5 Tips to Get You Through the Kavanaugh Investigation (No Matter What Are Your Politics)

No matter what political inclinations you have, the recent events involving sexual assault, alcoholism, and fear of being wrongly accused, are triggers that bring up difficult emotions. As an emotion-centered trauma psychotherapist and citizen, I am keenly aware of the distress that people who follow the news are feeling this week. To mitigate our distress and help us get through this time, here are some basic emotional wellness techniques we can apply whenever we need.

1. Slow down every few hours to check in with yourself. This means setting aside 5 minutes to stop everything you are doing, close your eyes, scan your mind and body from head to toe, and take stock in where and how you experience any distress.
2. Take at least 5 full deep belly breaths. You breathe in from your nose and imagine sending the air deep into your abdomen. To help with this, place one hand on your chest and the other over your belly button. When you breathe in, your belly should expand out like a Buddha. Your chest should not rise too much as we are trying to shift from shallow chest breathing to deep belly breathing. This takes practice, but it is worth it for stress relief. Exhale slowly through pursed lips (like you’re blowing on hot soup) to release the air at a pace that is maximally relaxing for you.
3. Name and validate your deepest core emotions. The 7 universal core emotions are: anger, sadness, fear, disgust, joy, excitement, and sexual excitement. Many times, since the testimony last Thursday, I have had to validate the following emotions I sense in my body and mind: I am sad, I am angry, I am disgusted, I am afraid. Validating emotions helps calm them.
4. Give yourself a ton of compassion. Give yourself a "selfie hug" by wrapping your arms around yourself (try it, it actually feels good and is calming). With your internal voice, say to the distressed parts of you, “I am so sorry this is happening to you.” Try to feel the compassion deep inside you. Allow it to soothe and warm you.
5. Tune into your distress and see what might help for the moment. Give yourself what you need when possible. Explicitly ask for what you need from others like a hug or to share your emotions and receive validation. Since the brain responds to fantasy and imagination, as well as reality, you can imagine being in a safe and calm place. Picture a beautiful beach or mountain view. Imagine being surrounded by people or animals who make you feel protected, nurtured, and soothed. Try out different images or sounds to see what is calming to your nervous system

Depending on our past traumas and the ACEs we have endured in our lives, the Kavanaugh hearings can trigger PTSD-like feelings, images, beliefs, behaviors and more. The first order of coping is to be in what feels like the safest and most nurturing environment as possible. The second strategy to feeling better is to soothe and calm your nervous system, which is likely on high alert. Slowing down every few hours, breathing deeply, validating your feelings, giving yourself compassion, and tuning into what you need, are all tried and true techniques to help you get through difficult days.