# 10 - Sensory Sanctuary: Designing a Life That Soothes Your System

This episode isn’t about self-care as an abstract concept — it’s about survival, mental-health preservation, and learning how to exist in your body without constantly falling apart from sensory overload.

In “Sensory Sanctuary,” we explore what it truly means to build a sensory-safe life, not just a cozy corner. You’ll learn how sensory stress shows up, how it connects to autistic burnout, and how the nervous system decides what feels safe or threatening. Together, we’ll unpack real research, compassionate language for self-advocacy, and practical ways to design a world that doesn’t keep injuring your system.

You’ll hear about:

• The neuroscience of sensory overwhelm and safety (Polyvagal Theory)
• How to recognize and prevent autistic burnout
• Everyday sensory modifications that protect your energy
• The power of “sensory forecasting” and creating escape routes
• Reframing shame around sensitivity into nervous-system wisdom

This conversation is both deeply personal and scientifically grounded — a space where autistic experience meets self-compassion.

✨ You are not too sensitive. You are a nervous system asking for safety. ✨

If you are in crisis, call or text 988 in the U.S. for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or use local emergency numbers where you live.