Being Yourself is an Act of Liberation, w/ Dr. Nicole Xenos

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 regulation, without also acknowledging the conditions that create so much dysregulation in the first place. Join me & Dr. Nicole Xenos in an insightful conversation on what liberation can look like - in the nervous system, in the counseling room, & beyond. We discuss: 02:38 What is liberation counseling & how Nicole came into liberation work, through experiences like unpacking religious conditioning & participating in trauma-informed yoga teacher training through the Prison Yoga Project 04:08 How to develop critical consciousness - the ability to see how oppressive systems impact us & to take action against them 06:04 Liberation is a way of being that is available within us - even while we are waiting for systems of oppression to change (& while we work toward that change) 08:02 What internalized oppression can look like (hint: sometimes it shows up as an inner critic that says, “I’m bad/wrong/unworthy”) 13:39 Present-moment awareness is a liberation practice 24:27 Liberation is a process of returning to Self & deconstructing layers of what we believe about ourselves 30:08 Liberation is collective work 31:41 It is painful & dysregulating to look at oppression. That’s why we need a base level of nervous system regulation in order to engage with this work, and why it’s important to take it slow Remember: tending to yourself & community is an act of liberation. Rest, joy, & care are acts of liberation. Returning to self is liberation, and freedom from conditioning is worthwhile. 🌿 About the Guest Nicole Xenos LPC, PhD (she/they) is a Gestalt trained Liberation therapist & supervisor working in Colorado. Nicole uses decolonial & anti-racist frameworks to provide education, counseling, & supervision in her communities. Nicole is a solo Mom to four teenagers and identifies as an intersectional being. 🌿 Connect with Nicole >> To explore therapy & supervision, visit: www.paintedonehealing.com [http://www.paintedonehealing.com]  >> Instagram: www.instagram.com/painted_one_healing [http://www.instagram.com/painted_one_healing]  For resources on mutual aid & community liberation, visit: https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/ [https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/] 🌿 About the Host Liz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. 🌿 Connect with Liz >> Join my weekly newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters [http://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/newsletter] >> Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist [http://www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist]

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 your authentic self. We’ll explore: * why some people discover their neurodivergence later in life (and how lack of diversity in mental health research impacts the information available for folks) * why self-identification & formal diagnosis are both valid options - there is no one “right” path * how different seasons of life might unmask/unearth your neurodivergent traits, as your relationship w/ self changes across time Then, I’ll present 3 questions for you to reflect on: 08:16 Now that you know (or suspect) that you’re neurodivergent, what makes sense - about yourself & your life - that didn’t make sense before? 12:13 What is 1 thing that you appreciate about the way your brain works? 15:15 How might this change the way you take care of yourself? The intention of this episode is to empower you & guide you into a deeper relationship with yourself. Quote: “In the most pathologizing version of the mental health system, neurodivergent folks are discussed in terms of their symptoms rather than in terms of their traits. We get so used to this question, What's wrong with me? How do I fix myself? And we so rarely get to celebrate & acknowledge what we like about ourselves - the gifts & skills that can come with our unique brains & nervous systems.” 🌿 About the Host Liz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, & Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in CO & worldwide. RESOURCES >> Why Autism is Underdiagnosed in BIPOC Communities (and Why Self-Diagnosis is Valid) [https://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/blog/autism-self-diagnosis-bipoc-adults] 🌿 Connect with Liz >> Join my weekly newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters [http://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/newsletter] >> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist [http://www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist] >> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here [https://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/brainspotting-ifs-nervous-system-intensive] (focused sessions to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

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 important to acknowledge the root causes of nervous system dysregulation: the pressures of living under sociocultural rules that don’t work for our brains, and the impacts of navigating systems of oppression. What if we don’t need another hack - what if we need space to unlearn the rules that others decided for us, & build a kinder relationship with ourselves? Join me & Deema Al-Omar in an enlightening conversation that might change the way you understand (& take care of) your ADHD nervous system. 04:28 The neuroscience of the ADHD brain 07:55 Navigating the late-diagnosed ADHD experience 09:16 Why the struggles of ADHDers go deeper than executive functioning 11:16 Why another planner, app, or "ADHD hack" might not be the answer - & what might help instead 14:49 How the ADHD experience is shaped by systems of oppression, social rules, & cultural context 19:55 Brainspotting therapy: a healing modality that goes deeper than talk therapy & can work well for ADHD brains 26:27 Brainspotting can help the nervous system process through experiences of collective trauma & move toward homeostasis 28:26 Brainspotting can unlock access to collective & generational traumas held in the nervous system, and bring them out to be healed & tended to  31:49 Slowing down to take care of your nervous system 🌿 About the Guest Deema Al-Omar (she/her) is a certified Brainspotting practitioner & associate clinical social worker working with clients based in California. She is a Muslim, Palestinian, neurodivergent, midsize, middle child of immigrants and cisgender woman. She typically works with GenZ and millennial folks on issues related to identity and culture, ADHD, or trauma. 🌿 Connect with Deema >> Resource: Executive Functioning Guide 🧠 [https://stan.store/heyitsdeema] >> Instagram: www.instagram.com/heyitsdeema [http://www.instagram.com/heyitsdeema] 🌿 About the Host Liz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, & Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in CO & worldwide. 🌿 Connect with Liz >> Join my weekly newsletter: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters [http://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/newsletter] >> Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist [http://www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist] >> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here 🌻 [https://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/brainspotting-ifs-nervous-system-intensive]

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? And one day, when you’re no longer in this body, what experiences will you miss most about being human?  By the end of this heartfelt, soothing, & educational episode, you’ll have a few more ideas to add to your nervous system care kit.  01:27 The science of the nervous system 03:45 How our experiences of senses spans from pre-birth to death 05:55 How to build a sensory care plan for the nervous system 11:02 Interoception: a sense of internal bodily awareness (aka: how to tell when you’re overstimulated or understimulated) 13:54 Resourcing through the 5 senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, & taste 23:37 Beyond the 5 senses: proprioception & intuition 29:45 There’s no one-size-fits-all care plan 31:29 Let’s imagine a world that cares for sensory needs across all phases of life – and then build it, together Quote: “When we’re dysregulated in the nervous system, we don’t always have access to all parts of the brain. It’s certainly much harder to access the rational, logical, thinking parts when we’re in the middle of a shutdown or burnout or emotional meltdown. And that’s when we do need to speak to the nervous system in the first language that it understands, which is sensory input.” 🌿 About the Host Liz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, & Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). Liz’s services are available online in CO & worldwide. RESOURCES >> Enjoy a guided meditation for grounding (6 min) [https://youtu.be/RVW9slDt9Vw?si=h2AzD2hYEGywcnxg] >> See all research citations for this episode [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A_VVVeZvot1sKsJL845X17avmZGAYj0l/view?usp=share_link] 🌿 Connect with Liz >> Join my weekly newsletter, where I share insights on how to understand your brain & take care of your nervous system: Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters [http://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/newsletter] >> Follow on IG: www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist [http://www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist] >> To work 1:1 with Liz: learn about Nervous System Healing Intensives here [https://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/brainspotting-ifs-nervous-system-intensive] (focused sessions to help you heal deeply & connect with your authentic self) 🌻

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 – instead of pathologizing the experience, as is often the case in Western medical models * why the health of mothers is directly linked to the health of society & the planet  * the somatic intelligence of the nervous system, and why the biological shifts that occur during the perinatal portal make sense from an evolutionary point of view * the process of matrescence: a multi-layered metamorphosis into motherhood, impacting everything from identity to neurobiology to finances * how lack of systemic support for mothers creates more opportunity for rupture in the child-caregiver relationship, increasing the risk of adverse childhood experiences * where systems fall short (like lack of paid maternity/paternity leave in the US), and what needs to change at the systemic level in order for humanity & the planet to have a chance to thrive * the benefits of matriarchy, and why matriarchy is not what most people think – it’s not about domination & control, like patriarchy; it’s about care & protection in community 🌿 About the Guest Paige DiChiara is trained as a therapist, doula, and advanced yoga teacher with a specialization in perinatal mental health & transpersonal experiences. She guides pregnant women through a physical & emotional transformation that eases anxiety & discomfort while activating an unshakable trust within themselves. Paige believes that the health of mothers is directly related to the health of society & the health of the planet. 🌿 Connect with Paige >> Join free 3-day journey for pregnancy peace: Calm Within Reach [https://calm.seasonsofshakti.co/] >> Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/chicorycounselingwww.instagram.com/seasonsofshakti_ [http://www.instagram.com/seasonsofshakti_]  >> Website: www.seasonsofshakti.co [http://www.seasonsofshakti.co]  🌿 About the Host Liz Zhou is a neurodivergent therapist of color, coach, & speaker based in Colorado (MA, LPC, she/her). She helps highly sensitive, neurodivergent adults & couples heal their nervous systems and connect with their authentic selves. Her specialties include: Brainspotting, EMDR, IFS, Psychedelic Integration, and Nervous System Intensives (deep-dive, accelerated therapy). 🌿 Connect with Liz >> Subscribe to Liz’s Neurodivergent Letters [http://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/newsletter] >> Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist/www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist [http://www.instagram.com/liz.holistic.therapist] >> Website: http://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com/www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com [http://www.seasonsofgrowthcounseling.com]