Healing while Black.
“to be a negro in this country & to be relatively conscious, is to be in a rage almost all the time.”
Lately, I’m having a hard time putting my feelings into words. So much has happened, so many lives lost, and my brain is working over time to process it all. On top of a pandemic, there is the daily threat to Black lives looming in the shadows.
Our mental health is no doubt effected by our environments & since the day we were brought here, America has been a hostile one. Countless lives have been taken from us, and those of us still here have to share the weight of those losses. What makes it even worse is that we’re expected to cope with all of that, while still dealing with the stressors of everyday life.
So how do we do it?
Let me preface this by saying it’s not gonna be easy. (but then again, nothing worth having really is.) You have to first recognize how racial trauma shows up in your life, and then you must decide to actively work against it in order to maintain your own wellness. The emotions will come, and though it may be easier at the time to suppress them, we must instead channel them into something positive.
In other words, we can’t let it keep us down.
R H
The saying “do what you can with what you have,” has never been more relevant to my life than right now. Not only in the way of coping with the pandemic, and all that brings, but also when it comes to advocacy & activism. In my opinion, both share a passion for change & most importantly, the will to fight for it.
We all have our own lane to be in, our own unique purpose, & we must do our best in those areas all with the same goal of uplifting our communities. I understand that I may not be able to donate to every cause, or march in every protest, but I consider myself to be an activist. My activism shows up here, on social media and in every counselor-client relationship, past and future.
In order for us to heal as a people, we must relinquish the idea that we have to be on the same level as someone else, in order to make a difference. The real change starts inside of us.
In my experience, it racial trauma show up in four ways:
stress/anxiety: worrying about your safety & the safety of your people; feeling your lives may be at risk.
fear/avoidance: not wanting to leave the house, or get pulled over, or interact w/ cops at all
doubt: thinking that we’ll never get justice or truly be “free”
anger: whether angry at one person, a group of people or even “the system,” holding this emotion in can do alot of damage to your psyche
It’s so important that you find healthy ways to cope. Otherwise, the buildup of emotions like anger can negatively effect other areas of your life.
While all of these emotions are completely valid, they often negatively effect our wellbeing. Anxious thoughts & feelings of fear or doubt can keep us stagnant in life.
We must use fear as fuel, to keep moving forward.
Live well. Be well. Take good care.