Okay, who’s suffering from Electoral Anxiety? It’s been coming up in many conversations with my couple and individual clients lately. Two main themes have emerged in my unscientific sample of a few dozen people. First, there are many who are anxious that no matter who wins, we are in for rough times in this country with increased polarization. Second, the number of women (and men) who are feeling ill hearing the latest about despicable sexual behavior towards women by one candidate in particular has been off the charts. People tell me how the barrage of news on the topic has even come into their bedrooms, turning them off to intimacy with their partners at times. Many woman are for the first time revealing histories of being grabbed, groped, pinched and otherwise assaulted that they’d kept to themselves. It’s both stressful and perhaps also cathartic. Maybe in some ways it’s even good that more conversations are being had about issues of harassment and consent, even if it’s not easy or pleasant. So what to do? My advice is have the conversations, be politically active, vote early if you can, AND then turn off the TV, radio and social media, at least cut back on news consumption, and turn to soothing activities like meditation, music, being out in nature, and yes, to loved ones, with mindfulness, compassion, patience.
Here’s something I found on the topic in the Washington Post; turns out my professional association has tips too: