Since Sunday, everything’s been a whirlwind: we heard President Joe Biden was stepping down, then shortly after that Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed she would make a historic run for the US presidency. Immediately, Black women galvanized around Harris, who would become the first Black and South Asian woman president of the US. In a call of more than 44,000 of us on Sunday night, myself included, we rallied behind Harris and celebrated in the joy of a new dawn.
But amid the excitement, I also knew what would come next: continued attacks, vitriol, and misogynoir aimed at Harris and all Black women – in the workplace, at school, even in everyday encounters at the drugstore. We’ve already seen racist and sexist comments lobbed Harris’s way since her announcement, and we know the worst is yet to come.
In real-time, we are witnessing Harris endure what is known as the “glass cliff,” in which women are finally allowed to lead, but only when an organization is on the brink of collapse and crisis. This time, it’s America. And in a way, it feels like we all have that weight on our shoulders as we attempt to secure a future for our country. I think about all that will come Harris’s way, and I feel I must back her up as a Black woman who understands what it feels like to be hyper-visible, hyper-scrutinized, and hyper-criticized for every move you make or word you say. But for her, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
So even as I’ve felt a renewed sense of enthusiasm ahead of November, I’ve also started thinking about how Black women will take care of our mental health, wellness, and overall nervous systems for the next 100 days. We know that racism contributes to what is known as “weathering,” a term coined by Arline Geronimus, ScD, that describes the adverse health outcomes that occur in Black and other underrepresented populations as a result of systemic oppression.
To that end, it’s important that, ahead of Nov. 5, Black women put measures in place to protect our peace – because the madness is coming our way. I spoke with two therapists about four things we can do now to protect our mental health during this exciting, chaotic, and potentially triggering time.
Experts Featured in This Article
Yahaira Howard, MA, LMFT, is marriage and family therapist.
Barbara King, MSW, LCSW, is a Los Angeles-based therapist with Therapy For Black Girls.
La Shonda Coleman, LCSW, CPLC, is a therapist and PhD candidate.
Monitor Media Consumption and Take Social Media Breaks
There will be no shortage of widely shared racist, sexist, and vile comments as Harris’s political opponents attack her, so we must give ourselves time away from taking in all that vitriol. This means being intentional about when and where we consume social media.
Barbara King, LCSW, a therapist with the network Therapy for Black Girls, reiterates the importance of this: “Now more than ever, we will see an increase in misogynoir towards Black women, so Black women must limit their social media intake and participate in things that are uplifting and empowering.”
According to therapist Yahaira Howard, MA, LMFT, good social media habits often entail “minimizing the amount of time” you’re spending on these platforms, and following accounts that “inspire versus cause distress.” Of course, she adds, it’s okay to want to be informed but you should be honest with yourself about when the influx of information is too much for you.
Some questions we should be asking ourselves over the next few weeks include: Am I suddenly engaging in destructive debates with strangers? Am I feeling an increase in irritability and anxiousness, or feelings of hopelessness? Is my work productivity declining? Am I feeling physically and emotionally drained or losing motivation?
A “yes” to any of these could indicate that it’s time to unplug and log off, Howard advises.
Create a Wellness Plan That Prioritizes Self-Care
Howard shares that the first step in prioritizing self-care is creating a wellness plan for yourself that can “help manage the stress and trauma that many of us will experience.”
That might look like “utilizing your support system for daily or weekly check-ins, reflective journaling, meditating, exercising, or engaging in a favorite hobby,” Howard says.
With respect to social media, your wellness self-care plan means designating times for when you will allow yourself to be on your phone or computer. Howard suggests “limiting social media or turning on the news for a certain amount of time, turning notifications off, muting certain conversations, or putting the phone on DND all together.” She also emphasizes the importance of an individualized wellness plan tailored to you, taking into account your needs, interests, goals, and schedule, where you can build a daily routine to track your progress. “A component of any wellness plan is identifying your triggers and warning signs even before you develop any coping strategies or self-care techniques,” Howard says.
Seek and Gatekeep Safe Spaces
In this politically fraught time, it will also be important for Black women to seek and gatekeep spaces that provide psychological safety, King says. Black women must create boundaries in the workplace, school, or within other social settings. Boundaries can include being intentional about not talking about politics, or not responding when asked about the latest attack on Harris. Setting boundaries is a way of protecting your peace and energy, especially when we know negativity continuously reverberates in the news cycle.
In addition to creating boundaries in the workplace, school, or other social settings, engaging in small groups or gatherings with a circle of friends, sorority sisters, loved ones, or other like-minded women will be essential. These spaces allow Black women to process their emotions, find support, and ultimately feel empowered.
Building safe spaces can also be a form of self-care, King says, and she has seen this become vital for the mental health of Black women. King will begin facilitating a weekly processing group that will run through the upcoming election cycle called “Empower Her.”
“We must amplify our voices and create the safe spaces we deserve and need,” King says of starting the group.
Put a Premium on Your Own Joy
Being a Black woman is full of creativity, pride, love, and joy. These attacks against our identity and the essence of who we are as Black women are an attempt to steal our joy. Don’t let anyone take that away from you. Remember: take up space, authentically and unapologetically. We deserve the joy of this moment.
Therapist and PhD candidate La Shonda Coleman, LCSW, CPLC, shares some strategies to protect your joy: “Every single part of you is deserving of joy. Give yourself permission to laugh, play, and rest.” Visual reminders can be especially helpful here. As Coleman says, “Write notes with words of affirmation to yourself, just because anytime is the right time to plant seeds of joy.”
Ralinda Watts is an author, diversity expert, consultant, practitioner, speaker, and proven thought leader who works at the intersection of race, identity, culture, and justice. She has contributed to numerous publications such as PS, CBS Media, Medium, YahooLifestyle, and the Los Angeles Times.
