Surviving While BIPOC: How Political Stress Impacts Mental Health and Where to Get Support

Let’s be real - existing while Black, Brown, Indigenous, or otherwise racialized in today’s world is exhausting. And in the current political climate, that exhaustion is magnified.

From the headlines that echo injustices to policies that directly impact our bodies, families, and communities - the weight is real. If you’ve found yourself overwhelmed, shut down, or just so tired lately, you’re not alone. These aren’t just bad days; they’re symptoms of something deeper.

As a therapist who works with BIPOC women and professionals navigating stress, burnout, and trauma, I see it often: the connection between political stress and our mental health is undeniable.

How Political Stress Affects Communities of Color

Let’s break it down. Political stress isn't just about news cycles or elections—it’s about survival.

Here are a few key ways this shows up:

• Policy-based harm: From anti-immigrant laws to anti-Black violence to threats against reproductive freedoms, many political decisions disproportionately impact communities of color.

• Media exposure: Constant footage of injustice and trauma in the news and on social media reactivates racial trauma and compounds feelings of helplessness.

• Workplace stress: Many BIPOC professionals feel the pressure to stay “professional” while carrying the weight of what’s happening outside - often with little to no support in predominantly white spaces.

• Emotional labor in friendships: Sometimes white friends (often unintentionally) add to the stress by processing their fears with you, centering themselves in conversations about your lived experiences, or responding to your vulnerability with guilt instead of solidarity.

• Cultural and intergenerational stress: Even if you’re “doing well,” the pain passed down from generations of oppression is still present in your nervous system. You’re not imagining this. Your body remembers.

Is This Taking a Toll on You? Signs You May Need Support

Political stress doesn’t always scream; sometimes, it whispers - quietly disrupting your life in subtle but powerful ways. Here are a few signs that you may be feeling the impact:

• Struggling to focus or stay motivated at work

• Feeling emotionally numb, angry, or hyper-aware of your surroundings

• Increased irritability, fatigue, or shutdown responses

• Sleep difficulties or nightmares after watching/reading the news

• Avoidance of social interactions or specific conversations

• Feeling disconnected from your body, your joy, or your sense of purpose

If any of this feels familiar, it’s okay to need help. You weren’t meant to carry all of this alone.

Healing happens in community. Whether it’s a protest, a council meeting, or coffee with trusted friends - connection is powerful resistance.

Rest is Resistance & Action is Healing

The truth is, you deserve care, rest, and spaces where your pain is seen and validated. Therapy can be one of those spaces, especially when it’s with someone who understands the cultural and systemic layers of your experience.

Here are some supportive steps you can take today:

1. Unplug intentionally. It’s not avoidance - it’s self-preservation. Create a media boundary by limiting doomscrolling or unfollowing triggering accounts.

2. Rest as a ritual. Give yourself permission to nap, stretch, cry, or do nothing. That’s radical in a world that asks you to constantly push through.

3. Build your circle. Connect with others who understand what you’re carrying. That might be trusted friends, community orgs, or a support group.

4. Speak with a BIPOC or allied therapist. Someone who honors your story and holds space for your healing, without expecting you to educate them along the way.

If you’re in Washington State, here are some helpful resources to explore:

• Therapy for Black Girls: A directory of culturally responsive therapists

• Inclusive Therapists: Focused on accessible, culturally affirming care

• Open Path Collective: Low-cost therapy options, searchable by state

• Washington Therapy Fund Foundation: Covers costs of therapy for Black Washingtonians

• Latinx Therapy Directory: Therapists dedicated to Latinx mental health across the U.S.

• Liberatory Wellness Network: A healing collective rooted in racial justice and mental health equity

• National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN): Centered on QTBIPOC mental health

Turning Stress into Action: Collective Care as Resistance

While rest is necessary, action can be healing too - especially when it’s rooted in justice, community, and collective care. If you're feeling overwhelmed, channeling that energy into action can create meaning, connection, and power.

Speaking out is powerful, but so is having space to process. Therapy helps you hold both.

Here are some ways to take action, locally and sustainably:

1. Know your rights and share them.
   Equip yourself and your loved ones with knowledge. Organizations like:

   • Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) offer legal services and resources to protect immigrant rights in Washington.

   • ACLU of Washington defends civil liberties and shares info on your legal protections.

   • REACH Center Tacoma supports young adults of color with access to housing, education, and rights advocacy.

2. Call or write your representatives.
   Advocate for policies that support Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and undocumented communities. You can find your Washington state legislators here: leg.wa.gov

3. Show up locally.
   Attend city council meetings, county hearings, or local school board sessions. Advocate for racial equity, inclusive curriculums, police accountability, or housing justice.

4. Support BIPOC-led initiatives.
   Donate to or volunteer with grassroots organizations like:

   • Africatown Community Land Trust

   • Latino Community Fund of Washington

   • Wa Na Wari, a Black-led cultural home in Seattle.

5. Share resources and be a point of connection.
   When you learn about mental health programs, legal clinics, or safety plans - share them. Be the bridge for someone else.

6. Vote in every election.
   Not just presidential—local elections shape schools, policing, public health, and housing. Your voice matters deeply. Register or check your registration at VoteWA.gov.

7. Create healing spaces.
   Host a community check-in, a book club focused on BIPOC authors, or a quiet space for meditation and rest. Small acts of connection matter.

Action can be empowering. It reminds us we’re not powerless - we’re in this together.

You Deserve to Feel Whole - Let’s Talk About How

If you’ve been carrying this weight alone and wondering if therapy could help, I invite you to reach out. I offer trauma-informed, culturally responsive therapy for BIPOC women and professionals who are ready to feel grounded, supported, and seen.

☎️ Book your free consultation call today to explore how we can work together to reclaim your peace and power – I’d be honored to walk alongside you.