I am sure that you are all painfully familiar with the phrase "You are too sensitive." The implication is that the person is overly and unnecessarily reactive to others, particularly during interpersonal interactions. Yes, any individual may be sensitive, but what exactly constitutes "too sensitive"? And is it helpful to make this comment about someone's reaction to a situation? In fact, if you tell someone who is reacting sensitively to a comment that they are over-reacting, you are likely invalidating their feelings and making them feel like their feelings are not acceptable.

Consider the adult who remembers being called a crybaby by her parents. Interactions affected her deeply and while she continues to be an empathic and loving woman, she has worked hard in therapy on learning to pay attention to her reactions to her environment........

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