Highly Sensitive Person Café

• Do you experience strong emotions and empathy and often feel deeply moved?
  
• Do you prefer ‘deeper’ discussions and thinking to small talk?
  
• Are you easily overwhelmed by stimulating environments, often needing to drop out for a break?
  
• Do you appreciate the smaller, subtler things in life others don’t notice?
  

Then you may be one of the 20-30% of the population who are highly sensitive people (HSP)!

This meetup is for HSPs, those who might be or those who would like to find out more. Come, join us for a cuppa in a space crafted with care, understanding, and warmth, where we invite you to embrace your unique trait and connect with kindred spirits who understand the beauty of depth and the strength in vulnerability. Here, being sensitive is not just accepted but celebrated!

This is a relaxed drop-in event rather than a group meeting. Do arrive at any point and stay for as little or as much time as you like. Ask questions, share experiences, or just sit and listen; there is no pressure to join in and chat. The café will be gently facilitated by Cate, who will bring books and details of other, reliable resources.

How to find us

We have two tables reserved by the windows in the large, upstairs foyer area in The Biscuit Factory. We’ll have HSP Café signs on the tables so you can find us easily.

Event fee

Free but you must register to get a ticket

Important information!

• This event is being booked onto in three different places, so more people are expected to attend than displayed here. More accurate numbers will be available nearer the time.
  
• Please do not bring your own food and drink into the Biscuit Factory but buy from the bar and café there.
  
• Bear in mind that any messages sent to Cate on the day may not be seen.

What is High Sensitivity?

Discovered by Dr. Elaine Aron 25 years ago, her research revealed that this trait is found in 20% of all people. It’s characterised by a finely tuned nervous system and an acute awareness of subtleties. It's not just a personality quirk; it's a neurological difference that brings with it a unique set of strengths and challenges. HSPs process the world around them very deeply, have strong emotional responses and are naturally very empathic. HSPs get overstimulated easily and often have sensory sensitivity to things such as food, noise, lighting etc.

If you’re curious about the HSP trait you can take the self-test here. HSPs are known as Orchids in this model. https://sensitivityresearch.com/self-tests/adult-self-test/

About Cate:

I first read about high sensitivity in 2010, related to it immediately and haven’t stopped learning about it since! I'm now an event organiser for my local HSP group, running free events in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey. It’s such a joy to play a part in bringing people together, to have fun and bond over their many shared traits and experiences!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Reading Biscuit Factory, 1 Queens Walk, Reading, United Kingdom