Self-Care Summer
Summer promises long days and fun plans, and for a sensitive woman it can also mean heat, crowds, and a social battery that drains faster than everyone else’s. As a licensed mental health counselor at Therapy with Enid, I work with highly sensitive women on stress and self-care, and this post covers self-care for sensitive women in the summer and how to plan a season that fits your energy. If the term is new to you, my post on what it means to be highly sensitive is a good place to start.
Summer Can Pull You in Two Directions
You may feel excited to get out and explore, to take the trip you saved for, and to enjoy the sunshine. At the same time, the effort that goes with all of it can sound exhausting, and the amount of time spent around people can feel like too much. Both feelings are real, and neither one means you are doing summer wrong.
Your Self-Care Does Not Have to Match Anyone Else’s
The word starts with “self” for a reason. What helps you feel comfortable and content is not what helps your sister or your best friend. Research on sensory processing sensitivity, the trait behind the term highly sensitive person, suggests that sensitive people process stimulation more deeply and may need more time to recover. That research is still developing, but it fits what many women tell me, and it is a good reason to plan your summer around your own pace.
Your ideal self-care summer may look quieter than the people around you, and it still counts.
Ideas for a Self-Care Summer
Choose your times, not just your places
You can still visit the pool and the beach as often as you like. Go early or in the evening when it is less crowded and cooler, keep trips shorter, and arrive early to claim your favorite spot with the snacks and drinks you need. In Florida, the heat deserves its own plan, and my guide to surviving the sun and heat covers it.
Build breaks into family time
Family vacations and reunions can still bring you joy. They also drain a sensitive woman’s social battery faster than it drains everyone else’s, so plan time to step away and recharge. My post on family get-togethers as an HSP woman has specific ideas.
Spend a little time outside
A 2019 study found that spending about 20 to 30 minutes in a natural setting was associated with a drop in the stress hormone cortisol. Even a short walk in a park counts, and it can be an easy habit to build into a hot summer.
Plan ahead for the busy parts
Getting back-to-school supplies early means you skip the crowded stores. Planning travel ahead keeps the trip gentler on your nervous system, and these posts can help with specific situations:
Introvert travel tips for food, lodging, and activities
Light sensitivity help for bright days
Starting a new job as a highly sensitive woman
You know what works for you better than anyone else does, and a summer built around that tends to feel better to live in.
Therapy for Highly Sensitive Women in Florida
If you are a woman in Florida who sees herself in this post, I would love to support you. I am a licensed therapist, and I offer online therapy in Florida for women who want to protect their energy, manage stress, and enjoy their lives at a pace that feels right. Contact me to tell me a little about what you are looking for, and we can talk about whether working together feels like a good fit.
Enid DeJesus is a licensed mental health counselor who provides online therapy in Florida for high-achieving, highly sensitive women. She helps women protect their energy and build self-care that fits their sensitivity. Her approach is warm and solution-focused, and her work centers on practical routines for stress and recovery. If summer tends to leave you more tired than rested, she would love to hear from you.
