Creative Support for Sensitive Women in High-Stress Roles
You walk into the meeting already sensing something’s off.
The project’s on track, the team is performing, but under the surface, there’s tension. And you feel it.
Later, you replay every word you said. You wonder if your quiet pause was read as weakness, or if you misread the tone when no one else seemed to notice anything at all.
If you’ve ever felt like the only one in the room picking up the unspoken stress, the emotional undercurrents, or the smallest shift in dynamic, you’re not imagining it.
You might be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). And if you're working in science, tech, or engineering, that sensitivity can feel like a mismatch.
But it’s not a flaw.
It’s something worth caring for.
In a recent episode of Annet van Duinen's Strong & Sensitive podcast, I shared how creative wellness helped me move from constant overstimulation to calm, and how this same shift is now helping other women in STEM reconnect with themselves after burnout.
What Sensitivity Looks Like in a STEM Role
I didn’t always have the language for being highly sensitive. I just knew I was always the one noticing the shift in a team’s energy, the stress behind someone’s smile, or the way the tone of a meeting could change in an instant.
For years, I worked in environments that prioritized logic over emotion and speed over reflection. On paper, I was doing well. I had the right roles, delivered the right results, kept up with the pace. I adapted.
But internally, I was holding so much.
Soothing tensions others didn’t see.
Over-preparing to avoid criticism.
Feeling everything, all the time, without ever naming it.
Eventually, it caught up with me.
It wasn’t one big crash. More like a slow erosion. I was tired. Disconnected. Overloaded. Even painting, which used to bring me joy, started to feel like too much.
The turning point came during the pandemic, when everything quieted down. In that stillness, I realized just how much I had been pushing through. And how empty I felt.
One afternoon, I picked up a marker and started drawing shapes. No plan. No pressure. Just movement. That small act gave me something I hadn’t felt in a long time: relief.
It didn’t solve anything, but it made space for something to surface.
And that space was everything.
Why Creative Practices Work When You’re Overstimulated
Highly Sensitive People process things deeply. We notice subtle shifts in our environment. We think things through from multiple angles. We carry more internally than most people realize.
That depth is a gift, but it can also lead to overload. Crowded meetings, rapid-fire deadlines, or emotional tension can leave us overstimulated before lunch.
In those moments, words often fall short. Talking about what’s going on can feel impossible.
That’s where creative practices come in. Not for performance. Not for productivity. Just for presence.
Simple drawing activities like spirals, repetitive marks, or colour washes gently engage the body and calm the mind. They give form to emotions that don’t yet have language. They create a safe pause in a world that moves too fast.
And most importantly, they don't ask for perfection.
One Small Practice That Can Make a Big Difference
If you’ve been feeling scattered, drained, or unsure of what you even need, the Word Mandala is a gentle place to begin.
Here’s how it works:
- Take a blank piece of paper and draw a circle.
- In the centre, write one word that describes how you’re feeling.
Maybe it’s “tense,” “hopeful,” “blank,” or “unsure.” - In concentric rings, add words that relate to the centre.
Thoughts, sensations, colours, or associations—whatever comes up. - Keep going until something feels complete.
There’s no right way to do it.
Some people colour it in. Others just sit with what’s there.
For my clients, this practice often starts with “I don’t know what I’m feeling.” But within a few rings, something starts to shift. Patterns emerge. Words surface. A quiet understanding arrives.
It’s not therapy. It’s not performance.
It’s just a way to listen inward without needing to explain.
What Happens When You Stop Pushing Through
Many of the women I work with have spent years over-adapting. They’re skilled, responsible, and sensitive. They often carry the emotional weight of their teams without acknowledgment.
They’re also the first ones to minimize their own needs. To keep saying yes. To keep going.
But that’s what leads to burnout.
In coaching, we don’t start with goals. We start with presence.
A question like, “What feels loud today?”
A drawing like, “Where is stress showing up in your body?”
Sometimes, it’s just a scribble. A shape. A burst of colour.
And then, slowly, something softens. The pressure to perform eases. The nervous system settles.
From that place, self-trust can begin to return.
How Creativity Supports Sensitivity
The women I work with don’t need another productivity tip. They need space.
Creative wellness offers that.
Here’s what that looks like in real life:
- A systems engineer creates 2-minute colour washes between back-to-back Zoom calls to reset her focus.
- A new team lead uses the Traffic Light drawing to map out what fuels her, what drains her, and what she’s ready to stop pretending is fine.
- A data analyst makes a weekly Word Mandala instead of a to-do list, just to check in with herself.
These aren’t big, dramatic changes. They’re tiny shifts that support emotional regulation, reflection, and clarity.
They’re ways of being with your sensitivity instead of bracing against it.
And that’s what makes the difference.
You Don’t Need to Be an Artist
Creative wellness isn’t about making something beautiful. It’s about feeling a little more like yourself.
You don’t need special materials.
You don’t need a new habit or morning routine.
You just need a moment.
A marker. A piece of paper. A quiet pause.
If that sounds like the kind of reset you’ve been needing, you’re not alone.
This work is especially for you if:
- You feel like you’re always “on”
- You overthink even small conversations
- You long for a moment of calm without having to explain why
A Gentle Next Step
If this resonates, there are two simple ways to begin.
First, you can sign up for The Creative Shift, my weekly newsletter with gentle creative practices and reflections designed for women in STEM. It’s like a quiet check-in with someone who gets it.
Second, you’re invited to try the 5-Day Creative Reset Challenge. It’s free, low-pressure, and includes five short practices you can try at your own pace. No fancy tools. No expectations. Just a chance to reconnect.
Sensitivity isn’t a flaw. It’s a form of awareness.
And when you support it, rather than suppress it, you begin to bring more clarity, care, and creativity into your life.
You’re allowed to start small.
That’s where the shift begins.