The protests taking place around the world are affecting many people’s mental health on some level, and the protests themselves often cause trauma to those who are participating as well.
Dr. Jennifer Mullan, who is best known for the Decolonizing Therapy movement. puts a focus on how trauma from oppression and the history of colonization can make an impact on a person’s mental health.
Hope for Those on the Frontlines
The Decolonizing Therapy movement aims at helping people who are dealing with the trauma of being hit by a police officer or backed into a corner when they were trying to get away. They could also be dealing with the trauma of watching their friend get hurt or seeing tear gas shot into the crowd.
Thousands of people are having nightmares after these incidents as well as panic attacks. Dr. Mullan’s work allows a person to cry, scream, or use other reactions about what they have experienced. Even breathing techniques have proven to be a useful tool.
Those Who Aren’t Able to Go to Therapy
Dr. Mullan believes that it is okay to be overwhelmed or to feel like you have no control over what is happening — these are normal human reactions. But this is the time to keep yourself grounded if you are experiencing trauma symptoms, especially if you don’t have access to a therapist.
She recommends going on YouTube and looking up meditation practices that might help you feel better. You can also do activities like jumping jacks or dancing to music to stay active and distract you from any negative effects of participating in a protest.
Processing Race-Based Traumatic Stress
Understanding African-American history and the historical context of their pain can help you gain a better understanding if you are dealing with trauma, but have not been personally affected by racism. There are a lot of people of color who feel disconnected from history because of negative memories and events.
People are experiencing triggers in their jobs and their relationships for a multitude of reasons. Whatever race you are, it’s important to recognize the trauma you are going through and to speak to peers who may be going through the same thing to remind yourself that you are not alone in your feelings.
Being on the frontlines of protests can be a scary and traumatic experience, but The Guest House is here to help. At The Guest House, we teach you how to process that trauma through a variety of treatment methods, including individualized and group therapy, art therapy, somatic therapy, DBT, EMDR, CBT, cinema therapy, mindfulness, and more. Working together, we can show you how to heal. To learn more, call us today at (855) 483-7800.