The Gentle Impact of Art: Three Stories of Healing for Sensitive Souls
- Dr Pranita Rao
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
What is sensitivity?
A person may be sensitive if they are more aware of various stimuli, such as sounds, crowds, emotions, thoughts, energy, words, and art. Sensitive individuals possess a heightened degree of awareness compared to the average person. Dr. Elaine Aron, a scientist, suggests that 10-30% of the population is highly sensitive, and 10%-30% of the human population experiences sensitivity at a much larger scale than the rest. Here, by "highly sensitive people", I mean individuals who are more aware of various stimuli than others.
In fact, fish, fruit flies, primates, dogs, and mammals may also be highly sensitive to certain chemicals. In fact, sensitivity isn't a random occurrence, but research suggests that it could stem from a genetic adaptation or an evolutionary change.
I would like to add that there is nothing to be scared of, as sensitivity enables us to have various types of gifts, including creative, scientific, cognitive, psychic, intuitive, and emotional gifts.
P.S. - I am highly sensitive, and in general, I am sensitive to many stimuli, but the stimuli that stand out for me are energy, art, words, plants, animals, crowds, noises, and emotions. The key to understanding one’s sensitivity is to give it the time and tools it requires to work for one's benefit and happiness :). Also, I understand that the topic of sensitivity and high sensitivity can bring up many emotions. Please be patient, as I mean well and wish to support and not trigger readers in anyway.
Now, if you’re a sensitive painter, creator, healer, highly sensitive person, or someone who feels emotions deeply, you already know how much energy you give away every day.
What you may not realize is that your sensitivity can actually become your strongest advantage when you have the right space to express it.
Today, I’m sharing three case studies that show why art helps sensitive people reset faster, think clearer, and feel more in control of one's inner world. These stories reflect the same patterns I see in my clients: smart, talented, emotionally perceptive individuals who have been giving, listening, and supporting everyone except themselves.
If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, these case studies will resonate with you.
Case study 1: Sara, the psychologist who needed a pause
Sara spends her days listening to others. She’s skilled, thoughtful, and committed, but she forgot how to commit to her own inner world. When she came to me, she felt mentally crowded and emotionally drained.
What helped her get back to herself?
It was not more thinking or more intellectual reflection.
Simple art with blue and white colors and wave-like strokes with some dots here and there. Nothing complex.
Within 60 minutes, she felt grounded again. She felt connected. She felt like she finally had space to exhale.
What changed?
She gave herself permission to receive the same care she gives others.
Case study 2: Vincent Van Gogh and art as a healing tool
Vincent Van Gogh is known for Starry Night, but behind the brush, he was someone who felt deeply, maybe more deeply than most people around him could understand. Despite poverty, health struggles, and heartbreaks, he kept painting.
Why?
It could have been because art acted as his processing system, his way of organizing emotion, and his way of staying in touch with himself.
Look at any of his paintings, and you’re not just seeing art, you’re seeing how a sensitive mind turns inner chaos into structure, color, and meaning. That’s the same instinct many sensitive painters have today, even if they don’t realize it yet.
Case study 3: Ilse Sand's research on expression for sensitive people
After reading psychotherapist Ilse Sand's book, "Highly Sensitive People In An Insensitive World: How to Create A Happy Life", I was reminded that sensitive people give more attention, empathy, and presence than most. But they express far less.
This creates an imbalance, as they absorb everything and release nothing.
Her research shows that making art can aid in expression. Also, in my opinion, you don’t need words, you don’t need explanations, and you don’t need a performance.
You just need a canvas that will hold what you’ve been holding for everyone else.
This is the reason sensitive painters and healers often feel immediate relief through even the simplest form of creative expression.
What do all three stories reveal?
Whether you’re a psychologist like Sara, a painter like Van Gogh, or someone who listens more than you speak, your sensitivity isn’t working against you. It’s asking for space, structure, and permission.
Art gives you that reliability.
It meets you where you are.
It helps you think, rest, and reset.
And it turns your sensitivity into clarity.
This is what my entrepreneurial work is built on: helping sensitive people use creativity as a practical tool for emotional clarity and personal expansion.
About My Work
I’m Pranita Rao. I work with sensitive individuals, highly sensitive individuals, creative souls, healers, and spiritual seekers who want a soft and private space to express themselves and understand their sensitivity without labels, heaviness, or emotional confusion.
My work combines sensitivity, creative expression, emotional clarity, simple structures, and intuitive guidance.
There is no specific spiritual identity or artistic credentials required to learn about your sensitivity. There are no titles involved either. It is just a clear space to think, feel, create, and move forward.
For sensitive individuals, highly sensitive individuals, creative individuals, and healers ready for their next step:
If you’re seeking more intuitive structure, more clarity, and a consistent space for your inner child, I invite you to take this seriously.
This is not a casual offering.
It is for individuals ready to invest in themselves and commit to meaningful growth.
If you're ready to commit, please book your 30-minute clarity call with me.
We’ll discuss where you are, what you need, and whether you’re comfortable joining my 12-week coaching program.
This program is only for committed learners and individuals seeking clarity, structure, results, and the ones prepared to invest in their sensitivity.
If that’s you, please book your call and let’s begin :).
I thank you for reading this blog post. On a personal note, I wish to make blogging my passive income stream and earn a 6-7 figure income through blogging. It would help if you could collaborate in making my dream come true for the education that my content provides. I would appreciate it if you like, share, and subscribe to my blog. If my work changes your perspective, creates a shift for you, or reminds you of your story, please do share it in the comments section below.
Until next time, my friend!
-Love and hugs,
Pranita
Word count - 1097
Did you enjoy my post? If you're a visual person and need to hear someone's voice to understand them better, I encourage you to visit my YouTube channel and Instagram page. In fact, if you wish to consume more content by me, here is a video of me sharing a case study about Vincent Van Gogh showcasing the benefits of art for sensitive souls:
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Disclaimer: Please note that the information on this site and blog is not medical information. Expressive Sensitive is a space to inform, educate, and engage highly sensitive people about the relationship between abstract art and high sensitivity. Please be advised that I utilize my education and experience as an artist, healer, energy worker, and a science communicator to create authentic content in this space.
To get medical support, please reach out to a qualified medical professional. Please reach out to authorized educational professionals to replicate my artistic or emotional coping methods.
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