For women, marginalized people, and allies, this election season has felt particularly charged, layered with complex emotions that are both personal and political. The idea of electing, Harris, the first black woman to office was exhilarating for many, a sign of change and hope, that was replaced with fear and rage when our country elected Trump.
As a trauma therapist, I often hear clients describe feelings of fear, anger, exhaustion, and even a sense of helplessness tied to the outcomes of current events and policy decisions. In times like these, we’re reminded of just how intertwined our personal and collective experiences are, especially for those who already carry the weight of historical, systemic, or interpersonal trauma.
Why This Election Outcome is so Triggering:
Many survivors of trauma, particularly interpersonal trauma, feel that their voices or choices were dismissed or that they were made invisible during their most vulnerable moments. Election outcomes that marginalize or dismiss basic rights can feel eerily similar. This is because, for trauma survivors, the experience of feeling ignored, disempowered, or controlled by forces beyond their control taps into a familiar pattern of helplessness.
In my sessions with clients, I often see this come up as a sense of re-traumatization—a feeling that the harm they’ve experienced is repeating itself in a different form. When policy decisions reinforce systems that silence, oppress, or undervalue certain groups, it can feel like being retraumatized by society itself. And this time, it’s not just one’s personal trauma that’s activated, but a sense of collective trauma that adds to the weight we’re all carrying.
1. An Erosion of Safety
For many, safety is not just about physical protection but about feeling secure in our basic rights and dignities. When election outcomes challenge those rights—such as reproductive rights, healthcare access, or anti-discrimination protections—it can feel like an immediate threat to our personal safety and autonomy. For trauma survivors, in particular, safety is a fundamental pillar in the healing process. When we see this being undermined on a systemic level, it’s not uncommon to experience heightened anxiety, distress, and a feeling that our bodies and minds are on high alert.
2. Being Forced into Hypervigilance
When the outcomes of elections impact our basic rights or well-being, it’s as if our bodies move into survival mode. We may become hyperaware, scanning for any signs of danger or threat. Hypervigilance—a hallmark response to trauma—is our body’s way of keeping us safe when we perceive that our environment may become dangerous. But this kind of heightened alertness, especially when prolonged, can become exhausting. It drains our energy and can make daily life feel overwhelming, as though we are carrying a heavy weight around all the time.
3. A Sense of Betrayal and Helplessness
For marginalized people, and especially those already affected by trauma, election results that undermine progress can feel like a profound betrayal. They can stir up memories of feeling powerless or unseen—moments where others made choices that deeply impacted us without our consent. This can create a painful sense of helplessness, where it feels like our voices or worth have been minimized. In therapy, we see this pattern where feeling “invisible” or unheard in society mirrors the same experiences people have faced in their personal lives, which only deepens the hurt and re-traumatization.
4. Fear of Retraumatization and Harm
For many marginalized individuals, election outcomes can represent a potential return to, or worsening of, circumstances they’ve fought to escape. When policies are passed that threaten safety, identity, or access to necessary resources, it can feel like reopening old wounds or facing the possibility of new ones. The fear of retraumatization—the sense that we could be pulled back into painful, harmful dynamics—can be a powerful and deeply unsettling trigger. This is a core reason why election season can be so distressing; it’s as if we’re fighting the same battles over and over, with no guarantee of true safety or protection.
5. Loss of Control and Agency
In trauma work, we focus a lot on restoring a sense of agency, or the ability to make choices that impact our lives in positive ways. When large, external forces like elections lead to outcomes that feel beyond our control, it’s as if our agency is stripped away. Marginalized groups often already feel this way due to systemic barriers, and election cycles can amplify that. Suddenly, our ability to protect ourselves or those we care about feels restricted, which can be a frightening and disempowering experience.
6. Collective Grief and Anger
Lastly, the election season can bring up collective grief—grief for the vision we hold of a more just society, grief for setbacks in rights or protections, grief for the countless people who might be harmed or left behind. Alongside grief, anger often rises to the surface as well. Anger is a natural, powerful response to injustice and can be a source of energy for activism and change. But for many of us, balancing these intense emotions while caring for our own mental and emotional health can be a delicate and difficult task.
The Power of Naming What We’re Feeling
One of the most grounding steps we can take is to name these complex emotions. When clients sit with the feelings that arise during moments of distress, they often feel a sense of relief in realizing, “Oh, that’s why I feel this way.” Naming emotions can validate our experience and remind us that our reactions make sense given the circumstances.
For some, this might look like identifying feelings of anger, sadness, or disappointment. For others, it might mean acknowledging the sense of helplessness, betrayal, or exhaustion that arises. Just as our bodies and minds try to protect us from physical threats, our emotions do the same in response to perceived social or emotional threats. If we can give ourselves permission to feel what we’re feeling without judging it or trying to “fix” it immediately, we can honor our own resilience and humanity.
Creating Space for Self-Compassion and Community
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s okay to take a step back and prioritize self-care and connection with others. Spending time with people who get it can help ease the emotional toll of being caught up in a cycle of “fight or flight.” Sometimes, the most healing thing we can do is surround ourselves with a compassionate community that reminds us that we’re not alone in this.
In times like these, it can be helpful to consider some grounding practices:
Moving Forward in Solidarity and Hope
The path forward can be both challenging and transformative; it is often in these moments of distress that we find our strength, courage, and resilience to keep going. As we process this election and its impact on our lives, let’s give ourselves permission to feel, to mourn, to be angry, and to seek connection. These responses are natural and are evidence of our humanity, our care for each other, and our commitment to a more compassionate, just, and inclusive world.
As a trauma therapist, I often hear clients describe feelings of fear, anger, exhaustion, and even a sense of helplessness tied to the outcomes of current events and policy decisions. In times like these, we’re reminded of just how intertwined our personal and collective experiences are, especially for those who already carry the weight of historical, systemic, or interpersonal trauma.
Why This Election Outcome is so Triggering:
Many survivors of trauma, particularly interpersonal trauma, feel that their voices or choices were dismissed or that they were made invisible during their most vulnerable moments. Election outcomes that marginalize or dismiss basic rights can feel eerily similar. This is because, for trauma survivors, the experience of feeling ignored, disempowered, or controlled by forces beyond their control taps into a familiar pattern of helplessness.
In my sessions with clients, I often see this come up as a sense of re-traumatization—a feeling that the harm they’ve experienced is repeating itself in a different form. When policy decisions reinforce systems that silence, oppress, or undervalue certain groups, it can feel like being retraumatized by society itself. And this time, it’s not just one’s personal trauma that’s activated, but a sense of collective trauma that adds to the weight we’re all carrying.
1. An Erosion of Safety
For many, safety is not just about physical protection but about feeling secure in our basic rights and dignities. When election outcomes challenge those rights—such as reproductive rights, healthcare access, or anti-discrimination protections—it can feel like an immediate threat to our personal safety and autonomy. For trauma survivors, in particular, safety is a fundamental pillar in the healing process. When we see this being undermined on a systemic level, it’s not uncommon to experience heightened anxiety, distress, and a feeling that our bodies and minds are on high alert.
2. Being Forced into Hypervigilance
When the outcomes of elections impact our basic rights or well-being, it’s as if our bodies move into survival mode. We may become hyperaware, scanning for any signs of danger or threat. Hypervigilance—a hallmark response to trauma—is our body’s way of keeping us safe when we perceive that our environment may become dangerous. But this kind of heightened alertness, especially when prolonged, can become exhausting. It drains our energy and can make daily life feel overwhelming, as though we are carrying a heavy weight around all the time.
3. A Sense of Betrayal and Helplessness
For marginalized people, and especially those already affected by trauma, election results that undermine progress can feel like a profound betrayal. They can stir up memories of feeling powerless or unseen—moments where others made choices that deeply impacted us without our consent. This can create a painful sense of helplessness, where it feels like our voices or worth have been minimized. In therapy, we see this pattern where feeling “invisible” or unheard in society mirrors the same experiences people have faced in their personal lives, which only deepens the hurt and re-traumatization.
4. Fear of Retraumatization and Harm
For many marginalized individuals, election outcomes can represent a potential return to, or worsening of, circumstances they’ve fought to escape. When policies are passed that threaten safety, identity, or access to necessary resources, it can feel like reopening old wounds or facing the possibility of new ones. The fear of retraumatization—the sense that we could be pulled back into painful, harmful dynamics—can be a powerful and deeply unsettling trigger. This is a core reason why election season can be so distressing; it’s as if we’re fighting the same battles over and over, with no guarantee of true safety or protection.
5. Loss of Control and Agency
In trauma work, we focus a lot on restoring a sense of agency, or the ability to make choices that impact our lives in positive ways. When large, external forces like elections lead to outcomes that feel beyond our control, it’s as if our agency is stripped away. Marginalized groups often already feel this way due to systemic barriers, and election cycles can amplify that. Suddenly, our ability to protect ourselves or those we care about feels restricted, which can be a frightening and disempowering experience.
6. Collective Grief and Anger
Lastly, the election season can bring up collective grief—grief for the vision we hold of a more just society, grief for setbacks in rights or protections, grief for the countless people who might be harmed or left behind. Alongside grief, anger often rises to the surface as well. Anger is a natural, powerful response to injustice and can be a source of energy for activism and change. But for many of us, balancing these intense emotions while caring for our own mental and emotional health can be a delicate and difficult task.
The Power of Naming What We’re Feeling
One of the most grounding steps we can take is to name these complex emotions. When clients sit with the feelings that arise during moments of distress, they often feel a sense of relief in realizing, “Oh, that’s why I feel this way.” Naming emotions can validate our experience and remind us that our reactions make sense given the circumstances.
For some, this might look like identifying feelings of anger, sadness, or disappointment. For others, it might mean acknowledging the sense of helplessness, betrayal, or exhaustion that arises. Just as our bodies and minds try to protect us from physical threats, our emotions do the same in response to perceived social or emotional threats. If we can give ourselves permission to feel what we’re feeling without judging it or trying to “fix” it immediately, we can honor our own resilience and humanity.
Creating Space for Self-Compassion and Community
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s okay to take a step back and prioritize self-care and connection with others. Spending time with people who get it can help ease the emotional toll of being caught up in a cycle of “fight or flight.” Sometimes, the most healing thing we can do is surround ourselves with a compassionate community that reminds us that we’re not alone in this.
In times like these, it can be helpful to consider some grounding practices:
- Pause and Breathe: Give yourself a few moments each day to slow down and breathe. Simple, intentional breaths can calm the body’s stress response.
- Acknowledge What You’re Feeling: Allow space for the grief, anger, fear, or fatigue. Remember, emotions are natural responses and not something to fix but to feel and process.
- Engage in Meaningful Connection: Seek out relationships or groups that support and validate your experience. Being around people who understand can lessen the load.
- Take Action, if You’re Able: Even small steps can counter feelings of helplessness. Volunteering, raising awareness, or simply sharing your experience with others can help re-establish a sense of agency.
- If all else fails, just move your body: Tap into the sense of freedom and autonomy that comes from knowing you can stand up and move, right now.
Moving Forward in Solidarity and Hope
The path forward can be both challenging and transformative; it is often in these moments of distress that we find our strength, courage, and resilience to keep going. As we process this election and its impact on our lives, let’s give ourselves permission to feel, to mourn, to be angry, and to seek connection. These responses are natural and are evidence of our humanity, our care for each other, and our commitment to a more compassionate, just, and inclusive world.
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