👉🏽 Subscribe for thoughtful, bite-sized emails — from Liz Zhou, a neurodivergent therapist — on how to take care of your nervous system & understand your brain.
If humans came with instruction manuals... 📖
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While on a hike recently, I came across a sign that said: 🚫 If you see a bear, don’t make eye contact (which the bear may perceive as a sign of aggression) Which was right next to another sign: 👀 If you see a mountain lion, DO make eye contact (which shows the lion that you are aware of its presence & not afraid) These signs made me feel a bit spooked, reminding me of the possibility of encountering these creatures. (Though, to my relief, a third sign in the vicinity stated that the last reported bear or mountain lion sighting was several years ago. Phew.) The signs also made me feel grateful - because they provided actual instructions on how to engage with these creatures, to increase the likelihood of a safe interaction. Later, I (half-jokingly) wondered: what if we had these types of “instruction manuals” for humans, too? Imagine if you could hand an instruction manual to every person that you meet, explaining how you prefer to be interacted with. This “manual” might sound like: ✔️ This person loves hugs, but doesn’t like sustained, direct eye contact - so don’t take it personally if they don’t look at you as often as you would expect. ✔️ This person likes deep conversations, but hates small talk - so don’t ask them, how’s the weather? They’d probably rather talk about philosophy instead. ✔️ This person finds texting easier than phone calls - so if you need to reach them sooner rather than later, send them a text. Some people like direct eye contact (like the mountain lion). Others don’t (like the bear). Some people like small talk. Others run away from it. Each brain & nervous system is unique, with a distinct set of needs & preferences. It’s helpful to know our own “operating systems,” so that we can communicate our needs & preferences to others and design a life that works for us, as much as possible. If you could write an “instruction manual” for yourself - what would you want people to know about you? With care, P.S. Know someone who needs to hear this? Forward it along. New readers can subscribe here. P.P.S. If you’re interested in working together, I’d love to support you. 🌻 For folks who are overwhelmed & burnt out, but too busy for weekly therapy, I offer Nervous System Healing Intensives — three 90-minute sessions, using brain-body modalities (Brainspotting, IFS, EMDR) that go deeper than talk therapy & help you feel better, sooner.
Intensives are a type of short-term, accelerated therapy — for folks who prefer a hyper-focused approach to healing; who need longer than 50-min sessions to warm up & process deeply. 👉🏽 If you want to get an Intensive on the books, click here to book an intro call. I help highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults heal their nervous systems & connect with their authentic selves. 💗 Need a nervous system reset? —> Join me for a Calm Place meditation. |
Liz's Neurodivergent Letters
👉🏽 Subscribe for thoughtful, bite-sized emails — from Liz Zhou, a neurodivergent therapist — on how to take care of your nervous system & understand your brain.
Every single day, our brains are processing countless pieces of input. Notifications from five different apps. The ping of incoming text messages The microwave timer going off. Emails piling up in your inbox. The physical pile of letters & bills on your desk. Phone calls & voicemails. The to-do list that keeps growing. 🧠 Due to the sheer amount of stimulation around us, it can be hard for our brains to discern what is actually urgent vs. what seems urgent but is not a true emergency. The...
There’s a book on my shelf that I’ve been reading for... what feels like forever. Every week or so, I’ll pick it up & read through another chapter. The content of the book is complex, so I can only process one chapter at a time. Then, my brain gets tired and needs a break. (The book, for the record, is called A Disability History of the United States, and it’s definitely not a “light read.”) My point is: the slow pace of reading a physical book - feeling the material in my hands, turning each...
Someone recently asked me, “What’s your favorite type of flower?” My answer: “Roses and unicorn baby’s breath.” Then, I spent the next minute trying to explain what unicorn baby’s breath flowers look like. 😅 The simplest description? They’re like rainbow-colored stars, except in flower form. Here’s what I mean👇🏽 These flowers seem to sparkle and smile when you look at them. They remind me that we don’t have to look far in order to find traces of magic on earth. Flowers are just as magical as...