Psychiatrist and empath Dr. Judith Orloff joined guest host Ryan Wrecker (email) to discuss her new children's book, "The Highly Sensitive Rabbit," aimed at helping psychic and highly sensitive kids who often feel misunderstood, shamed, or bullied. Through the story, she introduces coping tools such as breathing, setting boundaries, and taking alone time, helping children embrace their intuitive gifts rather than fear them. Orloff said she drew on her own childhood experiences—growing up with intuitive premonitions in a family of physicians who dismissed them—to emphasize the importance of children feeling proud of their sensitivities and being supported by parents and grandparents.
She described how sensitivity in children often shows up as a love of animals, nature, quiet activities, and music, while overstimulation from noise, smells, or crowds can lead to tantrums or tears. Intuitive children may also dream of future events or sense energy from people and environments, which can be frightening if not understood. Orloff stressed that parents need to reassure kids that these experiences are natural and not caused by them, guiding them to see intuition as a gift. She emphasized that children can become overwhelmed or even bullied for these traits, making it vital for adults to protect and nurture their abilities.
Orloff highlighted how empaths of all ages must learn to manage their openness in a world full of negativity. She argued that empathy becomes harmful only when it lacks boundaries—leading to exhaustion or illness. With proper boundaries, empaths can channel their insight and compassion without absorbing all the pain around them. She also addressed cultural differences, noting that indigenous and Aboriginal traditions honor intuition and dreams, while Western society often dismisses them. Orloff expressed hope her work will encourage sensitive people to develop resilience, set limits, and use their gifts to enrich both their own lives and the world.
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In the second half, Oracle expert Colette Baron-Reid described how her intuitive abilities first emerged in childhood through recurring dreams tied to her family's history in World War II. These visions, which she later connected to the Holocaust and her grandfather's death in a concentration camp, marked the beginning of her awareness that she could perceive things beyond her immediate experience. Reinforced by a psychic nanny who recognized her "sight," Baron-Reid admitted struggling as a young person with blurred boundaries between herself and others, which contributed to serious challenges, including alcoholism and addiction. Her eventual recovery through sobriety and spirituality laid the foundation for transforming her intuitive gift into a professional path.
Baron-Reid described manifestation as an artistic and spiritual process that extends beyond intellect. She emphasized that traditional manifestation practices often focus too much on mental visualization, but her method integrates drawing and symbolic art to engage the motor, visual, and emotional centers of the brain simultaneously. By incorporating physical movement and creativity, she explained, people activate deeper levels of awareness and alignment. This method mirrors ancient practices in which early humans used cave art and symbols to invoke successful hunts or blessings, demonstrating that art has long served as a bridge between intention and reality. She connected these practices to neuroscience, pointing out that art has a direct impact on the brain's chemistry and perception.
Baron-Reid also emphasized that manifestation is not merely about forcing outcomes, but about aligning with divine will and allowing for unexpected surprises. She advised creating vision boards or symbolic maps with space left open for the universe to "pick" on one's behalf, which she said encourages surrender as part of the process. This openness, she argued, prevents fixation on narrow desires and allows better possibilities to emerge. For her, art becomes both a practical and mystical tool, an embodied way to engage spirit, recondition the mind, and direct the brain toward hope, possibility, and transformation.