Nervous System Care & Healing

>> How Indigenous ideas about non‑linear time can help us navigate ecological crises

Embracing Cycles & Seasons to Deconstruct from Capitalism

Liz Zhou — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 01:00:00 GMT

If you’ve ever criticized yourself for being “lazy,” “unproductive,” or “not trying hard enough”, you may be struggling to conform to capitalistic standards of productivity. But that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with YOU - it means you’re navigating a system that wasn’t built to account for your full humanity (like your body’s need for rest).

Under capitalism, we’re taught to base our worth on our productivity. Any hour spent resting, playing, or otherwise not working, is considered an hour “wasted.” This is an exhausting way to live - especially if you’re also navigating disabilities, neurodivergence, chronic illness, or anything that makes it harder for you to keep up with the (unsustainable) pace of capitalism.

In this episode, I share how embracing cycles, seasons, and a nonlinear relationship to time can help us deconstruct from capitalism & live more fully.

We’ll explore:

how capitalism runs on linear time, while nature runs on cyclical time
why it’s not realistic to expect ourselves to be constantly productive - we are humans, not machines
why it’s important to honor cycles in nature & in our bodies
examples of cycles that appear in nature & in cultural traditions: the 4 seasons (fall, winter, spring, summer); the phases of the lunar cycle; and the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac

Let this episode remind you: your life is not a productivity project. You deserve to live fully and freely, and in collaboration with your true nature - not against it.

🌿 Resources Related to Episode Topic

>> A Brief Economic History of Time

>> A brief history of (linear) time

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

How to Tend to the Nervous System as a Highly Sensitive Person, w/ April Snow

Liz Zhou — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

If you experience the world through a highly sensitive nervous system - and often feel stuck in overstimulation, or more deeply impacted by stress compared to others - this episode is here to support you.

Join me & April in a soothing conversation on:

What is the HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) nervous system & how does it differ from non-HSP nervous systems? | 05:52
How to care for your highly sensitive nervous system: Calming Portals & Tending Practices | 08:11
How lifestyle shifts can support your HSP nervous system | 14:12
Why April wrote the book: Big Feelings, Big Joy | 22:47
How April tended to her nervous system while writing this book | 28:18
The HSP community: HSP traits show up across cultures, races, genders, sexualities, ages, and identities | 32:10

April shares practical tools that you can begin to practice today, to help your nervous system shift from overstimulation to calm, regulation, and joy.

Let this conversation remind you:

>> Your sensitivity isn’t a flaw. Though there are challenges that come with being highly sensitive, HSPs also experience unique gifts & strengths.

>> When we’re proactive & intentional about taking care of our nervous systems, it’s easier to access the joys & best parts of being highly sensitive.

>> Your sensitivity doesn’t make you “weak” or “fragile.” Due to a phenomenon called “differential susceptibility,” your nervous system has a deep capacity for joy & resilience.

🌿 Resources for Highly Sensitive People

>> Big Feelings, Big Joy (Book): www.bigfeelingsbigjoy.com/book
>> Tending Practices

🌿 About the Guest

April Snow, LMFT (she/her) is a licensed psychotherapist, author, and consultant who specializes in working with highly sensitive people to help calm the storm of overload, guilt, and self-doubt to allow their innate sensitive strengths to shine through. April supports HSPs around the world through her Sensitive Circles community, Sensitive Sessions workshops, Sensitive Stories podcast, and her latest book: Big Feelings, Big Joy.

🌿 Connect with April

>> www.sensitivestrengths.com
>> www.instagram.com/sensitivestrengths
>> www.tiktok.com/@sensitivestrengths

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters
>> IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

A Gentle Practice to Soothe the Nervous System

Liz Zhou — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The nervous system communicates in different “languages,” and one of those languages is sensation - like muscle tension, heart rate, breathing patterns, and other internal bodily experiences.

The nervous system can also communicate through other languages - like emotions that you feel, thoughts that you think, images that you see in your mind’s eye, or an inner voice that you hear.

In this episode, I share a gentle practice to help you soothe & resource your nervous system - focusing on the language of sensation.

Across time, this practice can help expand your brain & body’s capacity to access calm, joy, and contentment. Please follow along as you feel called, adjusting or pausing as needed to make this practice work for you. Enjoy.

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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, & Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy).

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

Reconnecting with Our Roots Can Bring Intergenerational Healing, w/ Denise Jauregui

Liz Zhou — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

How are our lives shaped by the experiences of our parents, grandparents, and ancestors? How can we honor our family's stories - of migration, survival, assimilation - without having those stories define/limit our future?

Why do some people feel disconnected from their cultures/lineages… and how can reconnecting with our roots help us heal & feel a sense of belonging?

Join me & Denise in a heartfelt conversation, where we discuss:

the importance of community-based spaces for healing & education
how our nervous systems carry the experiences of our ancestors - even if we don’t consciously know what those experiences were
how adverse childhood experiences (like neglect, bullying, or not feeling loved) shape our lives - but that doesn't mean the future is set in stone
how the need to survive, assimilate, & blend in can disconnect us from our cultural roots - why it’s never too late to reconnect
how nature, food, music, stories, art - and anything else that calls to you - can reconnect you to ancestors

We share some of our personal experiences as first / second-generation immigrants, navigating multicultural upbringings in the U.S.

If you’re curious about intergenerational healing, this episode is for you.

Remember: understanding the past can help us find meaning in the present... and your ancestors are rooting for you.

🌿 Resources Mentioned in Episode

>> You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation, by Julissa Arce

>> ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8882933/

🌿 About the Guest

Denise Jauregui, LCSW (she/her/ella), is the founder of Cultivando Wellness, a bilingual mental health practice and education organization rooted in the belief that healing is deeply connected to culture, community, and the systems that shape our lives. As a first-generation daughter of Mexican immigrants, her work explores the intersections of intergenerational trauma, migration, identity, and belonging. Through psychotherapy, speaking, consultation, professional education, and community-centered gatherings, Denise partners with individuals and organizations to cultivate more culturally responsive, connected, and affirming spaces.

🌿 Connect with Denise

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/cultivandowellness

>> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisejauregui

>> Continuing Education for Therapists: www.cultivandowellness.com/continuing-education-offerings

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

Sensory Rest: An Antidote to Burnout

Liz Zhou — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

If your nervous system can’t tell the difference between being chased by a bear and checking the news (or checking your email, or receiving a text that says “we need to talk”)… you’re not alone. You’re among the many people who feel overwhelmed by the pace & intensity of modern life, and you may be experiencing sensory burnout & overload.

In this episode, I explain what “sensory rest” is, and why it’s a necessary antidote to burnout.

We’ll explore how sensory burnout is caused by the systems & environment around us:

auditory overstimulation through noise pollution
visual overstimulation through screen exposure
constant transitions that disrupt attention, including ads & algorithms
extreme temperatures through climate change

Then, I’ll share a simple plan for sensory rest:

Minimize sensory input
Minimize transitions
Be intentional about screens & technology use
Create soothing sensory rituals

This episode brings a holistic, ecological, systemic lens to the topic of nervous system burnout, and will leave you with practical ideas to support your mind, body, and spirit.

🌿 RESOURCES

>> To view research mentioned in the episode, click here

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

When Trauma is Ongoing & Collective, How Do We Take Care of Ourselves?, w/ Dr. Diana Ali

Liz Zhou — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The term PTSD, short for “Post-traumatic Stress Disorder,” implies that trauma happened in the past (and is over now).

But for so many people, trauma is not a thing of the past - it’s an ongoing, collective, and systemic experience.

In this educational conversation, Dr. Diana Ali & I unpack this question: How do we heal, when trauma is still happening in the present? How do we regulate our nervous systems… even if the environment/circumstances around us remain unsafe?

Topics:

There are many trauma therapy modalities - how do we decide which one to use? | 04:12
How do we heal if the trauma isn't over? (& an alternative to the term “PTSD”) | 05:47
The limitations of Western psychotherapy & why a decolonial approach to therapy matters | 08:20
How body-based approaches to therapy can support survivors of ongoing trauma - like war, genocide, and systemic oppression | 12:53
Intro to Havening: resourcing the nervous system through physical touch | 16:08
Intro to Ashira Active Meditation: intentionally guiding the nervous system through different states of activation (fight, flight, & freeze) in order to release stuck energy & complete processing | 32:10
The neuroscience behind ancient, collective, community-based healing practices 42:38

🌿 RESOURCES

>> Dr. Samah Jabr’s work on decolonial mental health: www.drsamahjabr.com

>> Chronic traumatic stress disorder: www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/14/mental-health-palestine-children

>> Ashira Darwish’s work on Ashira Active Meditation: www.ashirapremrachana.com

>> Havening Techniques: www.havening.org

🌿 About the Guest

Dr. Diana Ali (she/her) is a clinical psychologist with 20+ years of experience working with survivors of complex trauma. She uses a variety of trauma therapies including EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy, the DBT-PTSD protocol, Brainspotting, the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), Havening techniques, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. Diana is certified in Ashira Darwish’s “Ashira Active Meditation” Protocol, a community-based intervention involving a series of somatic release practices that were developed for working with survivors of ongoing, chronic trauma. She has been honored to be able to offer Ashira Active Meditation workshops to Palestinian refugees from Gaza.

🌿 Connect with Diana

>> Therapy in CO & CA: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/diana-ali-ventura-ca/757844

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

Building Community: How We Disrupt Systems of Oppression [Replay]

Liz Zhou — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Community is essential for our nervous system health - especially in times of systemic turmoil, injustice, and grief. In this episode, 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 systems 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 Community

14:28 Quality Time

17:39 Gifts

20:39 Acts of Service / Solidarity

25:15 Our Nervous Systems, Our Ancestors

Quotes:

“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 Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

Self-Regulation & Co-Regulation: Our Nervous Systems Need Both

Liz Zhou — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Nervous system regulation is the capacity to shift states - from dysregulated, overwhelmed, and disconnected, to regulated, grounded, and connected. It’s a skill that we can develop & strengthen across time, and that allows us to build healthy relationships - with self, others, & the world.

This episode shares options for nervous system regulation - self- & co-regulation - so you can add ideas to your nervous system care plan.

Topics covered:

What is self-regulation?
What is co-regulation?
Why we need BOTH self-regulation & co-regulation practices: experiences of healthy connection & co-regulation teach our nervous systems how to self-regulate
How childhood experiences impact nervous system development (& why none of us are “doomed” by the past - our nervous systems are malleable, and capable of change, healing, and rewiring across time)
Nature offers opportunities for non-human relationship, connection, & co-regulation - which is helpful if you don’t feel safe to co-regulate w/ other humans

RESOURCES

>> To view research mentioned in the episode, click here.

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

The Link Between Trauma, Neurodivergence, & Capitalism, w/ Lila Low-Beinart

Liz Zhou — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT

How do you know if you have trauma… or if you’re neurodivergent… or both? Why does it seem like more & more people are receiving autism & ADHD diagnoses these days? And what does capitalism have to do with all this?

Join me & Lila as we explore the link between capitalistic systems and the struggles experienced by neurodivergent people.

In this episode, we discuss:

the neurodiversity-affirming paradigm vs. pathology paradigm: why you’re not “broken” - you’re navigating a world that wasn’t built for you
why we need likeminded community around us when we’re shifting from one paradigm to another
allowing space for grief & joy while unmasking & connecting with your authentic self
why so many neurodivergent people experience trauma - and why, in a capitalist society, we are all experiencing trauma to some degree
how to discern between trauma responses vs. innate neurodivergent traits
the nuances of high-masking, late-diagnosed autistic experiences, and the privilege to pass as neurotypical in certain contexts
how capitalism disables people - aka, "capitalist disablement"

This episode provides language to help you make sense of your experiences & invite self-compassion - whether you are autistic, ADHD, multiply neurodivergent, neurotypical, or don't identify with a specific label.

QUOTE: “In a capitalist society, we are all experiencing trauma to some degree. The notion that our very livelihood depends on being able-bodied enough to get work in the US - to me, that’s a trauma. As capitalism continues to ask more and more of us to benefit the people who are making money off of our labor, more and more of us are becoming disabled by this capitalist extraction.”

🌿 About the Guest

Lila Low-Beinart (she/her) is a Neurodiversity Educator, Consultant, Licensed Psychotherapist, and the Founder of Divergent Paths Counseling. As a multiply neurodivergent queer woman - and former pharmaceutical chemist and “dharma bum” - Lila brings a powerful blend of professional expertise and rich lived experience to her work. She is a pioneer in neurodiversity-affirming care, training clinical, corporate, and school settings to move beyond awareness and toward true systemic change.

🌿 Connect with Lila

>> Website: www.divergentpathscounseling.com

>> IG: www.instagram.com/divergent.paths.counseling/

>> Explore 24 -CE Comprehensive Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy Training: www.divergentpathscounseling.com/neurodiversity-affirming-psychotherapist-training

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

In a Grief-Filled World, Hope is a Resource & a Practice

Liz Zhou — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 04:15:00 GMT

In a world that can feel disconnecting, dysregulating, and filled with suffering, just as it is important to grieve, it is important to stay connected to hope.

In this episode, I share reflections on:

why we need hope as a resource, when navigating systemic grief & oppression
why hope is different from spiritual bypassing (hope moves us toward action & fuels us to build the world we want to live in)
how to expand capacity for hope: witnessing acts of courage, community, care, and creative problem-solving
how acknowledging & feeling our grief can move us toward a more connected future
how moments of joy resource the nervous system
hope as a somatic experience in the nervous system (not just a cognitive experience)

I’ll invite you to reflect on these questions:

What gives you hope?
What does this hope inspire you to do?
How do you experience hope in your nervous system?

Articles Mentioned in the Episode

>> These Portland trail guides build community through science, education and whimsy — in drag: https://www.opb.org/article/2026/06/14/portland-oregon-outdoors-hiking-group-drag-performance/

>> Baltimore will turn 911 into more than just an emergency number: https://www.npr.org/2026/07/27/nx-s1-5874720/baltimore-will-turn-911-into-more-than-just-an-emergency-number

>> She invited her friends to come together to make her casket: https://www.npr.org/2026/04/18/nx-s1-5786831/dying-terminally-ill-casket-weaving

>> The Art of Resistance Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-resistance/id1828763111

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

A Neuro-Affirming Approach to Parenting: Autonomy & Co-Regulation, w/ Dr. Carolyn Solo

Liz Zhou — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

If you’re a parent of a neurodivergent child (autistic, ADHD, PDA, & more; high, medium, or low support needs), you may have noticed that mainstream parenting advice doesn’t always make sense for you, your child, or your family’s needs.

In this episode, Dr. Carolyn Solo & I explore the differences between neurodiversity-affirming parenting (which values connection, autonomy, & nervous system co-regulation) vs. mainstream parenting (which emphasizes control, hierarchy, & obedience).

We discuss why it’s important to attune to the unique needs of each child’s nervous system; and why PDA (often referred to as “pathological demand avoidance”) is better framed as “pervasive drive for autonomy.”

Carolyn shares her experiences of supporting her neurodivergent child through burnout recovery. She names the importance of trusting that your child will let you know what they need, and that you are the expert on your child - even when traditional parenting advice tells you that you’re “wrong.”

Join us in a deeply honest conversation, that might help you feel less alone - and remind you that connection with your child begins with connection with yourself.

CHAPTERS

03:10 What is PDA (persistent drive for autonomy) & how does it show up in children?

05:44 Navigating burnout in neurodivergent children

12:58 Navigating doubt, guilt, & nervous system dysregulation as a parent

19:23 The impacts of a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis

26:47 What is a neuro-affirming approach to parenting?

37:27 A therapeutic approach: EMDR intensives

🌿 RESOURCES

>> Learn about PDA: www.pdanorthamerica.org

🌿 About the Guest

Dr. Carolyn Solo (PhD, LCSW, she/her) is an EMDR consultant & EMDR intensive therapist in Vermont & Pennsylvania. She specializes in EMDR intensives for parents of neurodivergent kids, and provides coaching for EMDR therapists who want to launch intensives in their practices to provide clients with exceptional outcomes. Carolyn is a mom of three girls, the oldest of whom is PDA profile AuDHD.

🌿 Connect with Carolyn

>> Websites: www.integritaswellnessllc.com / www.futuretemplateparent.com

>> IG: @integritas_intensive_emdr / @futuretemplateparent

>> For therapists: EMDR Intensive Workbook

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my weekly newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Visit the official Brainspotting website

Beyond Talk Therapy: How Brainspotting Works to Heal the Nervous System

Liz Zhou — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

If you’ve ever noticed that talking about your problems doesn't necessarily help you FEEL better about them… you might have experienced the limitations of talk therapy.

In this episode, I explain how Brainspotting - a healing modality that works directly with the deep brain & nervous system - can fill in the gaps.

We’ll cover:

00:26 What is Brainspotting & how does it work?

05:23 What’s the difference between talk therapy & Brainspotting? (& how they can complement each other)

08:05 What does a Brainspotting session look & feel like?

12:14 The power of nervous system connection & co-regulation - why Brainspotting isn’t just a series of steps, but rather a relational process

14:47 The original Brainspotting: an ancient & intuitive practice?

Whether you’re exploring Brainspotting therapy for yourself, or you’re a practitioner considering getting trained in this modality, this episode breaks it all down in simple language - acknowledging both the scientific & spiritual side of healing.

🌿 About the Host

🌿 RESOURCES

>> Learn about Brainspotting therapy

>> Blog: EMDR vs. Brainspotting: Which is Better for Neurodivergent Brains?

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

From Dysregulation to Connection: An Intersectional Approach to Sex Therapy, w/ Dominique Oster

Liz Zhou — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

However you’re feeling about sex is normal - whether you feel curious, apprehensive, frustrated, confused, sad, overwhelmed, excited, neutral, or something else.

This episode is here to support you in building a healthy & expansive relationship to sex & intimacy… while acknowledging both your nervous system and the systems around us.

Join me & Dominique, a certified sex therapist, as we discuss:

how traumas and systems of oppression impact our nervous systems - which then impact our sexual experiences, as the stress response is connected to the desire & arousal systems in the body
the realities of living within a society that normalizes sexual violence
how patriarchy shapes conceptions of what “successful sex” looks like; while capitalism says, “there’s something wrong with you” (if you can’t meet certain performative standards), and tries to sell you a solution

Recognizing that these are the waters we swim in, is the first step to unlearning harmful narratives and building a healthier relationship with ourselves.

This episode will leave you with questions & ideas to explore, so that you can bring nervous system regulation into your life and expand your capacity for intimacy & connection, if desired.

This is a non-pathologizing, educational conversation. If you’ve ever been curious about sex therapy, but felt too shy to ask… this is for you.

CHAPTERS

04:40 What is sex therapy, exactly?

08:50 How our nervous systems impact our sexual experiences

13:08 How systems of oppression dysregulate the nervous system

19:32 How do we bring more regulation into our lives and experience more intimacy & connection?

28:05 The impacts of capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy on relationship to sexuality

33:11 A scaffolded approach: real-life sex doesn't always look like the movies

🌿 RESOURCES

>> All About Love (bell hooks)

>> Come Together (Emily Nagoski)

>> Burnout (Emily Nagoski)

>> Mating in Captivity (Esther Perel)

🌿 About the Guest

Dominique Oster (she/her) is a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex therapist who specializes in expansive sexuality & relationships. By helping clients understand their unique historical, cultural, and psychobiological influences, she helps individuals, couples, and polycules to move beyond the unspoken expectations of sex & relating into more aligned & personalized frameworks. Her work as an adjunct professor focuses on teaching clinicians how to talk about sex from an intersectional & systems perspective with their clients, preferably without blushing.

🌿 Connect with Dominique

>> Website: www.domostertherapy.com

>> IG: www.instagram.com/ostertherapy

🌿 About the Host

Liz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves.

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Why Autism is Underdiagnosed in BIPOC Communities (and Why Self-Diagnosis is Valid)

What Death Doula Work Teaches Me About Life

Liz Zhou — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Death is a natural part of life… yet our death-phobic, grief-phobic society rarely acknowledges this fact.

We’ll eagerly plan for marriages, births, graduations, and other life milestones… but avoid discussing end of life. This is understandable, as confronting our mortality can feel scary & overwhelming.

Yet conversations about end of life can also be meaningful & life-affirming, ensuring that our wishes, needs, and values are honored till the end - and beyond. When we acknowledge the one certainty in life - that our days on earth are finite - we free ourselves to live more presently & authentically in the now.

In this episode, I share about my explorations of death work & end-of-life care - from one (mortal) human to another.

01:38 What is a death doula?

04:51 Exploring end-of-life care & post-death options that align with your values (ex: conventional burial, fire cremation, water cremation, green burial, natural organic reduction)

10:40 Why we need to have conversations about end of life (even if it's uncomfortable)

13:56 You’re a living legacy: how do you want to be remembered?

16:09 End-of-life care is community care; death work belongs to all of us

May this episode remind you to live fully & to have important conversations with your people - sooner rather than later.

🌿 About the Host

🌿 RESOURCE

>> Blog: How to Cope with End-of-Life & Death Anxiety

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my email newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here (focused sessions to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

Asian American Experiences: Unpacking the Model Minority Myth, w/ Sang Lintakoon

Liz Zhou — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we’re diving into the Asian American experience - going beyond stereotypes, and exploring deeper truths about belonging, identity, and authenticity.

For Asian Americans: this episode is here to affirm you & help you make sense of your experiences.

For non-Asian folks: this episode is here to educate & inform you, and invite curiosity & connection across communities.

Join Asian-American therapists, Liz & Sang, in a mind- & heart-opening conversation on:

why many Asian Americans feel both “not Asian enough” & “not American enough”
the multifaceted nature of Asian American experiences (we are not a monolith - our communities include multiracial folks, transracial adoptees, & other intersections of identities)
the history of the “model minority myth” - which pits minorities against each other & reinforces systems of white supremacy
the dichotomy of being adjacent to whiteness (through the model minority myth), while also being treated as the “perpetual foreigner”
why every Asian American has likely heard the question: “where are you REALLY from?” - and why this is an example of a microaggression
how microaggressions & racism impact the nervous system
what it means to reclaim identity & connect with self - even when oppressive systems ask us to diminish parts of ourselves in order to fit in
the importance of solidarity across communities

QUOTE: “I think part of the healing work for Asian Americans is to reclaim some of those things that we might have erased for the sake of survival.”

🌿 About the Guest

Sang Lintakoon (LPC, RPT, she/her) is the firstborn daughter of ethnically Chinese immigrants from Southeast Asia. She grew up in New Jersey and spent time living in Pennsylvania, Texas, & Zambia, Africa before moving to Colorado to pursue her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She works with children, teens, & adults at her private practice in Westminster, CO called The Perch Counseling Services, where she specializes in issues related to transracial adoption & Asian American racial identity.

🌿 Connect with Sang

>> To explore therapy & support groups for Asian Americans, visit: www.theperchcounseling.com

🌿 RESOURCES

>> To explore mental health resources for the Asian community, visit: www.asianmhc.org

>> To view recommended readings from this episode, click HERE

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my weekly newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

The Link Between Creativity & Healing

Liz Zhou — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

What if we saw creativity as not just a nice-to-have extra thing, but as an essential part of the human experience & the healing process?

We are all creative beings (yes, even if you think you’re “bad at art” or “not creative”).

In this episode, I’ll explore the link between creativity and healing.

01:48 Creativity can look so many different ways - from picking an outfit for the day to knitting a sweater to singing a song

04:33 Creativity is a part of healing - individual & collective

06:12 Creativity is a way to connect to Self

07:26 Creativity is a shared experience with community

08:34 Creativity is a means of pattern disruption, allowing the brain to build neuroplasticity

11:24 Creativity is an antidote to toxic perfectionism, challenging capitalistic standards of productivity

13:14 Creativity is a means of hope & world-building

15:48 How do you experience creativity?

The intention of this episode is to encourage you, inform you, and inspire you to be your most creative self.

Quote: “When we’re in touch with our creative power, we can say, yeah, there’s a problem in front of us. How do we strategize and organize together - using our creativity, putting our minds & hearts together - to imagine a way forward, envision a different future, and to build a new kind of world together. All of that takes creativity. Creativity is a stepping stone to world-building. It is the ability to look around us, to challenge the parts of the status quo that are not working, and to come up with something different and hopefully better.”

🌿 About the Host

🌿 RESOURCE

>> Explore art as resistance: www.rebelyellcreative.com/library

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my weekly newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here (focused sessions to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

Being Yourself is an Act of Liberation, w/ Dr. Nicole Xenos

Liz Zhou — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Mainstream approaches to mental health tend to focus on the individual: “you need to fix yourself.” Meanwhile, a liberation-focused approach acknowledges the systems of oppression that shape each individual’s life.

In liberation counseling, we see mental health as a social, political, & economic issue, not just an individual issue. After all, we can’t talk about healing & nervous system regulation, without also acknowledging the conditions that create so much dysregulation in the first place.

Join me & Dr. Nicole Xenos in an insightful conversation on what liberation can look like - in the nervous system, in the counseling room, & beyond.

We discuss:

02:38 What is liberation counseling & how Nicole came into liberation work, through experiences like unpacking religious conditioning & participating in trauma-informed yoga teacher training through the Prison Yoga Project

04:08 How to develop critical consciousness - the ability to see how oppressive systems impact us & to take action against them

06:04 Liberation is a way of being that is available within us - even while we are waiting for systems of oppression to change (& while we work toward that change)

08:02 What internalized oppression can look like (hint: sometimes it shows up as an inner critic that says, “I’m bad/wrong/unworthy”)

13:39 Present-moment awareness is a liberation practice

24:27 Liberation is a process of returning to Self & deconstructing layers of what we believe about ourselves

30:08 Liberation is collective work

31:41 It is painful & dysregulating to look at oppression. That’s why we need a base level of nervous system regulation in order to engage with this work, and why it’s important to take it slow

Remember: tending to yourself & community is an act of liberation. Rest, joy, & care are acts of liberation. Returning to self is liberation, and freedom from conditioning is worthwhile.

🌿 About the Guest

Nicole Xenos LPC, PhD (she/they) is a Gestalt trained Liberation therapist & supervisor working in Colorado. Nicole uses decolonial & anti-racist frameworks to provide education, counseling, & supervision in her communities. Nicole is a solo Mom to four teenagers and identifies as an intersectional being.

🌿 Connect with Nicole

>> To explore therapy & supervision, visit: www.paintedonehealing.com

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/painted_one_healing

For resources on mutual aid & community liberation, visit: https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my weekly newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

3 Questions to Ponder if You Discovered Your Neurodivergence Later in Life

Liz Zhou — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

If you discovered your neurodivergence (like autism or ADHD) later in life, it may feel like you’re getting to know yourself for the first time. The process can be exciting & expansive - and also overwhelming & disorienting.

This episode is here to affirm you, support you, and awaken a sense of curiosity & self-compassion… wherever you are in your journey of unmasking & embracing your authentic self.

We’ll explore:

why some people discover their neurodivergence later in life (and how lack of diversity in mental health research impacts the information available for folks)
why self-identification & formal diagnosis are both valid options - there is no one “right” path
how different seasons of life might unmask/unearth your neurodivergent traits, as your relationship w/ self changes across time

Then, I’ll present 3 questions for you to reflect on:

08:16 Now that you know (or suspect) that you’re neurodivergent, what makes sense - about yourself & your life - that didn’t make sense before?

12:13 What is 1 thing that you appreciate about the way your brain works?

15:15 How might this change the way you take care of yourself?

The intention of this episode is to empower you & guide you into a deeper relationship with yourself.

Quote: “In the most pathologizing version of the mental health system, neurodivergent folks are discussed in terms of their symptoms rather than in terms of their traits. We get so used to this question, What's wrong with me? How do I fix myself? And we so rarely get to celebrate & acknowledge what we like about ourselves - the gifts & skills that can come with our unique brains & nervous systems.”

🌿 About the Host

RESOURCES

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my weekly newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here (focused sessions to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

ADHD Nervous System Regulation: Beyond the Usual “Hacks,” w/ Deema Al-Omar

Liz Zhou — Sun, 31 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

If the common “ADHD tips & tricks” don’t work for your ADHD brain, it might be time to slow down & tend to your nervous system in a different way.

The truth is, ADHDers need more than planners, apps, & executive functioning “hacks” in order to move sustainably through this world. Though all these tools can absolutely be helpful, they address only one layer of the experience.

It’s also important to acknowledge the root causes of nervous system dysregulation: the pressures of living under sociocultural rules that don’t work for our brains, and the impacts of navigating systems of oppression.

What if we don’t need another hack - what if we need space to unlearn the rules that others decided for us, & build a kinder relationship with ourselves?

Join me & Deema Al-Omar in an enlightening conversation that might change the way you understand (& take care of) your ADHD nervous system.

04:28 The neuroscience of the ADHD brain

07:55 Navigating the late-diagnosed ADHD experience

09:16 Why the struggles of ADHDers go deeper than executive functioning

11:16 Why another planner, app, or "ADHD hack" might not be the answer - & what might help instead

14:49 How the ADHD experience is shaped by systems of oppression, social rules, & cultural context

19:55 Brainspotting therapy: a healing modality that goes deeper than talk therapy & can work well for ADHD brains

26:27 Brainspotting can help the nervous system process through experiences of collective trauma & move toward homeostasis

28:26 Brainspotting can unlock access to collective & generational traumas held in the nervous system, and bring them out to be healed & tended to

31:49 Slowing down to take care of your nervous system

🌿 About the Guest

Deema Al-Omar (she/her) is a certified Brainspotting practitioner & associate clinical social worker working with clients based in California. She is a Muslim, Palestinian, neurodivergent, midsize, middle child of immigrants and cisgender woman. She typically works with GenZ and millennial folks on issues related to identity and culture, ADHD, or trauma.

🌿 Connect with Deema

>> Resource: Executive Functioning Guide 🧠

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/heyitsdeema

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my weekly newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here 🌻

How to Build a Nervous System Care Plan: The 8 Senses

Liz Zhou — Sun, 24 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

If you struggle to regulate your nervous system, often experiencing burnout, meltdowns, & sensory overload… this episode is for you.

I’ll share practical info on how to care for your nervous system, focusing on the 5 senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, & taste) and beyond (proprioception & intuition).

We’ll reflect on these questions: What brings you joy? What makes you happy to be alive? And one day, when you’re no longer in this body, what experiences will you miss most about being human?

By the end of this heartfelt, soothing, & educational episode, you’ll have a few more ideas to add to your nervous system care kit.

01:27 The science of the nervous system

03:45 How our experiences of senses spans from pre-birth to death

05:55 How to build a sensory care plan for the nervous system

11:02 Interoception: a sense of internal bodily awareness (aka: how to tell when you’re overstimulated or understimulated)

13:54 Resourcing through the 5 senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, & taste

23:37 Beyond the 5 senses: proprioception & intuition

29:45 There’s no one-size-fits-all care plan

31:29 Let’s imagine a world that cares for sensory needs across all phases of life – and then build it, together

Quote: “When we’re dysregulated in the nervous system, we don’t always have access to all parts of the brain. It’s certainly much harder to access the rational, logical, thinking parts when we’re in the middle of a shutdown or burnout or emotional meltdown. And that’s when we do need to speak to the nervous system in the first language that it understands, which is sensory input.”

🌿 About the Host

RESOURCES

>> Enjoy a guided meditation for grounding (6 min)

>> See all research citations for this episode

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my weekly newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here (focused sessions to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

Caring for the Perinatal Nervous System: A Transpersonal Lens, w/ Paige DiChiara

Liz Zhou — Sun, 17 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Let’s talk about the perinatal nervous system – what it is, how it differs from a non-perinatal nervous system, and how caring for mothers creates a ripple effect of healing across generations.

In this conversation, Paige DiChiara & I explore the perinatal nervous system from a scientific, spiritual, & systemic lens.

We discuss:

how to honor the perinatal transition as a rite of passage – instead of pathologizing the experience, as is often the case in Western medical models
why the health of mothers is directly linked to the health of society & the planet
the somatic intelligence of the nervous system, and why the biological shifts that occur during the perinatal portal make sense from an evolutionary point of view
the process of matrescence: a multi-layered metamorphosis into motherhood, impacting everything from identity to neurobiology to finances
how lack of systemic support for mothers creates more opportunity for rupture in the child-caregiver relationship, increasing the risk of adverse childhood experiences
where systems fall short (like lack of paid maternity/paternity leave in the US), and what needs to change at the systemic level in order for humanity & the planet to have a chance to thrive
the benefits of matriarchy, and why matriarchy is not what most people think – it’s not about domination & control, like patriarchy; it’s about care & protection in community

🌿 About the Guest

Paige DiChiara is trained as a therapist, doula, and advanced yoga teacher with a specialization in perinatal mental health & transpersonal experiences. She guides pregnant women through a physical & emotional transformation that eases anxiety & discomfort while activating an unshakable trust within themselves. Paige believes that the health of mothers is directly related to the health of society & the health of the planet.

🌿 Connect with Paige

>> Join free 3-day journey for pregnancy peace: Calm Within Reach

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/seasonsofshakti_

>> Website: www.seasonsofshakti.co

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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).

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Download free guide: How to Prepare & Integrate Your Psychedelic Experience 🪷

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> Website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com

The Brain on Psychedelic Medicines: Myths & Facts

Liz Zhou — Sun, 10 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

We’ve all heard the claim that psychedelic drugs will “fry your brain.” We’ve also heard the opposite story: that psychedelics (like psilocybin, MDMA, & ketamine) are a “magic pill” that’ll cure depression, anxiety, & PTSD — overnight!

With such polarizing narratives, it can be hard to discern what’s myth & what’s truth.

Whether you’re curious about psychedelic therapy, or skeptical about all the hype, this episode is here to inform you.

As a therapist specializing in psychedelic integration, I’ll discuss:

the definition of psychedelic medicine (& why I’m intentionally using this term, instead of “drug”)
why psychedelics are not a passive experience that we just consume; they’re a relationship that we actively participate in
the balance between enjoying the neuroplastic effects of psychedelic medicines vs. expecting the medicine to do all the healing work for us
the importance of thoughtful preparation & integration, and why the real work happens after the journey
studies that compare the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy vs. psychotherapy with a placebo
why concerns about safety are valid, and why it’s important to consider medical contraindications, as well as the social, emotional, & sensory context in which the experience unfolds
how War on Drugs propaganda impacts our public understanding of psychedelic medicines, and misrepresents the relative danger of “drugs” like cannabis & psilocybin (which are shown to be physiologically less dangerous & less addictive than alcohol)
why any conversation on psychedelics must also acknowledge the War on Drugs as a vehicle of structural racism & oppression
the different contexts of psychedelic healing, from ketamine-assisted psychotherapy to plant medicine ceremonies to microdosing
the nuanced truth: psychedelics can be helpful for some & unhelpful for others
the importance of centering the voices of Indigenous communities that have stewarded these medicines for generations

RESOURCES

>> See all research citations

🌿 About the Host

🌿 Connect with Liz

>> Join my weekly newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters

>> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about psychedelic integration support here.

3 Loving Reminders for When the World is Overwhelming

Liz Zhou — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

When the world feels like it’s on fire, it’s natural to become overwhelmed, dysregulated, and overstimulated. (In fact, that’s a sign that our nervous systems are working as designed, alerting us to threats to safety).

But no one wants to feel STUCK in overwhelm.

In this short & sweet episode, I share 3 reminders to help you tend to your nervous system and navigate the state of the world with agency & awareness – without bypassing painful emotions or pretending that everything is okay (when it’s not).

We’ll cover these topics:

00:23 Acknowledging a world in polycrisis

02:14 Be compassionate with yourself

04:04 Allow space to feel & process

07:46 Explore aligned action, in community

Quote:

“Your nervous system reaction makes sense in the context of your whole life, in the context of the experiences that you’ve had, conscious and subconscious memories, as well as ancestral and intergenerational experiences that are held and remembered in the nervous system. Instead of blaming, shaming, criticizing, or judging ourselves for feeling flooded or frozen or for experiencing shutdowns or burnout or meltdowns, we can instead offer that grace, understanding, and kindness toward ourselves. And it can be as simple as saying: my experience makes sense.”

If this episode resonates with you & you want to explore related topics, check out these episodes:

>> Episode 1 | Nervous System Regulation: Why Self-Care & Collective Care Matter

>> Episode 4 | Building Community: How We Disrupt Systems of Oppression

>> Click here for episode transcripts & citations.

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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

>> 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.

Decolonial & Ancestral Healing through Psychedelic Medicines, w/ Mariya Javed-Payne

Liz Zhou — Sun, 03 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Though psychedelic medicines are often presented as a “quick fix” or “magic pill” in mainstream Western culture, the truth is far more complex than that.

In this episode, Mariya Javed-Payne & I explore a decolonial approach to psychedelic medicines — an approach that divests from capitalism, honors Indigenous wisdom, and centers relationship & reciprocity.

We explore why psychedelic medicines are not for everyone, but there ARE many different ways to heal, including through ancestral & spiritual practices that we can weave into the everyday.

We talk about:

03:40 Mari’s journey from addiction recovery to becoming a psychedelic-assisted therapist

5:30 Honest thoughts on the psychedelic medicine field

12:57 Decolonizing psychedelic medicines & centering Indigenous wisdom

16:55 Why all trauma healing IS ancestral healing, & what ancestral & spiritual work can look like (even if you don’t know your ancestors)

23:54 Navigating psychedelic experiences w/ discernment & intention: ketamine, cannabis, psilocybin, ayahuasca, & plant allies

31:13 Envisioning our future as empire falls: community, care networks, & connection w/ land

🌿 About the Guest

Mariya Javed-Payne (she/her) is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor, and International Brainspotting Trainer & Consultant. She is a somatic psychotherapist & the owner of Awaken Consulting Services, a private practice & consultancy where she utilizes Brainspotting therapy and offers training & consultation on treating trauma, somatic psychotherapies, psychedelic assisted therapy, and ancestral healing. The foundation of her work is decolonial and liberation-based. She is also the co-founder of Awakened Roots, a sanctuary & healing space where she offers breathwork, shamanic healing, & earth-based wisdom offerings.

🌿 Connect with Mari

>> Brainspotting trainings: www.awakenconsultingservices.com

>> Breathwork workshops: www.awakened-roots.com

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/awakenconsultingservices

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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

>> Download free guide to reduce anxiety

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> Website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com

Decentering the Medical Model: There's Nothing Wrong with You, w/ Halle Thomas

Liz Zhou — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

If you hold marginalized identities (like being queer, BIPOC, or neurodivergent), you’re used to navigating spaces that weren’t built for you — including the medical system.

Unfortunately, the mental health field has a history of pathologizing folks... leading many to believe, “there’s something wrong with ME.” It’s time that we change this narrative.

Join me in a poignant conversation with therapist Halle Thomas (she/they), where we talk about:

what prompted her to divest from the medical model (which assumes that mental health = "absence of mental illness”), and why alternatives to the medical model are important
how we can make therapy safer for everyone, by navigating conversations about diagnosis with care & consent
why it’s important to talk about privilege, oppression, & identities (rather than pretend that these dynamics don’t exist)
what it means to acknowledge ancestral responsibilities & engage in intergenerational healing — including when harm was perpetuated by your own ancestors
how Halle uses sensory breaks to take care of her nervous system

🌿 About the Guest

Halle Monique Thomas, LPC is an anxiety therapist who also works with trauma. Through Brainspotting, parts work, & spiritually-informed practices, she supports anxious adults whose anxiety stems from trying to follow rules that were written FOR them, instead of by them. Halle’s work centers the lived experiences of BIPOC, queer, chronically ill, and neurodivergent folks.

🌿 Connect with Halle

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/chicorycounseling

>> Website: www.chicorycounseling.com

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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

>> Click here for episode transcripts & citations.

>> Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

>> Website: www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com

02:04 The journey from pre-med to counseling

10:25 Navigating mental health in a multicultural household

15:11 De-centering the medical model

24:03 Conversations on privilege, power, & intersectionality in the therapy room

28:19 The role of the therapist as a bridge

30:54 Ancestral responsibility & healing across generations

37:36 How do you take care of your nervous system?

Let's Talk Self-Care: Brain Dumps, Inner Child, & Nature

Liz Zhou — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

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 have options that feel accessible & authentic to you. I’ll share practical ideas of what self-care, self-regulation, & co-regulation can look like, covering topics like:

01:36 Brain dumps: what's your processing style? (cognitive, verbal, kinetic, visual, auditory)

07:51 What does your inner child need?

12:50 Which element of nature do you feel drawn to? (fire, water, earth, air)

My hope is that you’ll leave this episode with 1-2 self-care ideas that you feel excited to explore (or revisit)… and the reminder that you are always deserving of care — in mind, in body, and in spirit.

Quote:

“Everyone’s body is different, everyone's brain works differently, and something that works for you on Monday might not work as well on Tuesday because there are also variables like mood or energy or shifting capacity.”

“Scientific studies are affirming this age-old wisdom that so many cultures, so many communities have known for millennia, that being in connection with the earth, feeling it on our hands and feet, generates health and generates life.”

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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

>> Click here for episode transcripts & citations.

>> 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.

You're Not Broken: An Ancestral View of Neurodiversity

Liz Zhou — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

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 their environment & community. We’ll explore how neurodivergent traits (like stimming, repetitive behaviors, or “inability to focus”) are not “deficits” – they are adaptive behaviors that make sense within a collective context, in which each person has a role & gifts to offer to the community.

In other words: the traits that make us different, “weird,” or inconvenient for capitalism, may have allowed our ancestors to survive & thrive generations ago.

This episode invites us to imagine a world where we embrace difference & live in relationship with each other, with nature, and with the wisdom of our nervous systems.

00:00 Intro

00:23 What if we viewed neurodiversity through a curious & non-pathologizing lens?

02:07 How is autism defined in Western mental health?

04:12 How is ADHD defined in Western mental health?

05:25 Neurodiversity-affirming & Indigenous perspectives on autism & ADHD

07:38 Medical vs. social models of disability

11:11 Indigenous perspectives on disability

14:10 The importance of a community-based, non-pathologizing approach

16:02 What do I mean by an ancestral lens on neurodiversity?

16:18 Autistic traits through an ancestral lens

19:33 ADHD traits through an ancestral lens

21:51 Navigating the diagnostic system

23:24 Mindfulness practice: vision of ancestral past & future

Quote:

“We are not saying that neurodivergent & disabled people do not experience any challenges whatsoever. We are saying that it is not necessary to pathologize the people who experience these challenges.”

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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

>> 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.

You're Not Lazy: Your Nervous System Needs Rest

Liz Zhou — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:00:00 GMT

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 capitalism
treat rest as a universal right, not as a reward to be earned
live in alignment with the cycles of the earth & the body, rather than expecting endless productivity

This 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 human

Quote: “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 Host

Liz 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

Full episode transcripts & resources here.

>> 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.

Unpacking Internalized Oppression: You're Not Crazy, You're Human

Liz Zhou — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 13:00:00 GMT

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 injustice
how 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 Intro

01:25 What is internalized oppression?

03:38 The history of "mental illness": who gets to decide who is crazy?

04:16 Historical context #1: drapetomania

05:42 Historical context #2: female hysteria

08:35 Historical context #3: homosexuality & gender identity in the DSM

12:03 The system is messed up - where do we go from here?

13:42 Outro

Quotes:

“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.”

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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

>> 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.

To Mask or Unmask: Your Nervous System, Your Needs

Liz Zhou — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:00:00 GMT

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 & authenticity
Why unmasking is not a checklist, but rather an experiment in a new way of living
4 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 Unmasking

11:58 Sensory Unmasking

14:32 Social Unmasking

17:50 Emotional Unmasking

18:57 Unmasking your Values

20:49 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 Host

Liz 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.

Building Community: How We Disrupt Systems of Oppression

Liz Zhou — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:00:00 GMT

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 Community

14:28 Quality Time

17:39 Gifts

20:39 Acts of Service / Solidarity

25:15 Our Nervous Systems, Our Ancestors

Quotes:

“I can’t do all the good the world needs — but the world needs all the good I can do.”

🌿 About the Host

Liz 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.

Neurodiversity-Affirming Care: Differences are Not Deficits

Liz Zhou — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT

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 Host

Liz 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

>> Follow on Instagram: @liz.holistic.therapist

>> 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.

What Does it Mean to be Neurodivergent?

Liz Zhou — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 14:00:00 GMT

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 Terms

02:36 What Does it Mean to be Neurodivergent?

04:46 The Role of Capitalism, Systems, & Neurotypical Expectations

07:27 Not a Deficit: Neurodivergence as a Way of Being

8:50 What Does Neurodivergence Look Like? (Autism, ADHD, High Sensitivity, & more)

10:07 Innate, Acquired, & Neurocomplex Experiences

12:40 Personal Reflections from Liz: What I Mean When I Say I’m Neurodivergent

Quote “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 Host

Liz 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

>> 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.

Nervous System Regulation: Why Self-Care & Collective Care Matter

Liz Zhou — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 14:00:00 GMT

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.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Nervous System Care & Healing Podcast

00:23 Understanding the Nervous System

01:46 Nervous System Regulation Explained

04:54 Building a Flexible Nervous System

05:56 Recognizing Dysregulation

08:28 Sensory-Soothing Strategies

12:21 The Impact of the World on Our Nervous Systems

15:18 Balancing Individual & Collective Care

Quote: “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 Host

Liz 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

>> 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.

Welcome to Nervous System Care & Healing

Liz Zhou — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 06:25:15 GMT

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 Host

Liz 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