Nervous System Care & Healing
Liz Zhou 17 episodes Nov 8, 2026
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. It is for highly sensitive or neurodivergent people who have always felt different, offering a welcoming space. The podcast approaches difference with curiosity and affirms that there is nothing wrong with individuals, but the systems around them are broken. It explores individual healing and collective liberation.
Episodes
Mental Health is Political: Let’s Build a World that We Actually Want to Live In
After the recent democracy-affirming elections in the U.S., Brazil, and Serbia, there’s more hope in the air than before - even as we recognize that there is much work to do.The world is shifting, as more and more people are demanding accountability & change from the political systems that shape every part of our lives - from healthcare to human rights to cost of living.In this episode, I shar
An Alternative to Toxic Positivity: Embracing Your Nervous System’s Range
Have you ever been told to “stay positive & look on the bright side”… but just couldn’t force yourself to do it?Positive thinking can be a useful coping strategy, helping us disrupt doom spirals in the brain. But when taken to extremes, it can become toxic positivity: forced optimism, performative “good vibes,” and the inability to tolerate difficult feelings (like sadness, anger, frustration,
Building an Intentional Relationship with Social Media: From Doomscrolling to Discernment
Have you ever found yourself doomscrolling on Instagram - and before you knew it, 2 hours had passed? Do you feel low-key addicted to social media - like you can’t imagine your life without it, even though a part of you hates it?Social media platforms - like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok - are designed to keep us scrolling for as long as possible. They’ve been criticized for their addictive desi
The Link Between Creativity, Healing, & Collective Liberation [Replay]
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, and the work of collective liberation?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, healing, & collective liberation.01:48 Creativity can look so many diff
How to Access Your Intuition (to Live a More Joyful Life), w/ Nanae Ito
What is intuition, how does it work, and how can accessing our intuition help us live more joyful & fulling lives?Join me & Nanae as we unpack these questions - with thoughtfulness & nuance. Nanae shares about her journey as a therapist & social worker who was completely skeptical about things like intuition, souls, & higher self - to actually becoming an intuitive & energy
Embracing Cycles & Seasons to Deconstruct from Capitalism
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
How to Tend to the Nervous System as a Highly Sensitive Person, w/ April Snow
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? | 05:52How to care for your highly
A Gentle Practice to Soothe the Nervous System
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,
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
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, a
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 nervo
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 wi
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 ad
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-affi
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
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
Beyond Talk Therapy: How Brainspotting Works to Heal the Nervous System
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 d
From Dysregulation to Connection: An Intersectional Approach to Sex Therapy, w/ Dominique Oster
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 w
What Death Doula Work Teaches Me About Life
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
Asian American Experiences: Unpacking the Model Minority Myth, w/ Sang Lintakoon
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
The Link Between Creativity & Healing
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
Being Yourself is an Act of Liberation, w/ Dr. Nicole Xenos
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 reg
3 Questions to Ponder if You Discovered Your Neurodivergence Later in Life
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 yo
ADHD Nervous System Regulation: Beyond the Usual “Hacks,” w/ Deema Al-Omar
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
How to Build a Nervous System Care Plan: The 8 Senses
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
Caring for the Perinatal Nervous System: A Transpersonal Lens, w/ Paige DiChiara
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 – in
The Brain on Psychedelic Medicines: Myths & Facts
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 abo
Decolonial & Ancestral Healing through Psychedelic Medicines, w/ Mariya Javed-Payne
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 medicin
3 Loving Reminders for When the World is Overwhelming
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
Decentering the Medical Model: There's Nothing Wrong with You, w/ Halle Thomas
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 therapi
Let's Talk Self-Care: Brain Dumps, Inner Child, & Nature
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
You're Not Broken: An Ancestral View of Neurodiversity
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 t
You're Not Lazy: Your Nervous System Needs Rest
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 journa
Unpacking Internalized Oppression: You're Not Crazy, You're Human
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:
To Mask or Unmask: Your Nervous System, Your Needs
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 i
Building Community: How We Disrupt Systems of Oppression
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
Neurodiversity-Affirming Care: Differences are Not Deficits
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
What Does it Mean to be Neurodivergent?
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 sp
Nervous System Regulation: Why Self-Care & Collective Care Matter
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
Welcome to Nervous System Care & Healing
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 epis
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