I sprained my ankle this weekend, tripping down the stairs… so my agenda since then has been to rest as much as possible.

(Which works out great for my cats, who like me best when I’m a stationary object who can double as their couch.)

As my ankle recovers, I’ve been reflecting on the healing process, and keep coming back to these core truths/reminders.

🍃 The first truth is that rest is a part of healing. Even when it seems like we’re not doing anything & nothing is happening, doing nothing is actually doing something.

Case in point: the past couple nights, I’ve been sleeping more than usual. When I wake up in the morning, I’m pleasantly surprised to notice how much better my ankle feels compared to the day before.

The body is capable of self-repair & healing, when we give it the space & time to do so.

Though not all cases are as straightforward as my sprained ankle, here’s what is true for all of us:

We need rest.

Rest is not something we should have to earn after “working hard enough.” It is a non-negotiable, basic right.

Rest is not a nice extra thing to have; it is the foundation of everything we are here to do & experience.

🍃 The second truth? It’s important to slow down sometimes.

You see, the reason I tripped down the stairs is because I was moving super fast, taking out the trash and not really noticing where my feet were stepping.

One second I was upright; the next, I was horizontal on the ground. Super disorienting!

Had I taken a few extra moments to slow down & orient to my environment, I may have been able to avoid such a rough fall.

Sometimes we learn these lessons (or reminders) the hard way.

🐢 In therapy sessions, I often mention that slow is fast. What I mean is that when we take things slow, and allow the process to unfold in its own time, the healing that we’re wanting to do can happen faster and sooner.

Whereas if we were to rush through the whole process, we might end up feeling disoriented, overwhelmed, or flooded… leading to the emotional equivalent of feeling like we just knocked over something, and now have to spend time putting the pieces back together.

Remember:

🌸 Moving fast can slow us down in the long run.

🌸 Going slow can help us go far.

🌸 And rest is a part of healing.

With much care,

P.S. This week, I want to share 2 resources about one of my favorite topics: psychedelic medicines. 🍄‍🟫 I invite you to listen along if you feel called!

SENSITIVE STORIES PODCAST Amplify Your Needs with Psychedelic Medicine In this episode, I chat with April Snow (psychotherapist, author, and fellow HSP) about the potential benefits of psychedelic medicine for highly sensitive people. We cover: the 3 steps to safely and meaningfully experience psychedelics in a therapeutic context how to find a provider, which medicine to choose, and the importance of advocating for your sensory and emotional needs along the way what you can learn about yourself throughout the experience Thank you, April, for hosting this lovely, important, & nuanced conversation. This episode is for you if you want to hear about psychedelic medicines from an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) perspective. LISTEN HERE (43 min) 🌻

NERVOUS SYSTEM CARE & HEALING PODCAST The Brain on Psychedelic Medicines: Myths & Truths 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 unpack the nuanced truth: why psychedelics can be helpful for some & unhelpful for others. This episode is for you if you want to hear clear facts, a grounded take on what it actually means to heal, & social commentary on the relationship between psychedelic therapy, capitalism, and the War on Drugs. LISTEN HERE (45 min) 🌻

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.
📚 Curious to learn about neurodiversity + holistic healing? —> Peek at my blog.
🗞️ Want to catch up on old newsletters? —> Check out the archive.

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