BROKIN: MENTAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS FOR MEN OF COLOR

With Trump’s re-election sparking deep emotions across Black communities, mental health experts share self-care tips to navigate feelings of disappointment and frustration and resolve for what lies ahead.

November 6th was, for the majority of Black Americans who voted for Kamala Harris, the most brutal day in a long time. Despite watching the violence of Jan. 6, the 34 felony convictions and sexual assault, and the barrage of racist, often nonsensical language Donald Trump spewed during his campaign, Americans still chose him to be president again. To call the election results disappointing is an understatement; his re-election is not only a reminder that women, especially Black women, are routinely granted positions of power in favor of underqualified (white) men, but his win was just the first dark clouds of a storm we know is coming. Black Americans who remember the last Trump presidency know we can expect unchecked racist attacks and policies that harm our communities but with fewer guardrails this go-round since Republicans now control all branches of government.

Naturally, feelings of shock, anger, sadness, frustration, and despair are normal; many of us may struggle with what to do with those emotions. Here are some tips and suggestions from Black therapists that may help.

Feel Your Feelings

“I think the first two steps in the process really have to be sitting with our feelings, allowing ourselves to experience the emotions that we’re experiencing, and not trying to push them away,” says Dr. Ifeanyi Ufondu, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist who founded the Dallas, TX based mental health firm BroKin.Org Mental Health Solutions for Men of Color “If you try to work too quickly or too eagerly to move past the actual emotions that you feel as a result of the outcome of this presidential election, we do all of ourselves a disservice.”

Take Care of Yourself 

As cliche as it might sound, self-care is important now; doing what you need to comfort and soothe yourself now should be a priority. Venice Moore, a Black therapist based in Connecticut, says some activities that make sense right now include exercise, particularly time outside, listening to calming music, or taking up a bath––whatever works for you. She also recommends limiting the amount of distressing information you consume, which means the news and social media for most of us. “We have to talk about it, because this is present––it’s current events. But if you find yourself overly talking about it, figure out a way to shut it off for a little bit. You can engage in limited conversations.” Breland-Noble agrees, suggesting that it may be wise to curate your feeds. “Find the outlets that allow you to get the information that you need to get in a way that is acceptable for you,” Breland-Noble says. “For some people that is watching the 24-hour news feed, which I advise against, but for other people, it might be you watch in snippets, or news organizations that give you all the headlines in three minutes. That way you’re informed but not overwhelmed.”

Stay Present 

As reasonable and tempting as it might be to think about what the next years will hold, we cannot predict the future or control what’s to come. It’s important, Black therapists say, to stay rooted in the now and not allow yourself to get overwhelmed thinking about everything that could happen down the line. “This is temporary,” Moore tells BET.com. “Sometimes with my clients I tell them one day at a time. And when that gets to be too much, it’s ‘Take a deep breath’ and ‘One moment at a time.’ Some things are just so devastating that it’s one moment at a time.”

Seek Community 

Moore says knowing you’re not alone can be powerful, which could make joining a group a good, helpful idea. “This is about joining forces with like-minded individuals, and not negative people, but like-minded individuals––this is the time for that, just so that you can have that space to just let it all out.” Likewise, this is certainly a time for aligning with people who share your purpose; our communities will need people ready to organize and fight. Taking action is a good way to do something with feelings and potentially create a positive impact. “We have to think about, ‘What is the goal?,’” Breland-Noble says. “Where are we trying to get to, emotionally or behaviorally, in terms of how we want to respond to this?’ For some people that’s activism, and for others, which I’ve seen a lot among Black women, it is ‘I’m gonna rest. I’ve done everything I can.’ It’s about developing new coping strategies. That’s the way that I think we can help ourselves get from day-to-day over the next four years.”