October 2-6, 2008: New York HSP Gathering!

2008-08-12T14:43:00.003-04:00

There's an HSP Gathering coming to New York!

An "HSP Gathering" is a 5-day retreat and workshop events where HSPs from around the county come together to learn and spent time in the company of their peers. The last Gathering to take place in the east was in Pennsylvania, in 2005.

This is going to be the 15th HSP Gathering (overall) since they started in 2001, but the FIRST ever to be held in New York state!

The Gathering is going to be held on October 2-6 at the Menla Mountain Retreat and Conference Center in Phoenicia (about 2 hours north of NYC). From what I can tell, it's a lovely and HSP-friendly facility set on 300 private acres in the heart of Catskill Park. Available accommodations range from private rooms, to a "camping option" for those who are a little more adventurous-- and budget-minded.

Gatherings offer a mixture of learning through workshops and smaller workgroups, as well as several scheduled "non-workshop activities," as well as free time to just relax and get to know your fellow HSPs. All activities are strictly optional-- if you wanted, you could go and spend your entire time hiking. However, odds are you'd want to be part of the rather unique experience that is a group of HSPs. Here's a brief summary of workshops (boldface names open links to presenter's web site) and other activities -- these are just some of the things offered, by no means all:

"Using Energy Medicine for HSP self-care and Wellness" with Sarah O'Doherty
"HSP topics using the Conversation Café Discussion model" with Jacquelyn Strickland
"The Journey to Belonging for the Sensitive" with Jessica Thayer
"The Myers Briggs Personality Inventory" with Jacquelyn Strickland
"HSPs and Self-Esteem" presented by Dr. Elaine Aron via teleconference

"Art Night:" an opportunity for HSPs to participate in creative expressions
"Movement & Dance Night:" Even HSPs "let loose" now and then!
"Creativity Night:" An evening of sharing creative passions, from poetry to painting

Registration for the New York HSP Gathering is open, and you can register through organizer Jacquelyn Strickland's web site. In keeping with the spirit of maintaining an "HSP-safe comfort zone," the number of registrations accepted is limited. Please register as SOON as possible (even though it's "HSP nature" to "pause and reflect") so you don't miss out on this event... AND so you can take advantage of the early registration discounts!

More extensive information about the event-- and about the value of Gatherings and groups for HSPs, in general-- is available on the group web site.

A blog for ongoing Group News

2008-08-12T13:36:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first entry on the New York HSP Group blog! The main reason the group now has a blog is that it is much easier to update a blog with group news about events and changes, than it is to add new pages to the web site. So you might want to bookmark this page, as well as the group page.

Of course, if you got here as a result of a google search, or a blog search... then a warm welcome to you!

This blog belongs to the New York HSP Group, which is an online discussion, support and peer group for highly sensitive people living in New York state. We have a web site, a discussion group (on YahooGroups) and this blog.

The group has two goals:

One is to provide an "HSP friendly" online space where New York HSPs can connect and discuss "all things HSP" with their peers.

The other is to be a central "contact point" for those who'd like to make friends and perhaps form support, activity or social groups in their local communities around the state.

What is a "Highly Sensitive Person?" It's a term from research psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron's 1996 book of the same name. If you want to learn more, may we suggest you look at some of the web sites listed under "HSP Friendly Web Sites." Or you can visit our own web site, which has a simplified explanation.

If you already know what an HSP is-- and you happen to live in New York (city OR state)-- why not join our group? It can be very rewarding and validating to interact with other HSPs.

Thanks for reading!

The New York HSP Group Blog

October 2-6, 2008: New York HSP Gathering!

A blog for ongoing Group News