Creator: Alane Freund
Audience: All Highly Sensitive People, people exploring the HSP trait, and helping professionals
Price: Free
Access: Are You Truly Anxious or a Highly Sensitive Person?
It's a question many people ask after years of feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or constantly on edge. Perhaps you've been told you're "too sensitive," or maybe you've assumed anxiety is the only explanation for your experiences.
While anxiety and high sensitivity often overlap, they aren't the same thing. Understanding the difference can help you respond to yourself with more compassion and choose support that's better suited to your needs.
That's exactly what Alane Freund explores in this free masterclass. Drawing on decades of experience working with Highly Sensitive People, she explains how to recognize the HSP trait, distinguish it from anxiety, and better understand your unique nervous system.
What this resource is about
Are You Truly Anxious or a Highly Sensitive Person? is a free online masterclass presented by Alane Freund, LMFT, an International Consultant on High Sensitivity (ICHS) who has spent more than two decades educating, counselling, and advocating for Highly Sensitive People.
In this training, Alane explores one of the most common sources of confusion among HSPs: the relationship between Sensory Processing Sensitivity (the HSP trait) and anxiety.
The masterclass explains how the two can share similar characteristics while remaining fundamentally different. It also highlights why many highly sensitive people are mistakenly identified as having only anxiety, when sensitivity itself is a normal, inherited temperament trait found in approximately 20% of the population.
Throughout the session, Alane combines research, professional experience, and practical examples to help participants better understand their own experiences.
Topics include:
- what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person
- the key characteristics of the HSP trait
- how anxiety differs from high sensitivity
- why HSPs may be more vulnerable to anxiety
- common misconceptions about sensitivity
- practical ways to support a highly sensitive nervous system
- strategies for living more comfortably as an HSP
The masterclass is designed as an educational introduction, making it accessible whether you're new to the HSP concept or looking to deepen your understanding.
What you'll learn or gain
By attending the masterclass, you may:
- understand the difference between high sensitivity and anxiety
- recognize whether the HSP trait resonates with your own experiences
- learn why sensitivity is not a disorder or diagnosis
- gain insight into how overstimulation can contribute to anxious feelings
- develop greater self-compassion
- discover practical ways to care for your nervous system
- learn where to find additional HSP resources and support
For many participants, one of the biggest takeaways is the reassurance that sensitivity itself is a natural way of experiencing the world—not something that needs to be fixed.
Who it's for
This masterclass may be especially helpful for:
- people wondering whether they're Highly Sensitive
- newly identified HSPs
- HSPs experiencing anxiety or chronic stress
- parents of sensitive children
- therapists, coaches, and helping professionals
- anyone interested in learning about the science behind high sensitivity
It's particularly valuable for people who have long questioned whether their experiences stem from anxiety alone or from a naturally sensitive nervous system.
Key benefits
Here are a few reasons this resource stands out:
- Completely free to attend
- Presented by an International Consultant on High Sensitivity (ICHS)
- Explains one of the most misunderstood aspects of the HSP trait
- Grounded in the research on Sensory Processing Sensitivity
- Suitable for both beginners and experienced HSPs
- Combines education with practical insights
- Provides a compassionate, non-pathologizing perspective on sensitivity
Its greatest strength is helping participants separate the HSP trait from common misconceptions while recognizing how the two experiences can interact.
Any limitations
As a free introductory masterclass, it offers an overview rather than in-depth training.
If you're looking for ongoing guidance, personalized coaching, or a deeper exploration of the HSP trait, you'll likely want to continue with additional resources after the session.
The masterclass is educational in nature and should not be considered a replacement for professional mental health care or a clinical assessment if you're experiencing significant anxiety or other mental health concerns.
As with many free online programs, registration is required before you can access the presentation.
Where to access it
Masterclass: Are You Truly Anxious or a Highly Sensitive Person?
Creator: Alane Freund, LMFT, ICHS
Price: Free
Format: Online masterclass
Personal take
One of the reasons I like this masterclass is that it addresses a question that many sensitive people quietly carry for years.
When you've spent much of your life feeling overwhelmed, it's easy to assume that anxiety is the whole story. And while anxiety may certainly be part of the picture, understanding the HSP trait can completely change how you interpret your experiences.
Alane has a gift for explaining high sensitivity in a way that's both research-informed and reassuring. If you're still trying to understand your nervous system, or if you're supporting someone who is, this masterclass offers an excellent place to begin.
Related resources
You may also want to explore:
- Are You Highly Sensitive (AYHS)
- The Highly Sensitive Person
- High Sensitivity and Anxiety: Free Masterclass with Julie
- Sensitive
Category links
Filed under: Freebies
You can also browse: Courses, Communities, Books, and Anxiety & Emotional Wellbeing Resources.
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