Misophonia

Do certain everyday sounds — chewing, breathing, sniffing, pen-clicking — trigger intense emotional or physical reactions? You’re not alone. This experience is known as misophonia, and it goes beyond mere irritation. It’s a real and valid neurophysiological condition that can affect your emotional well-being, relationships, and quality of life. As a licensed psychologist specializing in chronic stress and sensory conditions, I offer compassionate, evidence-based support for individuals navigating misophonia.

Misophonia literally means “hatred of sound,” but it’s far more complex than that. It involves strong emotional reactions to specific sounds — often leading to anger, panic, disgust, or a sense of being overwhelmed. Misophonia can impact daily functioning, social interactions, eating with others, work or school environments, and emotional well-being. And while it’s not yet widely understood in the clinical world, the distress it causes is incredibly real.

Even though there’s no “cure,” therapy can provide powerful tools for coping, resilience, and nervous system regulation. In our sessions, we focus on reducing emotional reactivity to trigger sounds, building tolerance and resilience through exposure and mindfulness, strengthening communication and boundaries in relationships, managing anxiety, shame, or isolation, and using CBT, ACT, and somatic approaches to support nervous system calm. Everyone’s misophonia experience is different — your therapy will be tailored to your life, needs, and goals.

Dr. Jessica Tomasula works with adults and teens struggling with sound sensitivity, partners or family members affected by misophonia dynamics, clients managing co-occurring anxiety or OCD traits, and individuals seeking validation, understanding, and coping strategies. Whether you're newly aware of misophonia or have been coping with it for years, our work begins with understanding your triggers, reactions, and current coping system. From there, we collaborate to identify emotional patterns, build calming tools, create supportive routines and boundaries, and foster compassion for yourself and others.

Misophonia can leave you feeling isolated or misunderstood, but support is available. With steady practice and therapeutic support, you can build a life less defined by sound triggers and more guided by confidence and calm. Contact us today at LiveWell Psychology to learn more.

Additional Resources

Alongside therapy, trusted resources can be a valuable part of the journey toward emotional well-being. We recommend exploring: