Nervous System Care & Healing

We’ve all heard how important self-care is — but actually building a self-care plan that works for your brain, your unique needs, and your life… is a whole other story. If the typical advice, like “take a bubble bath!” or “have you tried meditating?”, simply doesn’t work for you… I created this episode with your needs in mind.  When it comes to taking care of your nervous system, I want you to hav...

Neurodivergence is often stigmatized in Western mental health. Autism & ADHD are seen as pathologies in need of a “cure.” But what if we viewed neurodiversity through a curious & affirming lens, acknowledging both the challenges AND gifts? In this episode, I explore an alternative to the pathology-based approach: an affirming, ancestral lens that views the individual within the context of...

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 journ...

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 abou...

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...

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...

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 highl...

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 s...

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 bui...

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 epi...