Noticing Sensory Input
Overstimulation
I am Christina Thompson, a therapist in Maryland with about 6 years in practice. I offer telehealth sessions from Monday to Friday for adults and couples who notice that their surroundings often feel intense or crowded. When the hum of a laptop feels too loud or a bright room feels taxing, it can be difficult to focus on the task at hand. My approach is warm and relational as we look at how you experience your environment. Together, we look at these daily moments to understand your specific reactions. We use our time to practice noticing physical sensations and exploring how you move through a busy world. I focus on creating a grounded space where we can discuss these everyday occurrences with curiosity and patience.
Observing Daily Sensory Input
In our work, we look at how a full schedule or a noisy household impacts your day. You might notice that a simple notification on your phone or a question from a colleague feels like a lot to process at once. I use my experience to help you track these moments without judgment. We look at the specific parts of your routine that involve heavy sensory input, such as long commutes or open office plans. By observing these patterns, we can identify when you might need to step away for a moment of quiet. We use plain language to discuss how your body reacts to the world around you.
Practicing Mindfulness And Awareness
I incorporate mindfulness based practices and somatic observations to help you stay aware of your physical presence. When your environment feels fast, you might notice your breath shortening or a desire to find a quiet space. During our telehealth sessions, we practice grounding techniques that focus on the present moment. We explore how different types of input, like textures or sounds, affect your comfort. These sessions are a place to practice paying attention to what your body is communicating. By using these tools, we look at ways to exist in Maryland spaces while staying aware of your own personal limits and physical needs.
Exploring Practical Skill Building
We use components of CBT, DBT, and ACT to look at the thoughts and actions that arise when things feel loud. I focus on helping you build a set of skills that you can practice when you feel a sense of internal friction. This might involve small adjustments to your lighting or finding brief periods of silence during a lunch break. We look at how these small shifts in your environment can be practiced consistently. The goal is to explore how you can use these skills in real time. We focus on neutral observations of your progress as you try out different ways to navigate your daily life.
Navigating Relational Space Needs
Interacting with others can sometimes feel like an additional layer of input that is hard to sort through. You might find that you need more distance from others after a long day of social interaction. I use Gottman concepts to help you look at how you communicate these needs to partners or friends. We discuss how to state your preferences for quiet or personal space in a clear way. Our sessions provide a space to practice these conversations so you can maintain connections while respecting your own pace. We focus on the balance between being present with others and honoring your need for occasional solitude.
Practical Focus
What We Can Work On
- Noticing environmental triggers
- Practicing grounding skills
- Identifying personal space needs
- Observing physical sensations
Keep Exploring
Related Pages
Your Next Step
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