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There’s a lot happening in the world. And while that’s always been true, maybe it’s feeling especially true for you in this moment, this season, this year. To name a few things — we have ICE targeting immigrant communities in the US. Humanitarian crises, genocides. Loss of freedoms, rights, safety. And much more. This is in addition to the personal struggles (& yes, joys) that each of us is already navigating on a daily basis. So, with everything going on, with your nervous system hanging on by a thread… what does it mean to heal? How do we heal from the past when painful things keep happening in the present? ​ If you know me, you know that I don’t often give simple answers. But here’s what comes up for me. I think about how, when it comes to healing our nervous systems, things heal in the order that makes most sense. If we’re feeling deeply unsettled by what’s happening in the world right now, then that is what our nervous systems are going to focus energy on processing. If we’re feeling deeply impacted by things that happened to us at 5 years old, then that is what our brains will focus on. And sometimes, we find ourselves in a moment where we’re needing to both heal from the past and sustain ourselves through the intensity of the present. Sometimes, healing is not about what happened back then, but also about what’s happening now and how do we get through it. So, this is my way of validating that if you’re feeling unsettled right now, and painful experiences from the past are jumbling with painful experiences in the now, you are not alone. In fact, you are joined by many of us in this collective human experience. And my hope is that we continue to sustain and heal together. And if your nervous system needs some support in these times, get in touch with me to talk about a Nervous System Healing Intensive — 3 90-minute sessions dedicated to deep processing through gentle yet powerful brain-body therapies (Brainspotting and IFS). This is the work I love to do, and I am here with you and for you if you need it. ​ Talk soon, P.S. Interested in working with me 1:1? I offer Nervous System Healing Intensives — short-term, accelerated support for highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults, available online worldwide. Click ​HERE​ to learn more. And if you want to get an Intensive on the books, contact me ​HERE​. ​ P.P.S. Know someone who needs to hear this? Forward it along. New readers can subscribe ​HERE​. I help highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults heal their nervous systems & connect with their authentic selves.
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👉🏽 Subscribe for thoughtful, bite-sized emails — from Liz Zhou, a neurodivergent therapist — on how to take care of your nervous system & understand your brain.
Would you rather… have a one-on-one hang out with a close friend, or attend a big party next Friday night? spend 1 hour watching entertaining TikTok videos, or diving into a book from your favorite genre? jam out to your favorite same song on repeat, or set your playlist on shuffle and go with the flow? There’s no right or wrong answer. Rather, your answers might reveal whether you prefer horizontal or vertical experiences. Let me explain. Vertical experiences are like digging a hole in the...
“It’s too quiet here,” one of my college dorm mates is saying. “I couldn’t even sleep last night.” It’s our second day attending college in middle-of-nowhere, Vermont, and we’re still acclimating to our new rural environment. Half-unpacked suitcases lay in our half-decorated rooms. Everyone is still learning each other’s names and how to not get lost on the way to the bathroom. My dorm mate explains that, having grown up in a big city, they aren’t used to pitch-black nights, where you’re more...
My friend’s mouth is moving and sounds are coming out, but my brain is comprehending about 50% of it. Inside, I’m scrambling. What are we talking about? How should I respond? Then it hits me. “Wait,” I say. “Can we turn off that fluorescent light?” We’re sitting in my living room, and it’s occurred to me that the lights are way too bright. Bright enough to give me a headache. We turn off the fluorescents and replace it with a calmer blue lighting. Ahhh. My nervous system immediately sighs...