Coping with Post-Election Anxiety

Election seasons can be emotionally intense, and after the results are announced, a unique kind of anxiety can take hold for many people. Post-election anxiety, an emotional reaction that surfaces after an election, can leave individuals feeling tense, worried, and even hopeless. Understanding this phenomenon, how it manifests, and how to cope with it can be crucial for mental well-being, especially in the weeks that follow an election.

It is understandable that those of us who hold marginalized identities may be feeling post-election anxiety or panic even more this year. Your feelings are valid. Remember that grief looks different for everyone. My heart is with you.

What is Post-Election Anxiety?

Post-election anxiety refers to the feelings of fear, stress, and tension that people experience in response to the outcome of an election. This type of anxiety can occur regardless of whether the person’s preferred candidate or party won. For some, it’s a response to uncertainty about the future, while for others, it’s linked to concerns over social issues, community dynamics, or personal values feeling challenged. The highly polarized nature of modern politics can make these reactions even more pronounced.

How Does Post-Election Anxiety Manifest?

Post-election anxiety can look different for everyone, but common symptoms include:

1. Persistent worry about the future, especially around social, political, or economic issues.

2. Sleep disturbances like insomnia or nightmares, as ongoing stress affects the ability to rest and recover.

3. Irritability or mood swings, which can be particularly challenging for maintaining healthy relationships.

4. Physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and muscle tension, as stress often translates into physical discomfort.

5. Social withdrawal or over-engagement, where some may feel like isolating themselves to avoid political conversations, while others may feel compelled to talk about politics constantly.

If these symptoms feel intense or long-lasting, seeking professional support can help. For those looking to cope on their own, here are five effective strategies.

Five Strategies for Coping with Post-Election Anxiety

1. Limit Media Exposure The media, particularly social media, can amplify anxiety by constantly presenting new information, opinions, and discussions. Consider setting specific times to check the news and limiting social media use. Reducing exposure allows for mental space to process thoughts without feeling constantly bombarded by external perspectives.

   I often recommend that my clients check the news and socials before engaging in an activity that will help them channel that energy through their bodies such as going into nature, getting movement in their bodies, or taking a salt bath.

2. Grounding Techniques for the Present Moment When thoughts about the future feel overwhelming, grounding exercises can bring you back to the present. Practices like deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, or even sensory grounding exercises (e.g., focusing on sights, sounds, or textures around you) help center the mind and reduce stress.

   You can check out an older video I created that teaches various body based techniques here.

3. Engage in Expressive Arts As an expressive arts therapist, I recommend using creativity as an outlet for complex emotions. Whether it’s painting, journaling, dancing, or playing music, the expressive arts allow a safe space to explore and release difficult feelings. This can help you process your thoughts non-verbally and find new perspectives on your emotions.

   Directive: "Processing and Releasing Tension"

   Materials Needed

   • Blank paper (large enough for free-form drawing)

   • Colored pencils, markers, or crayons

   • Comfortable space for movement

   • Writing materials (journal or paper, and a pen)

   Step 1: Drawing Your Emotions (Visual Art)

   1. Begin by taking a few minutes to sit quietly, breathing deeply to center yourself.

   2. Reflect on how post-election anxiety feels in your body. Where do you feel tension or discomfort? Imagine these feelings as shapes, colors, or forms.

   3. On your paper, use colors, lines, or shapes to draw these emotions. Don’t focus on making it “look right”—just express what you feel through colors, textures, and movement on the page.

   4. When you’re finished, take a moment to observe your drawing. Notice any patterns or areas that seem to capture your attention.

   Step 2: Transform Through Movement

   1. Set your drawing aside and find a comfortable, open space where you can move freely.

   2. With your eyes closed or open, begin to notice the sensations in your body. Bring your awareness to any tension or tightness.

   3. Start to move in ways that feel natural—this could be stretching, shaking, swaying, or gentle dancing. Let your body express any pent-up energy or emotion related to the election.

   4. As you move, visualize the tension leaving your body, symbolically releasing it into the ground or the space around you.

   5. Take a deep breath to conclude this part, standing still for a moment to notice any changes in your body.

   Step 3: Writing for Reflection and Reframing

   1. Return to your paper or journal. Reflect on the following questions and write down your thoughts:

      • What emotions came up during the drawing and movement exercises?

      • How did these experiences help you connect with your inner feelings about the election?

      • What, if anything, feels lighter or shifted after this process?

   2. Lastly, write down a few sentences of self-compassion and hope. This could be a simple affirmation or an intention, such as “I am strong enough to navigate these emotions” or “I will focus on what I can control and release what I cannot.”

   Closing

   Take a final moment to review your work and reflect on your experience. You may choose to keep the drawing and writing as a reminder of this process, or discard it as a symbol of releasing these emotions.

   This intermodal approach encourages a holistic expression of complex emotions, facilitating a sense of release and grounding. By moving through multiple forms of expression, you can access different parts of your inner world, gaining clarity and emotional relief from post-election anxiety.

4. Connect with Like-Minded People for Support Sharing concerns with friends, family, or support groups who understand your perspective can help you feel less alone. Constructive conversations can provide validation and even new coping insights.

   Check in with like minded people when you have capacity. Ask others if they have space to lend an ear when you need to vent and/or problem solve. Make sure others know you are a safe space in your community.

5. Focus on What You Can Control Focusing on things you have power over can mitigate feelings of helplessness. This could mean taking small, meaningful actions, such as volunteering, engaging in community initiatives, or simply setting personal goals that make you feel purposeful. When you invest energy in positive action, it can counterbalance anxiety and foster a sense of empowerment.

   One of my favorite astrologers, Rick “Merlin” Levine, likes to say, “Think globally. Act locally.” I love that, because it implies envisioning the larger group of humanity while creating change locally. Remember that all we do locally has a ripple effect on the rest of the world.

Final Thoughts

Post-election anxiety is a common experience and a normal response to the heightened emotions and concerns that elections can bring. By practicing self-care and engaging in releasing, grounding activities, it’s possible to find at least some relief and and inner safety. Remember, too, that professional support is always available if you feel the need for more guided assistance. The path to mental well-being involves nurturing a healthy balance between staying informed and protecting your peace.

On Sharing our Joys, Vulnerability, and Connection

Have you ever found yourself sharing your joy with someone and then adding caveats?

For example, “I love hiking, but I’m not that good at it.”

First, ask yourself why you’re adding the caveat— do you feel shame, internal unmet expectations of yourself, fear of rejection?

Sharing our joy can be vulnerable because we can fear someone will critique us or share their disdain for what we love. We are projecting onto them what we feel about ourselves. Also, when we are already feeling emotionally low their critique or disdain can feel like a big blow, and sometimes they way we self-deprecate has become habitual.

While you’re committing to the deeper work of understanding and healing the root cause, I recommend practicing “the three c’s” to begin to break the habit and create new neural pathways. The thee c’s derive from the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) model.

1st C: Catch Practice catching yourself in the moment as you’re about to add the caveat

2nd C: Check Check in with yourself about the helpfulness, usefulness and accuracy of your thought and/or statement

3rd C: Change Modify your thought/statement to include content that’s more helpful, useful and accurate

Let’s practice…

You find yourself in a room at a party getting to know someone you’ve never met before. They ask you about your hobbies. You think to yourself that you like hiking and notice your immediate next thought is that you’re not good at it. You recognize (catch) that this is a self deprecating thought, and that it’s not helpful or useful, and that you are an amateur hiker. So, you modify your thought, and then say, “I love hiking, and am working towards building endurance for longer hikes.”

Can you understand and feel the difference in those two statements?

“I love hiking, but I’m not good at it.”

“I love hiking, and I’m working towards building endurance for longer hikes.”

It’s important that you believe what you think and say, so the accuracy is important. If you’re an amateur hiker, you’re an amateur hiker. There is truth in those words that hopefully still resonates AND it also honors that you are human and have room to grow without being self-deprecating.

So, why is this important when it comes to sharing our joys?

Because it’s important that you begin to transform the habit of negative self-talk for your own wellbeing. Thoughts about ourselves are like water for plants— nourishment. And you wouldn’t want to water a plant with bacteria infested water, right?

You’re ultimately sharing your joys with yourself first, and learning to hold these joys with self-compassion will support you in holding yourself in compassion around others as well.

This in turn, helps us attract people into our lives that are drawn to our growth mindset, compassionate honesty, and our ability to love ourselves instead of only being attracted to our wounding. It’s okay to let people in once they’ve earned our stories— AKA our deeper thoughts and feelings, but when we share those quickly people can be attracted to us for unhealthy reasons.

Finding friends that can hold us in compassionate uplifting connection often begins with how compassionate and uplifting we can be with ourselves.

Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy- Top 5 Things to Consider

Many people, clients and providers alike, are grappling with the psychedelic assisted psychotherapy (PAP) renaissance. While many clinical research trials have been completed and initiated, there is still a lot about this field we are learning.

For context, I’m trained in three different models of PAP— Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Psychotherapy (PSIP), Ketamine Enhanced IFS (K-IFS), and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). PSIP can be used in conjunction with Cannabis and/or Ketamine. It’s important to point out that Cannabis and Ketamine are not traditional psychedelics, but depending on strains, dosing and model, they can manifest an experience similar to traditional psychedelics.

As a result of the current research, lack of research, and my training in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, I find that people approach me with their questions. Please note that this list is not an end all be all, but merely a start to help you feel out whether or not psychedelic assisted psychotherapy continues to resonate with you. You’ll notice I don’t mention physical contraindications here— I’m leaving those for the MD’s of the world.

1) PAP is hard (and beautiful) work

I find that people gravitate towards psychedelic work because they’ve hit a plateau on their healing journey. If this speaks to you, I’d recommend considering “why” you’ve hit this plateau.

Is it maybe because you’ve been working with the same therapist for a long time, and the relationship may have run it’s course?

Or, is it possible there are other psychotherapy assessments and/or techniques would be worth trying first, such as neuropsychological testing, Somatic Experiencing or IFS?

While, in general I feel that the self-exploration journey is hard and beautiful, PAP takes on a different form all it’s own— sessions are longer, generally it’s more expensive, scheduling sessions into your week can be tricky, being in the throws of an altered state of consciousness can bring about years of unconscious data, and there can be hours of “down time” recovering from that altered state of consciousness. PAP is deep rich work that we need to be prepared for in time, financials, and internal resources.

2) If number 1 didn’t deter you, consider the strength of your internal resources

At the end of my answer to number 1, I mentioned internal resources. So what exactly do I mean by that?

Internal resources are the tools you’ve learned to use consciously or unconsciously that support you when things feel tough or unwieldy. For example, knowing and trusting that a specific affirmation you repeat to yourself is very calming or that a specific breathing technique will slow panic symptoms.

Because PAP can be hard work, it’s important to have a solid grasp on your internal resources.

Have you worked on strengthening your internal resources via therapy, mind/body based practices, etc?

Can you make a list of all the tools you could use during a PAP session if it became “too intense”?

If not, I’d suggest working on these skills. We are human, and by no means can anyone “perfect” their internal resources, but strengthening them is important and will serve you outside of PAP sessions as well.

3) Consider your external resources

Most facilitators/providers cannot be on call 24/7. Therefore, it’s important to consider your external resources.

Who/what in the outside world is supportive for you when you’re having a tough time?

Is there a friend or family member you feel comfortable sharing your journey’s with that can be present and witness you if you reach out?

Is there a favorite activity or place that’s soothing and/or uplifting for you? For example, walking in the woods, cuddling with your fur baby, going dancing or to see a show of some sort.

If you can make a list of external resources, great! If not, you may want to take some time to strengthen these resources as well.

And, here’s a great external resource to add to your list: Fireside Project Hotline is a peer support hotline for psychedelic experiences.

4) Strongly consider the rapport and comfort level you feel with your PAP provider

Listen, I get that sometimes we are called to take the plunge, go to Peru and sit before a medicine person/people and a group of strangers and partake in a wildly vulnerable experience. There’s a time and place for everything. And, then there are those of us that want someone we can work with long-term.

I want to be VERY clear that I believe training comes in many shapes and forms. Some training comes from the wisdom of lineage medicine holders, group initiation(s) and years of sitting with self and other without “formal” western higher education. Some training comes in the form of college lectures, internships, and formal western higher education. Both valid.

I ask you to consider looking/feeling into the person behind the experience and certificates— do I feel at ease when I think of this person, are they asking me important questions, taking time to be with me, do they have an understanding of at least some of my medical/mental health history, are they taking time to answer my questions and helping ease my concerns?

A great questions to ask a facilitator/provider may be: What are the values you hold when it comes to this work? Then ask yourself: Do I share those same values and do they help me feel brave and held as I make this decision?

5) Are you ready to face potentially life changing experiences?

Life changing experiences can be hard and beautiful (back to number 1!). Sometimes we need to see things clearly and face them head on, or sit in the murky muck for a period of time before we’re able to make life changing decisions. PAP can provide both— a clear understanding of what’s happening or present you with the strangest phenomenon you’ll be trying to understand the rest of your life.

The questions here are:

Can you be okay with that?

Can you be brave with that?

Are you resourced enough to be ready for a career change, moving to a different town, repressed memories potentially surfacing, watching yourself or parts of yourself die?

……………………

If you’ve made it this far, you may be reading this and wondering WHY IN THE WORLD I used the word “beautiful" when most of what I mentioned above is HARD or even scary.

Because while watching ourselves or parts of ourselves die is hard, being reborn is exquisitely beautiful.

Because while a psychedelic experience may initiate a break up, the spaciousness and new love on the other side is beyond beautifully exciting.

Because while facing the confusion of repressed memories is hard AF AF, the clarity and healing that can come forth from that has the potential to be beautiful.

Because as a PAP provider, it is hard to witness the pain people experience on this earthly plane AND it is breathtakingly beautiful to witness their resiliency and internal healing capabilities.

Life is hard and beautiful and PAP is simply a mirror of life. Psychedelics illuminate our inner mirror. In PAP that mirror is held in brave sacred unconditionally loving space by the facilitator. This is why PAP is so different than using psychedelics by yourself or with a group you don’t feel the safest or bravest with.

Dear Leah, how can I be "happier"?

To Those Stuck in The Happiness Trap,

This is such a good question, and I’m so glad you’ve asked… cause, well, I have a lot to say on this topic.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard this question— from clients, from friends, from family.

In a world where we are bombarded with titles of books similar to, “How to be Happier,” “10 Ways to Live a Happier Life,” or “Be More Successful in 7 Days,” it’s hard not to receive the message that we aren’t enough.

That we aren’t happy enough. That we aren’t successful enough. That something is wrong with us.

I want to be clear before I continue, that I love and recommend many self-help books to my clients. Within the pages of my favorites, there is often thoughtful research, great content, and meaningful advice. I’m not here to knock the content.

BUT I do want you to know that there is a dark world of psychology that uses manipulation tactics, such as book titles, to hook you into believing you’re not enough… so that you’ll purchase it, and ultimately the publisher makes a profit. Capitalism and psychology are VERY intertwined.

The cycle goes something like this: You feel down, you go to the book store, you go to the self-help section, you find a book with the title “How to be Happier in 7 Days,” and the next thing you know you’re at the counter checking out., maybe you read it, maybe you don’t, maybe it impacts your life a bit or a lot… only you can be the judge of that.

But here’s the ultimate question: honestly, did it make you “happier” in seven days? I’m going to guess it didn’t.

So, I’m going to leave you with my two cents:

In a world, where we are constantly covertly (and at times overtly) told we are not enough, the key to happiness is dismantling the subliminal messaging we receive around what “happiness” should be/look like, and beginning to believe just where we are in this very moment is enough.

That takes time. That takes patience. That takes more than a book. That takes more than this blog.

Because we’ve spent our whole lives being conditioned. Being manipulated. Being sold a lie.

Deconstructing our conditioning is a lifelong journey. And, once we begin to see where we’ve been deceived we can begin to reconstruct our own definition of “happiness.”

And, when each of you creates your own definition of “happy,” I do my own “happy dance”!

With fierce compassion,

Leah

Go Deeper

Journaling Prompts to begin Deconditioning your Happiness Trap

Flush these out in therapy, coaching, or with friends and family.

• If I could give you my definition of “happiness” right now in this very moment it would be…

• When I hear/see the word “happy” what do I think?

• When I hear/see the word “happy” what do I feel?

• What are my core beliefs regarding happiness?

• Are the beliefs I have helpful or harmful to me?