In DC, we’re known for being intelligent high achievers, and with that comes an acute awareness of the historical weight of the current occupation in our city. Living through this moment can stir intense emotions such as feeling anxious, on edge, and angry. Carrying those emotions day after day is exhausting, but it’s also a reflection of how deeply you care about your community.
While we don’t claim to have all the answers, we would like to offer our reflections on how this climate may be affecting your mental health, along with some ways to take care of yourself and your community.
The Emotional Weight of the Moment
Living in DC has always come with unique stressors. With the recent escalation in federal law enforcement activity, those everyday stressors are compounded. Of course, experiences are majorly impacted by factors such as skin color, immigration status, and area of residence.
The emotional weight looks different for everyone, but can include carrying feelings of fear, hopelessness, or hypervigilance, an ongoing adrenaline rush that makes you constantly watchful for danger. These are normal reactions to being in a traumatic environment where harm feels possible at any moment.
Many have noticed shifts in thinking patterns: running through hypothetical situations, constant survival planning, or feeling an urgent need to act without knowing how. While it is not sustainable to be in this constant state of stress, now may be the time to be grateful for how hard our protective systems work to defend ourselves, our families, and our communities.
Finding Meaning in Difficult Times
While it may seem counterintuitive, being exacerbated by stress can be a major starting point for growth. Extreme situations like this can push us to ask deeper questions:
- What truly matters to me?
- How do I want to make the world a better place?
- What can I let go of right now?
Exploring these questions can be grounding and even empowering. With personal reflection, clarity can be gained about how we want to live and the values we choose to uphold.
Caring for Yourself and Your Community
Caring deeply about the struggles of your community means that you are a valuable member who can make a difference. It can also be draining. There’s no set timeline for when these tensions will ease, so it’s essential to care for yourself even as you stay engaged.
Here are some ways you might do that:
- Release tension: venting, journaling, sharing stories, activism, exercise, or crying and screaming can lower the pressure.
- Seek joy as resistance: singing loudly, laughing with your kids, or swapping jokes with friends makes us feel free.
- Stay connected: small acts of kindness, donations, listening, or checking in with neighbors helps prevent isolation and strengthen bonds.
Remember that rest is not a retreat. It’s how we restore the energy to keep showing up.
Holding Each Other Up
What we’re living through in DC right now is a unique experience. It helps to connect with others who can relate and understand. Our community is strongest when we share the weight together. If you need a space to connect, recharge, and care for yourself, join us at our Fall into Wellness event on Sunday, September 14th from 10 am-12 pm.
And if you find yourself needing extra support, please reach out. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is simply say: this is too much to hold by myself right now. And that’s when we lean on each other.
Your Safe Place to Land,
Marjorie & Heidi
Co-Owners
Kennedy Counseling Collective