“When despair for the world grows in me, and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things, who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water…”   Wendell Berry

This U.S. election has been the most intense election that many of us have ever felt. I have seen all the stages of grief from my patients. Many of us are still in denial, still thinking that the election is still going on because this just can’t be IT!!  What happened? How could this happen? Have the people in this country really voted into the highest position in power someone who has given strength and power to all kinds of hate and who he himself is involved in over 50 civil suits and now sexual abuse cases?

Bargaining?? If you step down, maybe we can get you out of jail for free!

Then there’s the anger as we see protests continuing throughout the country.

Depression…yes

Acceptance ??

It’s tough if not impossible to make lemonade out of this one. But we have to do something.

So here we are talking about it to friends, family, co-workers, on social media. But there will be a time when we need to heal from this. Let’s start now. You can talk to your therapist, but just remember that he/she is struggling just as much as you are. So big hugs…lots of hugs are needed!  Crying is also acceptable.

Get Centered. Stay present and limit reading and watching the news for a while. Don’t let the media feed your fear. Focus on what you can positively change. The way to beat fear is not to get angry and fight it but to shine love and compassion into it. We can only effect ourselves and those around us.  You casted your vote, and no matter who you voted for, you did all you could to support your candidate (unless you didn’t vote, in which case, stop whining because this is what you get).

Don’t let anyone, even the president-elect dictate the decisions you make in your life. This is a time to rise above this intense emotional discord and division that we all feel and start sending, light, love and compassion to each other and in the world.   Love can heal.  Who knows, maybe some of that energy will hit Donald Trump and we will witness another shocking historical event…