So many of us with multiple chemical or other sensitivities started out as highly sensitive people, who were not allowed, or able, to be our sensitive selves. We had to build protective barriers just to get by. We had to hide what we were really feeling so we could fit in. We downplayed our needs and tried to make it work. Maybe we even felt bad or criticized ourselves for being different, for having needs that others didn’t seem to have. Maybe we stopped listening to ourselves because we didn’t know what else to do.

Then over time, or even suddenly, your body was reacting to, being made sick by, things that didn’t used to be an issue. And these new sensitivities make your life harder. Fragrances, chemical cleansers, off-gassing home interiors, EMFs, terpenes, mold, there’s so many possibilities.

For years I’d been the one who couldn’t stay in a musty space, who had to avoid groups because of the perfumes and laundry detergent fragrances, who couldn’t stand within 10 feet of someone who smoked. My sinuses, face, lips, and tongue would itch & burn, sometimes turning bright red. Then I’d get a headache, get dizzy, and my lungs would ache. 5 minutes in proximity to someone who had used a dryer sheet in the laundry could set me back for hours! I worked with several NDs, a therapist, and read numerous books. And yet all the detox protocols and supplements never really shifted anything. It wasn’t until I started to work on my deeper relationship to myself, building inner safety and strength, that anything really changed. This wasn’t something a therapist or doctor could do for me, I had to find it within myself, with trusted support.

So many of us with sensitivities spend a lot of time dysregulated, either in a state of reaction or dissociation. Our bodies are having a form of PTSD from exposure to substances or environments that our bodies have determined are toxic. This is our bodies trying to keep us safe from repeated harm.

Learning to calm our immensely sensitive nervous systems (and bodies) is a big part of interrupting the PTSD sequence, and finding safety within our bodies again. Each of us is going to respond differently to the many possible detox protocols. For some of us it is a long process to find any relief. But learning to settle your nervous system and build inner resource is something you can do now, and at any time along the way.

How do we work with multiple sensitivities?

First, your experience and your physical & emotional pain is real. Your system is reacting to things that were toxic for you. I can’t fix it for you, but I can provide caring support along the way.

Secondly, receiving Craniosacal Therapy (CST) is a wonderful way to settle your nervous system. When we are deeply settled we can build inner resource and safety, connect to our own deeper wisdom, and support our bodies to heal. Together we can support you to downregulate your system’s reactivity, or help you to reactivate after dissociation. So many of the medical professionals working with multiple sensitivities recommend CST as a supportive therapy. Receiving CST has been a huge part of my own recovery process.

Thirdly, Grof Breathwork can be a fabulous way to work with and release some of the pain, fear, and trauma you’ve been holding inside. Being held in the safe container of breathwork we can dive deep into our inner work, connecting to past traumas, releasing bodily blockages, or receiving insights about ourselves and our life path.

I would love to support you on your healing journey. Please contact me and we can discuss your needs.

I work hard to maintain a healing space that is free of scents, mold, and off-gassing home materials. EMFs are present but low level. Please connect with me about your particular sensitivities so we can assess whether my healing space is fully safe for you, or if there are additional measures I may be able to take to provide you an even safer environment.

Resources:

Book by Dr. Neil Nathan “Toxic”. A good overview of what is known about MCS, and what this particular doctor has found useful in treating MCS. It’s a good guide for working with medical providers (getting testing & detox protocols in place), and also has good suggestions for supportive treatments. There is a new version coming out in April 2025.

Dr. Nathan’s website with other books and resources.