference, followed by a Q&A session.
Non-workshop activities will include Creativity Night, Music and Dance Night and Art Night, as well as plenty of time to simply socialize and get to know fellow HSPs. There will also be opportunities to enjoy hiking and trips to nearby towns.
Registration for the event is now OPEN. To register, please go to organizer Jacquelyn Strickland's web site. We urge you to register as soon as possible, to take advantage of "early bird registration discounts," and because there is a limit on the number of people who can sign up, in keeping with maintaining an "HSP safe" environment.
If you'd like more information, please visit the East Coast HSP Gathering page on the group's web site.
Thought I'd set up a blog for the group-- works well as a way to post news of ongoing activities, group events and anything HSP-related in the area.If you've come to this spot as a random visitor, this is the blog belonging to the Boston and New England Highly Sensitive Person Group. The group is an online discussion group and message board for HSPs in the New England states area. You can visit the group's web site for more information, both about the group, and about what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (if you're not sure).We're always happy to welcome new members from the area-- if you're an HSP living in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont, and would like to meet (or just make contact with) other HSPs, we hope you'll join our group! The group is part of the "YahooGroups" system, and has moderated membership to ensure an HSP-friendly environment. To join, please visit the group site and apply.The group is primarily a "web" group, although we're hoping that-- as membership continues to grow-- we can perhaps help people form local groups in their towns or communities. There's a lot of value to HSPs knowing each other... and it can be very healing to experience the validation that comes from being with others who "get" it. However, keep in mind that a web group is NOT a substitute for therapy, if you're having a personal crisis.
