7 Ways Dr. Elaine Aron Helps Highly Sensitive People Today

If you identify as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), you most likely already know the name Dr. Elaine N. Aron. 

She’s the pioneering researcher who first introduced the trait of Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS), author of the bestselling book The Highly Sensitive Person, and co-creator of decades of research that gave language and legitimacy to what so many of us feel every day.

But here’s the thing: Dr. Aron’s contributions didn’t end with the discovery of the HSP trait or her classic books. She’s still an active voice today, helping Highly Sensitive People in fresh and practical ways. 

From updating the official self-tests to writing new blog posts, speaking at gatherings, and supporting a growing network of HSP-trained professionals, she continues to shape how sensitivity is understood and lived in 2025.

This post highlights seven ways Dr. Elaine Aron helps Highly Sensitive People today. Not just in theory, but in the daily resources, events, and insights you can access right now.

1. Media & Films: Podcasts, Interviews, and Documentaries

One of the ways Dr. Elaine Aron reaches Highly Sensitive People today is through media you’re already consuming: podcasts, YouTube interviews, and documentary films. These platforms make her research relatable and easy to understand without the jargon of academic papers.

In recent years, Dr. Aron has appeared on well-known shows, like the Good Life Project and the recently launched Men with S.T.Y.L.E. podcast. Many others are still circulating in 2024–2025 as “best of” episodes, keeping her insights available to new audiences.

She’s also featured in documentaries and films like Sensitive Men Rising, Sensitive — The Untold Story, Sensitive Lovers, and Sensitive and in Love, which bring the science of sensitivity to life through personal stories and cinematic storytelling. 

These films extend her reach beyond the HSP community and into mainstream culture, helping others understand what it really means to be highly sensitive.

Where to Start: Search for “Elaine Aron” in your favourite podcast app, or stream the freely available Sensitive Men Rising docuseries to see her research come alive in film.

2. Events & Workshops: Live Learning and Community

Books are powerful, but there’s something transformative about connecting live. Dr. Elaine Aron helps Highly Sensitive People today through speaking at events, retreats, and online seminars.

For example, she continues to appear (sometimes via Zoom) at the HSP Gathering Retreats with Jacquelyn Strickland — events that combine her research with experiential workshops, small group discussions, and Q&A sessions. 

She also appears in online workshops, webinars and in-person retreats led by Alane Freund, LMFT, with the most recent appearance in July and early August 2025 to discuss the new HSP self-test.

These events go beyond learning. They give Highly Sensitive People a chance to connect in community, build friendships, and leave with tools they can apply right away.

Where to Start: Visit the Events page on hsperson.com to find upcoming workshops, retreats, and seminars. While Dr. Elaine Aron doesn’t appear in all, reading the details will shed light on the ones she’ll be present.

3. Blog, Newsletter & New Writing

Dr. Aron’s blog and newsletter, known as The Comfort Zone, remain one of the most consistent ways she supports HSPs today. They’re not just updates; they’re mini-teachings, reflections on recent research, and windows into her current projects.

Her May 2025 blog post highlighted recent studies while previewing her upcoming book Spirituality Through a Highly Sensitive Lens. This points to a direction she’s taking now, helping HSPs explore the spiritual dimension of sensitivity. 

An August 2025 entry explores the revised Highly Sensitive Person test, explains the shortcomings of the original 27-item scale and highlights the benefits of the new, shorter scale.

Earlier posts unpack timely issues, such as boundaries in relationships, dive deep into new research findings, and explore Dr. Aron’s take on sensitivity and spirituality.

For Highly Sensitive People who want a steady, digestible source of insight, her blog and newsletter deliver a connection that feels both personal and practical.

Where to Start: Subscribe to Dr. Elaine Aron’s newsletter at hsperson.com and browse the archives for posts that resonate with your current journey.

4. Updated Self-Tests and the New HSP-R

One of the most exciting ways Dr. Elaine Aron continues to shape the Sensitivity field is through updating measurement tools. HSP self-tests aren’t just fun quizzes; they’re often the first step in self-understanding and the foundation of serious research.

In 2024, researchers released the HSP-R (Highly Sensitive Person Revised) scale – a shorter, more precise tool that identifies subcategories of sensitivity, such as depth of processing, social sensitivity, and overstimulation. 

This update sharpens the way sensitivity is studied and helps HSPs better understand their own patterns.

Having a modern, evidence-based scale also means more accurate research moving forward. This directly benefits Highly Sensitive People seeking therapy, coaching, or workplace accommodations.

Where to start: Take the updated self-test on hsperson.com and read the preprint of the HSP-R scale to see how the new factors line up with your experience.

5. Therapist & Coach Directory: Access to HSP-Knowledgeable Professionals

While books and blog posts provide knowledge, sometimes the next step is working with someone one-on-one. Dr. Elaine Aron’s site makes this easier through a vetted directory of HSP-Knowledgeable Therapists, Coaches, and Medical Professionals.

Practitioners who appear here have studied her work, often completed specific trainings, or passed tests tied to her resources. That means when you book a session, you’re far more likely to meet with someone who truly understands the trait and can offer guidance that respects your sensitivity.

For HSPs who have felt misunderstood by professionals in the past, this resource can be life-changing.

Where to Start: Browse the professional directory on hsperson.com to find an HSP-trained therapist or coach in your region (or one who works virtually).

6. Foundation for the Study of Highly Sensitive Persons

Another way Dr. Aron continues to help Highly Sensitive People today is through the Foundation for the Study of Highly Sensitive Persons, which she co-founded.

The foundation provides funding for new studies, promotes education, and ensures the trait of sensitivity is studied in rigorous, peer-reviewed contexts. For HSPs, this matters because it builds credibility and circulates recent discoveries into both academic and practical settings.

By supporting the foundation, you’re not just donating to research — you’re contributing to the broader cultural acceptance and understanding of what it means to be highly sensitive.

Where to start: Visit the Foundation page on hsperson.com to see how you can support current studies or keep up with newly funded projects.

7. High Sensation-Seeking HSP Resources

Not all Highly Sensitive People are the same, and Dr. Elaine Aron acknowledges this through resources for those who are both HSP and High Sensation Seeking (HSS). 

The truth is, the combination of craving novelty and excitement while also needing downtime and careful energy management can be tricky. The hsperson.com site offers an HSS self-test and highlights workshops and courses specifically designed for this unique mix.

In 2025, for example, courses such as The Sensation-Seeking Highly Sensitive Person that help HSPs learn how to balance their adventurous side with their sensitive nervous system appear on the events page.

You’ll also find a live HSP-HSS workshop scheduled for November, and taught by Dr. Tracy Cooper, in collaboration with The Living Adventurers (Annet van Duinen & Randy Grasser). For many people, this recognition feels like the missing puzzle piece.

Where to Start: Take the HSS self-test and explore current HSS-focused workshops & courses listed on hsperson.com.

Wrapping Up: Here’s How to Use Dr. Elaine Aron’s Work in 2025

Dr. Elaine Aron’s influence didn’t end with the 1990s research or her bestselling books on the Highly Sensitive Person trait (and how it manifests in various life stages). 

She remains a guiding voice for Highly Sensitive People today, offering resources that are current, accessible, and practical.

If you’re looking for next steps, here are three to try right now:

1. Take the updated self-tests, including the HSP-R scale, to see where you fall on the spectrum and which traits stand out.
2. Subscribe to Dr. Elaine Aron’s newsletter, so you never miss blog updates or announcements about her upcoming book.
3. Use the professional directory to find an HSP-trained therapist or coach who can walk alongside you.

In 2025, Highly Sensitive People don’t just have to rely on old books or isolated research. 

Thanks to Elaine Aron’s ongoing work and the practitioners who’ve adopted her research and taken her trainings, there’s a living, evolving body of knowledge and resources ready to support you.

Educate yourself through these resources so you can factually challenge society’s long-standing belief that sensitivity is weakness and advocate it as the strength it is.

***

With love and kindness,

Full List: All Resources by Dr. Elaine N. Aron

Categorized and linked for your convenience.

1. 3 High Sensitivity Self-Tests

And Dr. Aron provides 3 different self-tests: one for adults, one for children, and another for high sensation seekers.

• Are You Highly Sensitive? – This self-test comes with 27 statements and you’re supposed to check a box or leave it unchecked, depending on the way you personally feel. After which, you’re going to receive your score and an explanation of what it means.
• Is your child highly sensitive? – This self-test is for parents who would like to test their kids and find out if they are highly sensitive. It requires the parent to check boxes for statements that are true or moderately true for a child, either in the present or in the past.
• High Sensation Seeking Test – This self-test is for HSPs who feel they might also be high sensation seekers. It’s for HSPs who are always in search of an adventure, despite their innate inhibition system.

2. Comfort Zone Blog & Newsletter

Now and then, Dr. Elaine N. Aron will publish a blog post on a topic of her choosing or invite a guest to write a post. And while the blog isn’t as sequential as most blogs are, it remains an important resource attracting comments from HSPs around the world.

3. 7 Books about High Sensitivity

Since publishing her first book on high sensitivity – The Highly Sensitive Person, Dr. Aron has gone on to publish a series of books for different audiences. These books include:

• Psychotherapy and the Highly Sensitive Person – This book is written for professionals in the field of therapy, to help them understand the highly sensitive trait in relation to other traits like introversion and inhibition.
• The Highly Sensitive Parent – This book is for parents who happen to be highly sensitive. For parents who go through intense emotions and suffer enigmatic stress as a result.
• The Highly Sensitive Child – This book explores the unique challenges highly sensitive children face. And goes on to show how wrong parenting can turn otherwise creative and conscientious children into timid and fearful individuals.
• The Highly Sensitive Person in Love – This book is based on the fact that 50% of the time, genetic temperament is the reason people get a divorce. It offers practical advice on how to manage and understand relationships when the world overwhelms you.
• The Highly Sensitive Person Workbook – With a collection of exercises and activities for both individuals and groups, this workbook will help you identify the HSP trait in yourself, nurture the new, positive self-image you deserve, and create a fuller, richer life.
• The Undervalued Self – In this book, Dr. Elaine N. Aron explains that self-esteem results from having a healthy balance of love and power in our lives. You will learn to incorporate love into situations that seem to require power and deal with power struggles that mask themselves as issues of love.
• The Highly Sensitive Person – 25th Anniversary Edition – You know what’s better than the original? An updated copy of Dr. Aron’s bestselling book with additional research and explanations.

4. 4 Sensitivity Films & Documentaries

• Sensitive – The Untold Story: This is a documentary based on research findings by Dr. Elaine Aron and featuring Alanis Morissette – the multi-award-winning musician and actress.
• Sensitive and in Love: This is a feature film focusing on how high sensitivity affects your relationships with loved ones. And it demonstrates how a seemingly unbearable flaw can become a gift to the world.
• Sensitive Lovers: This one is a documentary providing the science and advice woven into Sensitive and in Love. It features Dr. Elaine Aron and her husband, Dr. Arthur Aron – a researcher of love and close relationships.