How Rejection Sensitivity Holds Back Creative, Soul-Led Women—and How to Heal It
You overanalyze the tone in someone’s text. You feel a wave of shame after sharing something vulnerable online. You replay a moment from work over and over in your head, wondering if you said too much.
This isn’t just overthinking. It’s rejection sensitivity—and it’s draining.
Rejection sensitivity is that gut-punch reaction to even the slightest sign that you’ve disappointed, upset, or been judged by someone. For high-functioning, intuitive women—especially creatives and entrepreneurs—it’s like walking a tightrope between expression and self-protection.
You’re smart. You’ve done the work. But something still pulls you back every time you start to take up more space. That’s rejection sensitivity doing its thing—convincing you to play small in order to stay safe.
Many of the women I work with say things like:
“I’m scared to post my work online.”
“I hate how much I care what people think.”
“One tiny comment can ruin my whole day.”
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. And no, you’re not being dramatic.
Rejection sensitivity is often rooted in early emotional injuries—the times when your voice wasn’t welcomed, your emotions were too much for someone else, or your needs were treated as inconvenient. For many, it’s also tied to being neurodivergent (like ADHD), where emotional regulation doesn’t come easily and the pain of rejection stings deeply.
Here’s the good news: it’s not permanent. And there’s something we can do about it.
In my integrative therapy practice, we work directly with the root—not just the symptoms.
That means:
Using EMDR to reprocess memories that shaped your fear of rejection
Listening to the Safe and Sound Protocol to help your nervous system stop bracing for impact
Practicing the Emotional Freedom Technique to help you work through blocks around being seen and taking up space
Rejection sensitivity doesn’t make you weak. It means your system learned to protect you in a world that didn’t always know how to hold your brilliance.
You don’t need to fix yourself. But you can unhook from the fear that’s been running the show.
I work online with women throughout California in San Diego County, San Luis Obispo County, Monterey County, the Bay Area, and beyond. If you’re ready to stop playing it small to stay safe, learn more about working with me and book a consultation today.
This post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy or professional mental health care.