Are psychedelics a magic pill… or will they fry your brain? The truth is nuanced: psychedelics are helpful for some people & unhelpful for others. Whether you’re curious about psychedelic-assisted therapy, or skeptical about all the hype, this post is here to inform you (without fear-mongering or sugarcoating).

Though psychedelic medicines are often presented as a “quick fix” or “magic pill” in mainstream Western culture, the truth is far more complex than that. In this conversation, Mariya Javed-Payne & Liz Zhou explore what a decolonial approach to psychedelic medicines would look like — an approach that divests from capitalism, honors Indigenous wisdom & sovereignty, and centers community.

When the world feels like it’s on fire, it’s natural to become dysregulated. Here are 3 reminders to help you tend to your nervous system and navigate the state of the world with agency & awareness – without bypassing painful emotions or pretending that everything is okay (when it’s not).

In this poignant conversation, Liz Zhou & Halle Thomas explore why the medical model (which assumes that health = the “absence of illness”) is not the only paradigm. We discuss ways to make therapy safer for queer, BIPOC, & neurodivergent folks; and how to weave ancestral & cultural practices into the healing process.

We’ve all heard how important self-care is — but actually building a self-care plan that works for your brain is a whole other story. If the typical advice, like “take a bubble bath!” or “have you tried meditating?”, simply doesn’t work for you: let’s explore options that feel more accessible & authentic to you.

Neurodivergence, like autism & ADHD, is often stigmatized in Western mental health. They’re seen as pathologies in need of a “cure.” But what if we viewed neurodiversity through a curious & affirming lens, acknowledging both the challenges AND gifts?

Endless productivity is not realistic, yet many of us carry the burden of feeling “lazy,” like we’re not doing enough. This blog post explores why rest is a need, not a reward; how capitalism & culture impact our relationship to work; and what it means to move at the speed of your nervous system — not at the speed of capitalism.

If you have an inner voice that tells you, “I’m unworthy,” “I don’t matter,” or “I’m crazy/too sensitive”... let’s explore why these beliefs may come from the systems of oppression around us — and how we can relate to ourselves in a more compassionate way.

When does it feel safe to be you? If you’ve heard the advice “just be yourself” and felt frustrated by how generic it was, I want to share a more nuanced framework that acknowledges personal identities & lived experiences: masking vs. unmasking.

Community is essential for nervous system health, especially in times of injustice and collective transition. Let’s explore how to build community in ways that align with our needs, capacity, & available resources.

The care you receive – whether in therapy, coaching, or other healing spaces – shouldn’t require you to mask. It should allow space for your authentic self, autonomy, and choice in every step of the process.

Let’s unpack why “normal” is a social construct; why we shouldn't pathologize people for being different; and why we all fall somewhere along the spectrum of neurodivergence to neurotypicality.