Nervous System Care & Healing

Endless productivity is not realistic for most humans, yet many of us carry the burden of feeling “lazy,” like we’re not doing enough.This episode explores why no one is “lazy” in a capitalistic world — but every one of us does need rest, support, and care. I’ll share 5 questions to help you explore your relationship to rest, work, and systemic & cultural expectations. You’re invited to journal on them, or listen & process in real time.01:55 What is your relationship with rest?04:18 How can you work with your cycles, energy, & wiring (not against them)?07:26 What expectations are you carrying, and how do you feel about those expectations?10:08 What would support or expand your capacity right now?13:11 What would be an easy version of this task?We’ll explore what it means to:move at the speed of your nervous system, not at the speed of capitalismtreat rest as a universal right, not as a reward to be earnedlive in alignment with the cycles of the earth & the body, rather than expecting endless productivityThis episode will leave you with: practical ideas of supports & accommodations you might explore (ex: body-doubling, adjusting expectations, & delegating tasks if possible)affirming reminders: you are allowed to rest, you deserve care & support, and you are not “lazy”; you are humanQuote: “It's natural for your energy to correlate with the seasons around you. Many of us feel more energized in the summer & spring, and more tired, more hibernation mode in the winter. To work with those cycles means that we don't have the same expectations of our energy every single day of the year.”🌿 About the HostLiz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in Colorado & worldwide.🌿 Connect with Liz>> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters.>> Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist>> Visit my website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com🌿 Options to Work Together>> To work 1:1 with Liz (adults & couples): book an intro call here.>> To hire Liz for speaking & workshops: submit an inquiry form here.

If you have an inner voice that tells you, “I’m unworthy,” “I don’t matter,” or “I’m crazy/too sensitive/overreacting”... this episode explains why these beliefs may stem from the impacts of systemic oppression, and what you can do with this awareness.We’ll explore how to unlearn internalized beliefs and understand yourself through a more compassionate lens.In this episode, I speak candidly about:how definitions of “mental illness” have shifted across time to pathologize various marginalized groups (including BIPOC folks, women, and LGBTQ+ folks)why it’s important to not pathologize human responses to conditions of injusticehow to disrupt internalized oppression by asking different questions – instead of: “what’s wrong with me?”; we might ask, “how have systems of oppression impacted the way I treat myself?”the difference between an individual, pathology-based lens (“the individual is the problem”) vs. a systemic lens (“the system is the problem”)Please note: this episode covers material like the impacts of slavery, patriarchy, and systems of oppression. I invite you to take care of your nervous system (through pauses, movement, or sensory breaks) as you listen.00:00 Intro01:25 What is internalized oppression?03:38 The history of "mental illness": who gets to decide who is crazy?04:16 Historical context #1: drapetomania05:42 Historical context #2: female hysteria08:35 Historical context #3: homosexuality & gender identity in the DSM12:03 The system is messed up - where do we go from here?13:42 OutroQuotes:“There’s real medicine in being able to see things as they are. It doesn’t fix how messed up and unjust these systems are in their current form, but it does help us realize that what we feel and what we’re experiencing in response to injustice is deeply human.”Full episode transcripts & resources here.🌿 About the HostLiz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in Colorado & worldwide.🌿 Connect with Liz>> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters>> Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist>> Visit my website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com🌿 Options to Work Together>> To work 1:1 with Liz (adults & couples): book an intro call here.>> To hire Liz for speaking & workshops: submit an inquiry form here.

If you’ve ever heard the advice “just be yourself” and felt frustrated by how generic it was, I want to share a framework that might be more helpful: masking vs. unmasking. We mask when we hide our authentic selves, in order to fit in or stay safe in unwelcoming environments. But masking takes a toll on the nervous system (because it’s exhausting to pretend to be someone you’re not). This is why it’s important to find spaces to UNmask as well. In this episode, I cover topics like:What masking looks like (ex: people-pleasing, downplaying your needs, & suppressing your body’s natural movements/stims)Why masking is a skill & survival strategy, especially for highly sensitive & neurodivergent folks (just like code-switching is a skill & cultural assimilation is a survival strategy)Why unmasking is essential for nervous system health, but why it might not be realistic to unmask all the time (depending on your identities, lived experiences, & personal circumstances)What it means to navigate your life with autonomy & choice, balancing safety & authenticityWhy unmasking is not a checklist, but rather an experiment in a new way of living4 types of unmasking: sensory, social, emotional, & values-based (with specific examples to apply to your own life)00:23 What is masking & why do we do it?02:37 What is UNmasking & why do we do it?08:13 What's the goal: to mask or unmask? (The answer is complicated)11:09 Types of Unmasking11:58 Sensory Unmasking14:32 Social Unmasking17:50 Emotional Unmasking18:57 Unmasking your Values20:49 How does unmasking impact the nervous system & brain?Quote: “When you feel ready to unmask, you can do so. If you don’t feel ready or comfortable or safe, masking is always an option too. For some people, maybe home is your safe space to unmask, but work is a place where you show up more buttoned up. Maybe you feel like you can be unmasked in your relationship with your partner, but not with certain family members. So I want to acknowledge all of those individual nuances.”🌿 About the HostLiz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in Colorado & worldwide.🌿 Connect with Liz>> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters (weekly email series for highly sensitive & neurodivergent folks).>> Follow on Instagram: @liz.holistic.therapist>> Visit my website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com🌿 Options to Work Together>> To work 1:1 with Liz (adults & couples): book an intro call here.>> To hire Liz for speaking & workshops: submit an inquiry form here.

In this episode, I share why community is essential for our nervous system health, especially in times of injustice and collective transition. I discuss why it can be difficult to find community in our individualistic Western society; and why community is a two-way street, where we learn to give AND receive.Through the concept of “love languages,” we’ll explore how to build community in ways that align with our needs, capacity, and available resources. I end with a reminder that our nervous system are wired for connection, and that our ancestors lived & survived through community.01:31 Why does community matter, especially in these times?05:48 How do we define community?12:52 The Love Languages of Community14:28 Quality Time17:39 Gifts20:39 Acts of Service / Solidarity25:15 Our Nervous Systems, Our AncestorsQuotes: “What I like about collective care is that it disrupts despair and it disrupts isolation. It's like lighting one candle and then spreading that light to an entire room of candles. We remember that we're not alone, that we have each other, and that a better world, a more just world, a more loving world, is absolutely possible because we're here and we're participating in its creation.”“I can’t do all the good the world needs — but the world needs all the good I can do.”🌿 About the HostLiz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in Colorado & worldwide.🌿 Connect with Liz>> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters — a weekly email series for highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults who feel burnt out from wearing masks all day & are re-learning who they really are. Every week, you’ll receive short & sweet emails on how to take care of your nervous system and understand your brain.>> Follow on Instagram: @liz.holistic.therapist>> Watch on YouTube>> Visit my website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com🌿 Options to Work Together>> To work 1:1 with Liz (adults & couples): book an intro call here.>> To hire Liz for speaking & workshops: submit an inquiry form here.

The care you receive – whether in therapy, coaching, or other healing spaces – shouldn’t require you to mask. It should allow space for your authentic self, autonomy, and choice in every step of the process.In this episode, I explain what neurodiversity-affirming care is and why it’s helpful for everyone, even if you don’t identify as neurodivergent. I draw from my personal experiences as a highly sensitive & autistic person, as well as my professional experiences as a therapist & coach for neurodivergent adults & couples.We’ll unpack the 5 pillars of neurodiversity-affirming care:02:25 We understand that differences are not deficits. 07:04 We acknowledge strengths AND challenges. We don’t pathologize, nor do we sugarcoat.09:14 We aim to support the whole person, not to “fix” them.11:37 We acknowledge that the world was not built for all people, and we incorporate that understanding into the care that we provide. 15:13 We move at the speed of your brain & nervous system.Quote: “Neuro-affirming care is not about ‘fixing’ anyone, because fixing assumes that they are broken. Instead, we’re learning to work with the wiring of each unique brain & nervous system. We’re aiming to meet the level of support that each individual needs, whether they have high support needs or low support needs or somewhere in between.”Research Cited in Episode: Diianni AT, Davis LC, Piper BJ. Gender and geographic disparities among DSM-5-TR authors in relation to financial conflicts of interest and industry payments: cross-sectional analysis. BMJ Ment Health. 2025 Nov 12;28(1):e301913. doi: 10.1136/bmjment-2025-301913. PMID: 41224482; PMCID: PMC12612736.🌿 About the HostLiz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in Colorado & worldwide.🌿 Connect with Liz>> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters — a weekly email series for highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults who feel burnt out from wearing masks all day & are re-learning who they really are. Every week, you’ll receive short & sweet emails on how to take care of your nervous system and understand your brain.>> Follow on Instagram: @liz.holistic.therapist>> Watch on YouTube>> Visit my website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com🌿 Options to Work Together>> To work 1:1 with Liz (adults & couples): book an intro call here.>> To hire Liz for speaking & workshops: submit an inquiry form here.

Whether you are autistic, ADHD, or questioning; or you’re a practitioner who works with neurodivergent people… this episode is here to inform, affirm, & expand our collective conversation on what it means to be neurodivergent.I talk about why “normal” is a subjective term & social construct; why we shouldn't pathologize people for being different; and why we all fall somewhere along the spectrum of neurodivergence to neurotypicality. I emphasize that you get to decide how to describe your experiences, and that your relationship to your brain & nervous system may change across time.00:00 Introduction & Key Terms02:36 What Does it Mean to be Neurodivergent?04:46 The Role of Capitalism, Systems, & Neurotypical Expectations07:27 Not a Deficit: Neurodivergence as a Way of Being8:50 What Does Neurodivergence Look Like? (Autism, ADHD, High Sensitivity, & more)10:07 Innate, Acquired, & Neurocomplex Experiences12:40 Personal Reflections from Liz: What I Mean When I Say I’m NeurodivergentQuote “You may experience your neurodivergence as an identity, a neurotype, a diagnosis, a disability, all of the above, or none of the above. Your relationship to your brain & nervous system might change across time. You may realize that you’ve been masking more than you ever realized.”🌿 About the HostLiz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in Colorado & worldwide.🌿 Connect with Liz>> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters — a weekly email series for highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults who feel burnt out from wearing masks all day & are re-learning who they really are. Every week, you’ll receive short & sweet emails on how to take care of your nervous system and understand your brain.>> Follow on Instagram: @liz.holistic.therapist>> Watch on YouTube>> Visit my website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com🌿 Options to Work Together>> To work 1:1 with Liz (adults & couples): book an intro call here.>> To hire Liz for speaking & workshops: submit an inquiry form here.

It’s okay if you’re not calm right now. Dysregulation isn’t a bad thing — it’s just information.In this episode, I explain what the nervous system is, what nervous system regulation means, and why the goal isn’t to be 100% regulated all the time, but rather to have a FLEXIBLE nervous system. I share sensory-soothing strategies (based on sight, sound, smell, touch, & movement) to help you build a flexible nervous system & come back into your window of tolerance. We’ll explore the link between self-care & collective care, and discuss the impact of systems of oppression on nervous system health.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Nervous System Care & Healing Podcast00:23 Understanding the Nervous System01:46 Nervous System Regulation Explained04:54 Building a Flexible Nervous System05:56 Recognizing Dysregulation08:28 Sensory-Soothing Strategies12:21 The Impact of the World on Our Nervous Systems15:18 Balancing Individual & Collective CareQuote: “Individual care asks, how do you take care of yourself? Collective care asks, how do we take care of each other? Systemic change asks, how do we transform systems of oppression into systems of care?”About the HostLiz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in Colorado & worldwide.Connect with Liz>> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters — a weekly email series for highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults who feel burnt out from wearing masks all day & are re-learning who they really are. Every week, you’ll receive short & sweet emails on how to take care of your nervous system and understand your brain.>> Follow on Instagram: @liz.holistic.therapist>> Watch on YouTube>> Visit my website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.comOptions to Work Together>> To work 1:1 with Liz (adults & couples): book an intro call here.>> To hire Liz for speaking & workshops: submit an inquiry form here.

Welcome to the Nervous System Care & Healing podcast. I'm Liz Zhou (she/her), a neurodivergent therapist of color. In this trailer, I share about the core message behind this podcast: healing is not just about self-care - it's also about dismantling the systems of oppression that keep us dysregulated & disconnected.Be sure to follow/subscribe to stay up to date on new episodes! Weekly episodes begin March 2026.About the HostLiz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in Colorado & worldwide.Connect with Liz>> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters — a weekly email series for highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults who feel burnt out from wearing masks all day & are re-learning who they really are. Every week, you’ll receive short & sweet emails on how to take care of your nervous system and understand your brain.>> Follow on Instagram: @liz.holistic.therapist>> Watch on YouTube>> Visit my website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com