I want to address and acknowledge the traumas we've experienced at the national level over the last month.
We have seen Roe V Wade begin to be overturn, we have seen Black people hunted and murdered while shopping in the grocery store, we then shed tears over the shooting at Uvalde, and the next day we were reminded of the 2 year anniversary of George Floyd passing. All of this while still existing in a pandemic that is in it's 3rd year.
Locally we have consistently witnessed questionable leadership at the county level, Evergreen School Districts questionable staffing cuts, all while still fighting to hold officers accountable for the killings that have happened in Clark County.
This is a hard time in our community.
I reached out to our local community partner Columbia River Mental Health for some guidance and tips to give folks fighting to stay welll.
I want to start by noting that they said "It is normal to feel anxious, sad, overwhelmed or hopeless after a tragedy- it is also common to feel numb or relatively normal. Each of our own perspectives, identities, and experiences influence how we experience tragedy"
Five ways that you can practice Well-Care is by:
Stay connected; stay in contact with friends and loves ones; communicate about how you are feeling; celebrate successes and mourn sorrows; ask a loved one to be a self-care buddy, or plan regular check-ins.
Honor your feelings: there is no right or wrong way to feel; be with your emotions as they are in this moment.
Focus on the four components of resilience (adequate sleep, healthy eating, regular physical activity, and active relaxation). Create a care plan that addresses each component.
Schedule time for relaxation, meditation, and rest.
Practice Self-Compassion: https://self-compassion.org/ - With self-compassion, we give ourselves the same kindness and care we’d give to a good friend.
Handout of Self Compassion: https://44100351-3cde-4f3d-8441-bf8e334a2787.usrfiles.com/ugd/441003_b10c2a0fc5cb4609b08596c81060b2e2.pdf