Interview #14 with Willow McIntosh really knocked my socks off as we discussed his conceptualization of High Sensory Intelligence and so many aspects of leaning in to sensitivity as having a purpose.
Incredible material for Sensitive Men Rising, the first film about highly sensitive men, or high sensory men, if you like, directed by Will Harper, also director for Sensitive-The Untold Story. As the co-producer of Sensitive Men Rising, it is my unique and humble privilege to meet these fascinating and beautiful people in the world who are working incredibly hard to raise consciousness and serve others who may be on their own paths of self-exploration, self-acceptance, and meeting each challenge on their own hero’s journey.
EVERYONE will then have a chance to meet these wonderful men and women through the film
Sensitive Men Rising, the first documentary film for highly sensitive men, directed by Will Harper- director of Sensitive-The Untold Story, and co-produced by Tracy Cooper Phd, is IN production and rolling!! We are proud to report that we have completed 13+ interviews with more planned. The initial series of interviews utilized Zoom video conferencing due to considerations of the ongoing pandemic.
Will Harper and Tracy Cooper would like everyone to know that we DO plan to hold a number of in-person interviews, so Sensitive Men Rising will NOT be a Zoom film. It will contain segments or clips from the Zoom interviews but will center around the in-person interviews, while utilizing the Zoom clips to fill out the chapter. We chose to go this route for several reasons that we feel are important to be transparent with you about:
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has rendered travel dangerous and risky
Our initial fund raiser fell short of what we would have needed to travel, hire film crews, and cover the expenses of equipment rental
Documentary film making is a medium that is uniquely human in approach and works well with minimal approaches. With any creative effort, sometimes it stimulates further creativity to have fewer tools at one’s disposal, as opposed to every Crayon in the box. In this case, the Zoom interviews were a way to gather the deep and meaningful stories and insights from men and women around the world with stories to tell. Future interviews, done in-person, will complement and intertwine with the Zoom clips.
In the final analysis, Will and I would like to make very clear that Sensitive Men Rising WILL be a beautiful cinematic film that we will all be proud of as a community effort. Just as with Sensitive-The Untold Story, the film will utilize grand camera shots from nature and people as they truly are. In the end, Sensitive Men Rising will stand as a testament to the gritty reality that we faced in creating a film during a pandemic, with all the limitations and challenges.
NOW, we would like to invite you to consider supporting us with a new fund-raising effort through Indiegogo that will help with ongoing production costs, limited travel for key interviews, and post-production expenses, which will be significant for a film of high quality.
If you have contributed before, we humbly thank you, if you have not now is a great time to help keep our momentum going and contribute as you are able. We THANK YOU very kindly!!
Interview #13 for the documentary film Sensitive Men Rising, the first film about the 50% of highly sensitive people who are men and have been hidden away for too long. Today’s interview the wonderful David Johnson was a treat because David has long experience with various men’s groups and movements, as well as his thoughtful insights on being a world traveler and the spiritual journey that reflects the journey we sensitive men embark on when we become aware of high sensitivity as a personality trait or temperament.
David’s calm and clear demeanor is a great exemplar of the rich inner life and the way we sensitive men may come to view high sensitivity as a practice that requires many years, even a lifetime, to come to know. Our richer interior spaces where reflection meets raw stimulation and our ability to hold spaces within ourselves generates an openness and expansiveness that is missing in many men today.
Sensitive Men Rising, a film directed by Sensitive-The Untold Story director Will Harper, will present David and many other sensitive men’s stories in ways that will invite other men, and very likely women, to reflect on their high sensitivity and contextualize their lived experiences
Interview #11 for Sensitive Men Rising, the first film about sensitive men and directed by Sensitive-The Untold Story director, Will Harper, flowed very well today as I was joined by Daniel Miller, PhD, a therapist working with highly sensitive persons, including sensitive men, on a range of issues.
Dan has recently defended his PhD dissertation on the topic of identity development in sensitive men so it was a natural to explore more about his work, his findings, and his keen insights. As it turns out, and as we will all find out more about in Sensitive Men Rising, the sense of difference, of feeling out of place and perhaps marginalized, is common across age ranges among sensitive men.
So, too is the relief many of us feel and experience when we learn that our sensitive natures are a natural and normally occurring adaptation in humans that allows 1 in 5 to be more intuitive, to notice subtleties in our environments, to notice when others are suffering or in distress, and to have complex enough minds to reflect on what we experience, in service to an innate creativity and sense of compassion many of us embody.
Dr. Miller is a young leader among sensitive men and we are so very honored to include him in our film!!
Interview #10 and I am reminded of the fundamental kindness and gentle manner of many sensitive men as our friend Fabio Cunha joined us from Brazil!! Fabio is very interested in the future of work and of organizations as they evolve with the changes in technology and the increasing awareness of work as a place we can transform through fully owning our own selves first.
In a wide-ranging conversation Fabio provided the kind of deep insights and reflections that only come from long experience and careful thought. Fabio’s kind nature and expression of sensitivity in a relaxed and confident way will inspire you in Sensitive Men Rising, the first film for sensitive men and directed by Will Harper, also the director for Sensitive-The Untold Story.
As the co-producer of Sensitive Men Rising I can say that this work is very privileged and meaningful work and I am humbled to bring it to the world
Interview #7 for Sensitive Men Rising, the first documentary film about and for men by Will Harper, director for Sensitive-The Untold Story, who are part of the 20% of the world’s population with the naturally occurring, neutral and normal temperament we call high sensitivity. Interview #7 was with our very own Esteban Guerrero, whose story of coming to know and embrace high sensitivity took him on a long journey of discovering for himself how to be both high in sensitivity AND high in sensation seeking!!
This is the first interview so far to illuminate high sensation seeking and it is overdue because we HSS/HSPs are 30% of the total HSP population and often overlooked. Many men will identify with Esteban’s story of not knowing why they have strong emotions or how to deal with them well in a modern world. With the additional wrinkle thrown in of sensation seeking providing an almost irresistible drive for novelty and reinvention throughout life!!
Esteban’s story is full of heart and mind as we explored sensitivity AND sensation seeking. Sensitive Men Rising will be enriched by Esteban’s gracious sharing of his lived experiences and insights, I know I am!!
Interview #6 found me truly gifted with deep, deep insights from one of the most interesting humans that I have ever worked with, Otis Smallwood!! Otis is a cultural health practitioner & philosophically-oriented coach and consultant investing in and assisting startup organizations, restructuring established businesses, and improving operational efficiencies through employee and cultural engagement.
In an absolutely fascinating and poignant discussion that ranged from creating “sensitive spaces” for people to simply come together in open invitation to explore themselves to the notion of leadership as stewardship of not only others but ourselves, as we also engage in lifelong self inquiries.
When you see Otis’ segments in Sensitive Men Rising I am sure they will connect with you on deep, core value and spiritual levels. We’ve spoken before about sensitive men being the “quiet ones” but that same interiority provides an attuned sensitivity to people, the environments we are in, and to our inner selves.
You’re a sensitive man now what? Breathe, relax, get to know yourself as you experience sensitivity as a natural way of being no different than your breath or your heartbeat. Sensitivity is where you operate from as wholly and naturally as anything else that we accept without concern.
Enter the “sensitive space” that Will, Otis and I (and many others) have held for you in this film so we can explore sensitivity together!!
Interview #2 now complete!! Brandon Bennett, Brandon is certified in mind-body psychology, emotional awareness, yoga, qigong, mindfulness meditation, holistic nutrition, and helps ambitious, sensitive, and heart-centered men intentionally slow down, mindfully process all of their emotions, and clarify their heart’s vision. Brandon’s work centers on helping others on their paths of transformative, holistic growth.
The tone of gentle compassion and authentic connection was, I feel, set today for all future interviews!!
More interviews tomorrow! What a privilege and an honor to work on this film!
What a privilege and an honor to work on this film! 
Dr. Tracy Cooper 