Nervous System Care & Healing

Liz Zhou
  • 4.8 (10)
  • Mental Health

A podcast about how to take care of our nervous systems while we navigate systems that were designed to keep us dysregulated. Hosted by Liz Zhou, a neurodivergent therapist of color. If you’re a highly sensitive or neurodivergent person — or have always felt different from others, like you belong nowhere — then I hope this podcast will feel like a “welcome home” for you. Here, we approach difference with curiosity, not judgment. We affirm that there is nothing “wrong” with you, that none of us are broken — but the systems around us are. If you’re curious about individual healing & collective liberation, this podcast is for you. Join us as we heal our nervous systems & take good care of ourselves and each other. You are welcome here.

  1. 1d ago

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

    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 & educationhow our nervous systems carry the experiences of our ancestors - even if we don’t consciously know what those experiences werehow adverse childhood experiences (like neglect, bullying, or not feeling loved) shape our lives - but that doesn't mean the future is set in stonehow the need to survive, assimilate, & blend in can disconnect us from our cultural roots - why it’s never too late to reconnecthow 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 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.  🌿 Connect with Liz >> Join my email newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters >> IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

  2. Sep 6

    Sensory Rest: An Antidote to Burnout

    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 pollutionvisual overstimulation through screen exposureconstant transitions that disrupt attention, including ads & algorithmsextreme temperatures through climate change Then, I’ll share a simple plan for sensory rest: Minimize sensory inputMinimize transitionsBe intentional about screens & technology useCreate 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 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 >> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here (focused sessions, using Brainspotting & Internal Family Systems, to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

  3. Aug 30

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

    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? | 04:12How do we heal if the trauma isn't over? (& an alternative to the term “PTSD”) | 05:47The limitations of Western psychotherapy & why a decolonial approach to therapy matters | 08:20How body-based approaches to therapy can support survivors of ongoing trauma - like war, genocide, and systemic oppression | 12:53Intro to Havening: resourcing the nervous system through physical touch | 16:08Intro 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 | 32:10The 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 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.  🌿 Connect with Liz >> Join my email newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters >> IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

  4. Aug 23

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

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

  5. Aug 16

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

    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-regulateHow 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 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 >> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here (focused sessions, using Brainspotting & Internal Family Systems, to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

  6. Aug 9

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

    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 youwhy 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 selfwhy so many neurodivergent people experience trauma - and why, in a capitalist society, we are all experiencing trauma to some degreehow to discern between trauma responses vs. innate neurodivergent traitsthe nuances of high-masking, late-diagnosed autistic experiences, and the privilege to pass as neurotypical in certain contextshow 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 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: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters >> IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist

  7. Aug 3

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

    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 & oppressionwhy 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-solvinghow acknowledging & feeling our grief can move us toward a more connected futurehow moments of joy resource the nervous systemhope 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 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 >> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here (focused sessions, using Brainspotting & Internal Family Systems, to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

  8. Jul 26

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

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

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A podcast about how to take care of our nervous systems while we navigate systems that were designed to keep us dysregulated. Hosted by Liz Zhou, a neurodivergent therapist of color. If you’re a highly sensitive or neurodivergent person — or have always felt different from others, like you belong nowhere — then I hope this podcast will feel like a “welcome home” for you. Here, we approach difference with curiosity, not judgment. We affirm that there is nothing “wrong” with you, that none of us are broken — but the systems around us are. If you’re curious about individual healing & collective liberation, this podcast is for you. Join us as we heal our nervous systems & take good care of ourselves and each other. You are welcome here.

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