Sarita Fichtner: 0:20

Just because the majority of experiences aren't like mine doesn't mean that mine should be silenced. And it definitely doesn't mean that other people aren't experiencing something similar.

April Snow: 0:45

Welcome to Sensitive Stories, the podcast for the people who live with hearts and eyes wide open. I'm your host, psychotherapist and author April Snow. I invite you to join me as I deep dive into rich conversations with fellow highly sensitive people that will inspire you to live a more fulfilling life as an HSP without all the overwhelm. In this episode, I talk with Sarita Fitchner about making room for your sensitivity, being okay with not fitting in, and modeling acceptance and resilience for your sensitive child. Born and raised on the West Coast of Canada, Surita is a highly sensitive mom and children's book author of the Pop Out Loud series. She recognizes the importance of emotional wellness and is passionate about supporting highly sensitive children. Surita believes the world will change when we can mindfully embrace who we are from a young age. For more HSP resources and to see behind the scenes video from the podcast, join me on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube at Sensitive Strengths, or sign up for my email list. Links are in the show notes and at sensitivestories.com. And just a reminder that this episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment with a mental health or medical professional. Let's dive in the eighth.

Sarita Fichtner: 2:28

Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm so grateful to be back.

April Snow: 2:33

Yes. And listeners might remember you. You were on about a year ago, episode 30. We talked about big emotions and your debut children's book, Pop Out Loud. But now you have a second book. Yes. Which is exciting. Pop Out Loud first day of soccer. Yes. And we're gonna get into that a little bit. Yay! Yay! I know. Just to start off, if we can start talking about the topics in the book or the stories behind why you wrote these books, you know, what kinds of social pressures do highly sensitive kids typically face? What do you see?

Sarita Fichtner: 3:04

Well, uh, we live in such a loud world. And I think that right from the beginning, for all children, as like as soon as they're babies, there is a pressure to grow up to be a resilient child, to be confident and social. And that's just a given. And so I feel like young kids are expected to be like this within the first, you know, couple years of their life. So the pressures are there right from day one. And then with highly sensitive children right now in particular, I feel like one of the main pressures is the expectation to go through a big transition or new experience with no time to process all of this new sensory input and with no space to authentically express themselves.

April Snow: 4:02

Yeah, this is so true. I mean, it starts so early in childhood, and I see it kind of the other end in adults who are still facing this, right? But that's where it starts with, you know, when they're really young, even before school sometimes, where yeah, you're right. It's the pressure to be social, to fit in, to be exactly like all the other kids, to go at the same timeline as everyone else. And yeah, to just be quick. Like don't take a moment to put your shoes on, don't linger at the dinner table, get immediately out of the car as soon as you get to school. It just creates a lot of, I'm just feeling anxiety thinking about it.

Sarita Fichtner: 4:38

Yeah. Oh, yeah. And I mean, I think most HSPs are natural observers. And I think that is such a profound skill and way of learning. And we are kind of expected to just erase that and jump right in and participate. And I feel like, especially in group settings, that can just be jarring and so overwhelming that it wipes away the ability to learn, to retain anything that you're supposed to pick up on quickly, and even to like be present. And so that's where things start to get complicated because when you are so young and you have the ability to be a sponge and learn so quickly and so much, and it's such a gift, but that right kind of gets taken away from you when you are forced into these overwhelming situations that fit the mold of others' ideals.

April Snow: 5:36

Yeah, so true. That the very essence of you as a sensitive person, that observer, that you know, perceptive, aware person gets pushed to the side because I don't think there's a lot of value around that.

Sarita Fichtner: 5:50

Yeah, yeah. And I feel like the bottom line is that kids are kind of expected to be who they're not in a lot of situations. And that is harmful because authentic expression, I believe, is what makes the world go round. And I believe if more people were able to authentically express themselves, there would be more of a natural flow state to the whole world. And I genuinely have hope that there is a movement and an evolution towards this happening, especially with more resources like children's books that talk about big emotions and just more awareness in general about, you know, mental health is as important as physical health right from the beginning. Like we care about the sicknesses and the flus that babies get, but we have to be thinking mindfully about what's going on, yeah, cognitively and with emotions as well.

April Snow: 6:51

Yeah, right. All those pieces of health are so important and such a critical component of growing up, right? You only get to go through those phases one time. Oh, yeah.

Sarita Fichtner: 7:02

Yeah.

April Snow: 7:02

Yeah, as I'm sure you know as a parent.

Sarita Fichtner: 7:05

Well, as a parent, that kind of puts like a little bit of pressure, even though you just have to really trust. Like if you believe that you're giving your best, then that's all you can do, and trust that the lessons that come are going to be valuable for your child and for yourself.

April Snow: 7:23

Yeah, I remember learning in school, you know, the good enough parenting approach is good enough, right? Yes, you don't have to be perfect, it just takes a little bit of care or presence. You don't have to get it right every moment. So, yeah, let's take the pressure down for parents listening. Yeah, exactly. So, if for listeners who maybe have highly sensitive kiddos at home or have highly sensitive kids in our lives, you know, how can we help bring in some acceptance when these kids don't always fit in as sensitive kids?

Sarita Fichtner: 7:54

Yeah. So I think that really focusing on individualism and that not fitting in is such a gift. And if you can highlight that, like not fitting in is kind of the point of life, being who you are is the point of life. And I think that communication, of course, is key, but also being when it comes to like self-love and sensitivity, being a mirror and just showcasing your own self-love and sensitivity loudly. And I mean, self-love has always been there, but it's more of a newer concept to talk about. And the importance of it is now just being realized. And so I think a lot of people are kind of weary on where to start with self-love. People might not know, do I have a self-love? And so I think a great place to start there is with just introspection, asking questions about your own emotions, even questioning the good ones. Where are they coming from? Why are they happening? Where are they manifesting in your body? And all the data that you will collect from these kinds of questions will be the foundation of self-love, of cultivating self-love. And then I think by default, your children will pick up on this as well.

April Snow: 9:24

It's true. Because children are learning from you, they're borrowing your nervous system, they're modeling you. So yeah, loving yourself can teach them how to love themselves.

Sarita Fichtner: 9:33

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And just, I mean, I have so much fun dissecting my own emotions and doing it out loud. And then my kids just willingly join in, and now it's like second nature to them. And so yeah, I think it can really become just a natural way of communication in the household if you want it to be.

April Snow: 9:53

Oh, yeah, if you want it to be. Yeah. It's a it's something you do intentionally, right? Especially intentionally. You know, we've talked about kind of cycle breaking or you know, creating environments that are different than what you grow up in a lot on the pod. And it's true, we have to intentionally create a different culture in our homes. That is accepting and loving and you know, embraces imperfection, and you can go at your own pace and accept yourself. Yeah, beautiful. Can we talk a little bit about the book? And so you mentioned something there like doing it in front of your kids, right? Modeling that self-love, but also I'm curious about the Pop Out Loud series. Because Pop Out Loud is really expressing your emotions. Do I have that right?

Sarita Fichtner: 10:41

Yes, yes.

April Snow: 10:42

Can you tell us a little bit about the book? Yeah, for sure. At this stage.

Sarita Fichtner: 10:47

So, well, I have a copy here for those who are watching. Yes. Um and so the book came out on November 30th. And my first book, Pop Out Loud First Day of School, focuses on a little colonel who pops into a popcorn when he experiences big feelings. And that takes place on the first day of school, and it really focuses on introspection and picking up on what those big feelings are. And the second book, Pop Out Loud First Day of Soccer, follows those themes and also ties in mindfulness and the importance of communication and how at the end of the day, fostering self-love just adds to self-expression and is a form of self-care. And all of these things are so additive to our own self-worth.

April Snow: 11:42

Yes.

Sarita Fichtner: 11:43

And it's funny because there's a lot of self involved. And I know in the past, I think these things were kind of considered selfish because caring for oneself was not something that you did back then. But now I feel like it's so necessary if you want to be a good parent or a good friend or just a good human in society. Like we can't give what we don't have. So we have to fuel ourselves with everything that makes sense and feels aligned. And so much of that can be learned and brought about by self-expression.

April Snow: 12:24

I love that. Can't give what you don't have. Yeah, yeah. That is so true. And you're right, you know, when I grew up, probably when we both grew up, there wasn't that focus on self-care or pouring back into self. It was about being very selfless, which I think is fine to a point, but it gets very detrimental. It gets very harmful.

Sarita Fichtner: 12:43

Yeah, especially for highly sensitive people, I think, because we have the ability to give so much. And so we really need to take care of ourselves. I feel like what we have is such it's very powerful. And I feel like we can change the world with our gifts of sensitivity, but making sure that we are coming from like a charged place. Like you visualize a battery and like we need to be full and green and like fully charged because otherwise we're either just burning out or giving something that's inauthentic, which will probably lead to yeah, some sort of burnout.

April Snow: 13:26

Yeah, it's true. I mean, when you're more empathetic and you notice what people need, and you know it's hard to overlook what's happening outside of you and turn it back in and take care of yourself. But if you're learning that from the beginning in your early years, you see your parents modeling that, you know, that balance of caring for others, but caring for self. Yeah, you just plant that seed and it stays with you.

Sarita Fichtner: 13:53

Yes, no, for sure. And it's my hope that there are more kind of adults and not just the parents of highly sensitive children, but more adults in the areas like school and on the sports field that children can reach out to in the middle of um what might feel like a high pressure situation. And I think that the answer isn't always black or white, like it's not, okay, this is making me uncomfortable, so I'm just not gonna do it. It's like, okay, this is making me uncomfortable. How can I get help in this moment? And if there is somebody like a coach figure or a teacher who can provide that empathy and relatability in the moment and kind of just break down what might feel like an anxious moment and normalize it, then I think that can be so priceless and powerful.

April Snow: 14:53

Yeah, just think what my life would have been like if I wasn't so worried about being too much.

Sarita Fichtner: 14:59

Yeah.

April Snow: 15:00

Or my feelings being too big or messy, and I would have said, Hey, I'm feeling this and I need some help. That would have been a game changer.

Sarita Fichtner: 15:07

Yeah, yeah, definitely. Yeah. And I think in sports in per particular, like I was drawn to write my second book about soccer because sports traditionally don't have like they're obviously so much about physical health. There's not much of a focus on the mental health until now. And we're starting to see the need for it in the big spaces like the NHL or like the Olympics and how important mental health really is. And I think it goes all the way back to PE class in grade one. And so I definitely I think bridging yeah, the mental and the physical health fields is so important and will be quite a game changer.

April Snow: 15:51

Yeah, it would be. When you said PE, I just had like a cring.

Sarita Fichtner: 15:55

Oh I know that's that's gonna be in my mind forever, too.

April Snow: 16:01

I'm curious for you, because for me as an HSP in gym class, the intensity was there, the social pressure was there. It was very overwhelming, overstimulating for me. Was it the same for you?

Sarita Fichtner: 16:13

Exactly the same. I think that is probably my first defining moment of feeling like not just completely isolated, but like a sense of danger and as a human, and just like something is not right, like I don't feel like I belong here. And it was so like that's such a big bold statement around like a gym class in grade one. Like my son is in grade one now, and I could not imagine him experiencing like you know, a dark emotion like that. And I don't think that anyone that age has to or should. So yeah, I think there's things that we all can be doing about that.

April Snow: 17:00

Yeah, I mean, it was dangerous. I just think about going to school, elementary school in the 80s, it literally was dangerous. Right, yeah. Like not a lot of regulation happening. Right, yeah. So I don't think that's an outrageous statement. I think it's a very true statement.

Sarita Fichtner: 17:17

Yeah. And I mean, it's so interesting because we could all be at the same event watching with the same lighting, and every single person there will have a completely different experience. But just because the majority of experiences aren't like mine and they feel safe and fine and don't think twice about it, like doesn't mean that mine should be silenced. And it definitely doesn't mean that other people aren't experiencing something similar. So yeah.

April Snow: 17:49

Yeah, thank you for that. Because it's so true. We think we have to mold to what everyone else is experiencing, or if we're not experiencing what they are, or something wrong with us, and it's not true. No, yeah, it doesn't matter how many people are in the room, there's 10 people in the room, there's 10 different experiences.

Sarita Fichtner: 18:05

Yeah, yeah.

April Snow: 18:06

And all are valid.

Sarita Fichtner: 18:08

Exactly. And I think also as HSPs, we understand that because we were forced to learn that other people clearly feel and experience the world differently than us. And I think there's a big group of people who don't understand that there are different perspectives and different realities, and like that's kind of one of the biggest problems, you know, in the world, probably.

April Snow: 18:33

Yeah, absolutely true, right? That misunderstanding and not making space for difference and not seeing the value in it. Yeah. It's like by writing these books, you're normalizing the sensitive experience for kids, you're showing them a pathway. You said something just a bit ago about, you know, we have to change it. You know, like I'm just imagining that little five-year-old or six-year-old in a gym class or in on recess. What can parents do to help them feel a little bit more safe or secure?

Sarita Fichtner: 19:02

Right. Yes. Yeah. What does that look like? Yeah, that's right. Because it's impossible to control like which situations our kids are always going to be in. They're not always going to feel safe, even though that is like a hard concept to come to terms with. It's part of life. And so I think that even if their external environment is not perfect or ideal, we can teach them to foster an internal one that is. And so the tools of building self-worth and self-love will help do that. And same with allowing a safe space for self-expression, no matter how big those emotions are. And then having just an open, continuous conversation about those big emotions and all of these elements will build up such a secure inner state that it's going to be less likely that they feel unsafe in an external environment. And if they do, they'll probably start to be able to make sense of okay, I'm different, but that's okay. Or okay. Like this is unsafe, but that might just mean it's not for me. Yeah.

April Snow: 20:27

Yeah, exactly. If you build that internal foundation, things outside are not as scary.

Sarita Fichtner: 20:33

It's true. Or you are able to just surrender to them more. And then as an adult, like learn from them. And of course, there are so many tools as an adult that I have now that I wish I could just pass right on to my children. And I can't because they are not there yet. But really kind of getting on their level. And that's something that I feel like I have a gift in is just seeing the world through their eyes. And I hope that other HSPs might feel the same because we have that ability to be quite empathetic. And so yeah, getting onto their level and bringing connection through relatability, I think is really, really useful. And that's enough. Like we don't have to pass on the big tools that we've learned, you know, yeah 30 years later, but we can set them up to develop them themselves.

April Snow: 21:34

Yeah, you can plant those seeds even if the tools you're using aren't appropriate for them yet.

Sarita Fichtner: 21:40

Yeah, exactly.

April Snow: 21:41

Yeah. You said, you know, connection through relatability. Can you give me an example of that? What does that mean?

Sarita Fichtner: 21:49

Yeah, well, I guess just because I have such vivid memories of grade one. So I can dive right back into my childhood and I can physically feel so many feelings of very specific experiences. But if you can't do that, then I think it's okay to think about your own feelings day to day and say, like, oh, I was at the grocery store and you know, this weird situation happened. And it reminds me of like when you were talking to me about being at school and like that weird situation happened. And like, how did that make you feel? Oh, yeah, me too. Like, and I think normalizing conversations like that is really powerful because then when my kids are at school and those things are happening, they are probably they can start making mental notes about what they want to come home and talk about to me. And I think relatability is it seems like such a basic word, but it's so powerful because that feeling of connection, especially if you are the one who typically feels more isolated, it's just such a green flag. And it's just like almost becomes something tangible that you want to hold on to or bottle up. And so yeah, I think just anywhere you can bring in relatability really builds a foundation of trust and security.

April Snow: 23:19

Yeah, it's so true that when you're able to put yourself in your child's shoes, whether it's because you have a direct memory of that time or you're, I like that you said, find a situation in present day that you could then connect the dots back to their experience. Because that is so normalizing for a child to hear, me too, you're not alone, there's nothing wrong with you. I feel this way too sometimes. Like, oh, okay, I'm okay.

Sarita Fichtner: 23:44

Yeah.

April Snow: 23:44

It makes such a difference and it's lifelong.

Sarita Fichtner: 23:48

Exactly. Yes. Like, I think also when we were children, there was probably this kind of like picture painted that adults kind of you know grew up and had it all together and had two emotions, like happy or sad. Just went to work and like that was it, more of like a robotic feel. But now showing our kids that you don't have to chase happiness, you don't have to run and panic from fear and sadness. Like you can surrender, you can accept feelings like nervousness. And when you do so, that makes room for better feelings to come in. But just normalizing the ebb and flow of feelings of what they are, of the size of them, I think that is like a life skill.

April Snow: 24:42

Oh, it's so it's a big life skill. Just to be with your emotions and not try to control them or put them aside. It's like, oh yeah, you can have all these complex emotions and it's okay.

Sarita Fichtner: 24:54

Yes.

April Snow: 24:55

I love that. So throughout this process, it seems like you've learned quite a bit. We've talked about this a little bit in the first book, just about yourself and probably I imagine your parenting. So, with this second book, what have been the takeaways for you?

Sarita Fichtner: 25:10

Okay, well, yeah, similar to what we were just saying, I feel like overall the process has really instilled in me that the messy chaos can coexist with the magic. And I used to be such an all or nothing person, like black or white. And anytime I was in a period of darker kind of depression, I would seriously panic and try to escape. And I had experienced, of course, the beautiful highs of yeah, happiness and joy that highly sensitive people are lucky enough to feel. And so I would just try to make it my mission to exist, to run to that state and fully exist in it. And just in the process of becoming an author while being a mom has just really taught me how to let both sides coexist. And that, you know, that magical happiness is probably so meaningful because of the darker, messy chaos. And so I'm really grateful for that. But writing the second book in particular has taught me how important it is for highly sensitive people to live life on our own terms unapologetically. Like that is so extremely important. And when I was launching my first book, I didn't realize it at the time, but I was trying to be, you know, someone I'm not. I was trying to become what society thought of as a successful children's book author. And I don't know why, because I was like the master of just self-awareness and staying true to myself. And yet because I was jumping into this whole new world, I kind of thought, oh, that has to come with reinvention. But actually, the whole reason that I became a children's book author was because I felt so called to like my childlike self. And that's who I always was was somebody who was very sensitive and enjoyed being by themselves and enjoyed the quiet and imagination and not, you know, following the trends. And so in the process of launching my first book, I became really burnt out and I did not like that version of myself. I was very irritable. I wasn't sleeping. I was not a good mom. I didn't feel like a good partner. And so there was a point that I reached where I kind of felt like I had robbed myself of what could have been an amazing experience launching my first book. But because I was saying yes to all of this like social networking and a book reading at a bookstore, which is something that you would not think an author would be uncomfortable with, it really, yeah, it burnt me out. And so I had to make an intentional point to do some reflecting because I was asking myself, is this really worth it? And when I got to the point of self-reflection before writing my second book, I yeah, I realized that I was trying to be someone that I'm not. And I made a promise with myself that I'm gonna do things my way this time because, you know, who was making me go in that direction that felt misaligned? And it the answer was me. Like I was doing it. And I think that we sometimes feel like society is this governing force, but it's actually just existence. And we subconsciously pick up on what we think we should be doing, even if it's not directly told to us. So it's required a lot of mindfulness, but this time around, I have just been making sure anything I agree to is a full body yes. And if it's not, then it's a no. And I have, yeah, I've just been really, you know, focusing on what feels right, doing things my way. And it was somewhere in that point of self-reflection and working on my second book, where I came across your Instagram post and it said, what people think is best for you is only best for them. And you need to give yourself permission to live your life unapologetically. And then so that just was kind of like exactly what I needed to hear from someone I respect so much, and I really carried that with me through my whole journey in writing this second book. And I'm really, yeah, excited to have it out now.

April Snow: 30:07

Yeah, it's exciting to see you follow your own path through it because it's true. When we haven't done something before, we tend to follow the template that other people are using, not realizing it's not a good fit. And often we don't know until we've gone through it and realize, oh, this is too much, or this doesn't feel right. And yeah, I love that you're embracing doing it your way because there are so many ways to do it.

Sarita Fichtner: 30:33

Yes, there's infinite ways to do it, and it's the same with parenting. And parenting is it's much like you know, writing a book, they're deeply personal and challenging. But yeah, I think that just not doing it your way can be quite harmful, can be harmful for your kids. You have to really get to know yourself, and that's where the introspection comes in. And then when you do know yourself, you can look for those signs of what does a full body yes feel like? And then that all just kind of leads to more of a flow state than yeah, than anything else.

April Snow: 31:11

I love it. Yeah, it should be a full yeah. I'm curious for you what a full body yes, is there a sensation or an image that you have when that's present?

Sarita Fichtner: 31:21

It's very physical for me, and I think I'm not sure if I would have been able to decipher what a full body yes is like years ago before I did a lot of inner work because I was more impulsive before, and I think I acted more out of fear and what felt safer. And now I typically can just, even if I'm not, you know, in a quiet space, I can kind of tune inward and quiet my body. And I have a very like calm, it's particularly in my chest, it's a calm sense of peace that almost feels like unattainable in other circumstances. And it just because I've kind of practiced, okay, like I'm looking out for this feeling when something when I'm making a decision and something I think feels right. And that feeling continuously shows up time and time again when it feels right. And then, you know, of course, there are full body no's. And so if I ever receive a full body no, I'm also paying attention to that. And then if ever like a small piece of that no shows up in daily life or daily decisions, I'm always mindful of that as well.

April Snow: 32:39

So even a little bit of a no, is that turned into a full no?

Sarita Fichtner: 32:43

It depends on the magnitude of the decision, but like honestly, yes, like usually that's how I've been trying to be quite intuitive during this writing process in particular and the self-publishing process and the launch. And so it's worked out that way so far. Yeah.

April Snow: 33:02

Yeah. I mean, this is just a great metaphor for anything in life, right? As an HSP of checking in with your gut, taking time to listen inward, being careful not to get caught up in just mimicking what everyone else is doing. Although I know that can be like you're saying, it's a process of turning back inward and getting to know yourself again. Yeah, but it's such a good anchor point, taking care of yourself in embodying that self-love. Like, I'm gonna do what feels right for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then the time.

Sarita Fichtner: 33:36

Yeah. Sometimes if that ever feels like too self-righteous or something, then I'm like, okay, but like then what? You know, like I'm not no one is being harmed in the process of saying yes to myself. And so yeah, I think if you're able to listen to your gut, that is such a strong and powerful thing. And if you're still confused on what a gut feeling is versus anxiety, there are definitely ways to learn and learn to tune into your body.

April Snow: 34:07

Yeah, exactly. It sounds like this process of writing not just one, but two books now. It's really embracing the layers, the complexities, the messiness with the magic, and knowing that both are okay. And yeah. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. Yeah, I love that. Sreen, I'm wondering if there's any final messages you want to share with listeners.

Sarita Fichtner: 34:30

Yeah, when it comes to sensitivity, I would say incorporate it into your everyday life. If you can do that, then it's going to start to fuel you. If you consider yourself a highly sensitive person and you're either honoring or just somehow leaning into sensitivity every day, it's going to start feeling more and more natural to you. It's going to fuel you more, and it's going to look different for everyone. It could be a mindfulness walk or researching being highly sensitive or sitting down with your kids and reading a book about imagination and emotions. Or it could be skipping doing the dishes one night and sitting down with your coziest blanket, watching a show with your cats and popcorn, and hopefully it's a show that makes you feel. And then, yeah, just like leaning into those moments can be so powerful and it's such a simple thing. But if you do it intentionally, it can really build that sense of self along with fostering sensitivity in general as a strength.

April Snow: 35:43

I love that. Yeah, welcoming in, inviting your sensitivity to be part of your everyday life, not to push it aside. And yeah, it can show up in subtle ways. Also, I love the idea of bringing your kids into the mix. You know, because it can be a family affair. Like let's take care of ourselves. Yeah, that's a really beautiful reminder. I think we are often fighting it. It's like, no, let's learn a little bit about it. Let's follow that impulse to curl up on the couch and do the dishes in the morning, right? If that's where your energy's at. And let there be fluidity there.

Sarita Fichtner: 36:15

Exactly, exactly. It does take a little bit of mindfulness, but yeah, once it becomes a practice, it will start to become more natural and then it will become really innate. So yeah.

April Snow: 36:26

Yeah, just with anything. I'm curious. You said sit on the couch with popcorn. Is that one of your favorite snacks?

Sarita Fichtner: 36:33

Yes. Yeah. I'm very passionate about popcorn.

April Snow: 36:38

Oh, I love that. And yeah, love that that makes sense why the books are following kernels.

Sarita Fichtner: 36:44

Yeah. No, it it has to, it felt that authentic to me for sure. And yeah.

April Snow: 36:50

But I love that because it's there's that underlying subtle meaning in the book as well, which I think is really lovely. Yeah.

Sarita Fichtner: 36:57

Definitely. Yeah.

April Snow: 36:58

Well, thank you so much for this. I will obviously share your books in the show notes along with your website, your social media. Where can listeners find your new book or both of your books if they want to? Yeah.

Sarita Fichtner: 37:09

So they're available online on Amazon, on Barnes and Noble, on Indigo, and at my website, www.saritaimagine.com. Um, yeah, thank you so much. I'm so, so excited that we got to do this.

April Snow: 37:25

Yeah, same. Thank you, Sarita. Thanks so much for joining me and Sarita for today's conversation. I hope it will leave you inspired to make space for your sensitive needs. And if you have kids, inviting them into the process of self-care with you. If you have a sensitive little one in your life or you're nurturing your own inner child, pick up Sarita's new book, Pop Out Loud, First Day of Soccer. You can also find the first book in the series, Pop Out Loud. Links are in the show notes. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the Sensitive Stories podcast so you don't miss our upcoming conversations. Reviews and ratings are also helpful and appreciated. For behind the scenes content and more HSB resources, you can sign up for my email list or follow Sensitive Strengths on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Check out the show notes or sensitivestories.com for all the resources from today's episode. Thanks for listening.