👉🏽 Subscribe for thoughtful, bite-sized emails — from Liz Zhou, a neurodivergent therapist — on how to take care of your nervous system & understand your brain.
When a small accommodation makes a big difference
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This is a story about unmasking. Last fall, I visited my friend in New York City. Knowing that the place would be loud and overstimulating, I made sure to bring my earplugs. My earplugs are designed to block out noise. When I wear them, I still hear everything, but sounds are muffled as if I’m half underwater, half on earth. The earplugs allow me to participate in conversations & stay aware of my surroundings, with minimal auditory overwhelm. It’s like they stretch the battery life of my nervous system — so instead of having to head home after an hour of hanging out at a loud venue, I can linger for 2-3 hours and actually enjoy my time there. ​ One night, we had dinner at an awesome, but fairly loud, restaurant. My friend snapped a photo of me, and I happened to be wearing my earplugs. Then he invited me to take my earplugs off, so I could get a “normal” photo. This is what we ended up with. Looking back, I love both photos. They memorialize a sweet moment in time. But the more unmasked version of me is definitely the photo with earplugs on, because that’s how I actually look in public most of the time. Those earplugs have accompanied me to busy cafés, on plane rides, and even to a rave (!!). They’re one of the best investments & accommodations I’ve ever made for my nervous system health. ​ Choosing to be seen with earplugs on is one small example of unmasking. Because why pretend that I don’t need them, when I actually do? ​ There are lots of different ways to unmask, and a lot of reasons why we choose to mask or unmask. I don’t believe there’s a right or wrong way — only your way, and your choice, in this moment. And in the fairly low-stakes example of wearing my earplugs in public, I choose my own comfort & sensory peace over the potential discomfort of receiving some weird looks from strangers. So, I’m curious… What is one way you’re unmasking & accommodating your needs today? ​ Talk soon, ​ P.S. If you need help figuring out how to unmask & accommodate your needs, I’d love to support you. I offer Nervous System Healing Intensives (short-term, accelerated work) for highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults, online worldwide. Click HERE to learn more. And if you want to get an Intensive on the books, contact me HERE. I’m scheduling Intensives for June 2025 & beyond. ​
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​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.
This time of year feels like the turning of a page. Things seem to slow down (as people take time off to be with loved ones) and simultaneously speed up (the mad dash to get everything done before the holidays, the high-pressure “new year, new me” energy). Like many, I grew up setting New Year’s resolutions — like eat healthier, exercise more, improve my sleep. While there’s nothing wrong with setting these goals, this year I want to try something different (& I welcome you to join me)....
While pondering a big decision recently, this question floated through my mind. What would my ancestors do? This question added a totally new dimension & depth to my pondering. I began to see the situation differently, in a bigger context. So I want to share this question with you, too, and let you curiously notice whatever comes up. Pick 1 decision that you’re mulling over. It can be big or small — whether to stay where you are or go somewhere else; whether to commit to project A or B;...
What was the last thing you saw on social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok)? An ad, a funny post, a talking head, someone’s dreamy beach vacation? How did it make you feel? And just as curious – did you choose to see this content (because you opted to follow a specific page or account), or was it randomly put in front of you, via the algorithm? (Ah, the almighty and mysterious algorithm…) This year, I’ve been noticing how being on social media makes my head spin & my attention scatter. On...