An Unrepentant Dabbler and a Singularly Sensitive Revolution

Welcome to my Substack

Welcome to the Singularly Sensitive Substack!

If you’re deep-thinking, even deeper feeling, and have been accused of caring too much a time or ten in your life, you have found a kindred spirit here at Singularly Sensitive. I’m hoping that you’ll choose to be a part of this growing community that is committed to transforming the world without exhausting ourselves.

I’m Lori, a writer, psychologist, and unrepentant dabbler. I came to Substack because there are times when the collar of my psychologist identity fits too tightly. Certain subjects, certain angles are not welcomed in my ordinary professional circles. Stick to your lane, I’m told.

The problem? I believe that my lane is all human stories. Not just the stories that fall neatly into a diagnostic category or follow the arc of an empirically supported treatment.

Don’t get me wrong. Professional psychology has accompanied me through a rich landscape of human growth and development. Psychology does many things well.

Psychology has been a faithful guide over the last quarter century of working with clients. It has allowed me to dive deep and specialize in working with gifted, creative, highly sensitive people (HSPs). I developed the Singularly Sensitive approach that this Substack is named after to help my clients grow in ways that are congruent with their personalities. I’ve even written a book based on Singularly Sensitive to reach people beyond my office.

Singularly Sensitive is bespoke and demands authenticity. It is rooted in progressive, intersectional values. Its mission is to radically nurture new stories and new storytellers (that’s people like you) who will transform social, economic, and environmental systems. And it has done that for me and for hundreds of clients and readers of my book.

But Singularly Sensitive is an approach that doesn’t sit comfortably within the mold of conventional psychology’s interest in pathology, individual solutions, and the narrow confines of DSM diagnoses.

There are more stories to be told, more experiences to live, than the domain of professional psychology can hold. There are ways of communicating, crafting new stories, and making an impact that I long to explore. I long to do it as part of a community.

I’ve brought the Singularly Sensitive approach to Substack to let it shake off the constraints, to allow it to breathe and grow. And I hope that you’ll choose to join me in that process.

*****

There are two things you should know about me.

First, I am not here to maintain the status quo.

For me, the constraints of psychology, like those of most systems, are inherently oppressive. While psychology has many noble qualities, it continues to blame individuals for their suffering and largely ignore their context. It offers one-size-fits-all solutions and denigrates the individual who cannot adapt that solution to the complexities of their lives.

We cannot nurture individuals and communities, solve social problems, or heal the environment using oppressive systems.  

I will not be complicit in my own oppression. Singularly Sensitive is here to foment a revolution.

I envision a revolution in which kind, conscientious, sensitive, compassionate people change their stories and claim their power, so that they can transform themselves, their communities, and the world. A revolution in which imperfect people take values-aligned action and challenge oppression from within.

Does this resonate with you? Are you deep-thinking, empathic, and a big dreamer, endlessly passionate about what you believe in—but feel stuck in a world that doesn’t fit you? Are you pissed off, morally wounded, or just plain heartbroken over the state of the world and your own place in it?

Singularly Sensitive is a place for you.

The world is desperate for people like us to get out of our heads, our hearts, and our paralysis and make a real difference. That can mean looking within to change ourselves. It also means directing our attention to other people, communities, social systems, or the environment. Whatever good grows in one area ripples out to all the others.

We cannot afford to give up because we’re overwhelmed, under-resourced, burned out, or broken by the system. If we numb out, get cynical, or give up (all responses that make sense and that I’ve done), the world loses.

And so do we.

I know that there is a particular misery that caring, thoughtful, conscientious people experience when we are not living according to our values and making an impact. No amount of self-care, vacation time, or distraction can lift that misery for long.

The cure is to take action. Singularly Sensitive offers a way to do that without exhausting yourself or surrendering to the bleakness of the world.

For years, I thought being a therapist was the best way to support people like me and you. And I’m still working as a psychologist because I believe that this work makes a difference to some people at some points. But it no longer seems like enough.

Hence this Substack, Singularly Sensitive.

I’m stirring up some revolutionary personal growth, beyond the constraints of what psychology covers. And I’m nurturing a small community of likeminded, like-hearted people who are looking for a place to bring all of themselves to supporting each other in making a difference in the world.

If that appeals to you, I hope you’ll subscribe and come along for the ride.

The second thing you should know about me is that I’m a dabbler at heart.

Generations past, were I not female, I might have been considered a Renaissance man. I’m happiest learning something new. Making connections among subjects. Finding ways to gather a depth of knowledge without being locked into a single area of expertise. I love learning about everything.

Yet contemporary western society values expertise, specialization, narrow focus.

Dabbling has a bad reputation. It’s seen as lacking seriousness and commitment. It connotes frivolousness. It should most certainly be outgrown by adulthood.

And honestly, I tried. If I couldn’t do a bit of everything, then I’d bring as much homogeneity as possible to my therapy practice. No narrow niche for me!

Yet even as I’ve rooted myself in a diverse psychotherapy career, my dabbler spirit has longed for more.

And so, I branched out from therapy. I formulated and wrote about my Singularly Sensitive approach. Took on freelancing and speaking assignments. Created an online course about performance anxiety and imposter syndrome tailored to people like us.

These things have been satisfying…but they just aren’t enough for me any more.

I’m no longer willing to stay in the narrow inlet of psychology when every part of my being longs to explore the entire pond of human experience. The urge to dabble in wider waters has grown too strong.

When I dabble, I draw sustenance from moving through the flow of the universe. I sample and take in what enriches me. I stay in one spot, going deep when I’m moved to do so. Or I move on when I have exhausted what nurtures me.

I trust the process of dabbling, knowing that there is always something fresh and new ahead of me. For me.

Is this process one that’s right for you, too?

*****

Join the Singularly Sensitive Revolution

While the Singularly Sensitive Substack is my place to dabble, to babble, to flow, I don’t intend it to be a solo endeavor.

People like us need each other. Yes, even when we’re profoundly introverted (as I am) and get easily overstimulated in social settings (that’s me).

We need spaces where we don’t have to explain why we’re moved to tears by the things we care about. Where our deep introspection is welcomed, not written off as overthinking.

And we need to feel like we’re not alone in dreaming about more for ourselves and our worlds. Have a community around us that is devoted to personal growth and transforming the world for the better is essential to our wellbeing.

There’s room in this revolution for your individual interests, desires, and life circumstances. After all, Singularly Sensitive is about being uniquely yourself. I want you to be the highest version of yourself so that the world is transformed by your presence.

My dream is that Singularly Sensitive becomes a vibrant community of people who care deeply, are committed to growing even through discomfort, and have a passionate vision for making a difference in the world—and are doing that every day.

I’m inviting you to this space because you are vital to this revolution.

I hope you’ll comment, restack, and share this newsletter with the people you know belong here. I want to hear about your dabbles and delights, share what I’ve learned along the way, and see what we create.

I can’t tell you exactly what will come next. Knowing myself, I’ll be sharing personal reflections, essays, meditation and guided imagery, and guided journal prompts. Maybe more (dabbler!). I trust that this Substack will grow organically with time.

I’m so grateful you’re part of this revolutionary journey to make ourselves and the world Singularly Sensitive!

Disclaimer

The Singularly Sensitive Substack is an educational and informational publication. It does not provide and is not a substitute for therapy, psychological services, or medical diagnosis or treatment with a licensed healthcare professional. While Lori L. Cangilla, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, she is not establishing a professional relationship with you, the reader, or providing any psychological/healthcare services to you. Please consult a licensed healthcare provider in your local area if you wish to establish psychological services or use a local crisis service provider for urgent assistance.