As a therapist based in the DC metro region, I often shoulder the unique emotional landscape of our area alongside my patients. Many of my patients are government employees or contractors, highly educated, ambitious, and deeply connected to the policies that shape their lives. For them—and for me—the 2024 election results have hit like a seismic shock. I’ve watched patients, friends, and colleagues react with dismay, anxiety, and uncertainty as they contemplate the possibility of a second Trump term and what it may mean for their personal and professional lives. Yesterday, my own professional association put out a statement proclaiming that they are “deeply troubled by statements Trump has made regarding immigrants, women, people who are LGBTIA2S+, and people of color and we will challenge any of his policies that harm our nation’s most vulnerable populations.”
In some ways, this period feels reminiscent of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, when the world changed practically overnight. Once again, I find myself navigating uncharted territory alongside my patients, experiencing the same sense of vulnerability, confusion, and collective shock. This isn’t something I was taught in graduate school—how to process my own emotions in real-time while guiding others through theirs. And though I sometimes wish I could fast-forward to some resolution, I know we’re all in this complex space together, processing each day as it comes.
A Shift in the “Blank-Slate” Approach
I was trained to leave my personal experiences at the door. Early in my career, I did my best to embody the “blank-slate” approach, focusing entirely on my patients’ emotions and avoiding any hint of my own experiences. I was taught that my role as a therapist was to hold space exclusively for my patients’ suffering, without the distraction of my own story. Yet with time, I began to see that my own experiences—carefully shared and thoughtfully restrained—could strengthen the therapeutic alliance, deepening trust and connection.
Now, with over a decade of experience in private practice, I have softened my approach a bit. Some long-term patients know that I’m a parent, a sister, a Northern Virginia suburbanite. They’ve caught glimpses of my awkward sense of humor, and occasionally, they see the knowing nod that acknowledges I’ve wrestled with some of the same struggles they have so bravely shared with me. I’ve come to believe that a therapeutic stance doesn’t always have to be one of perfect neutrality; sometimes, the most healing moment comes from a shared experience—a mutual understanding that life is complex, uncertain, and unpredictable.
This shared vulnerability is especially evident in moments like this, as we process a collective trauma. Less than forty-eight hours after the election, I’ve already met with several patients and had a session with my own therapist. I’m emotionally spent, reeling from the same concerns, confusion, and heartbreak that I hear in my patients’ voices. Knowing the tears I am watching them shed in session match the tears I shed in the early morning after all the country’s ballots were cast. We’re all struggling to find a foothold, just as we did in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
Collective Trauma and Healing: Insights from Jack Saul’s Work
This unique blend of personal and collective suffering isn’t new, yet it remains challenging for each community it touches. Most recently highlighted in the resilience demonstrated by communities in North Carolina during the recovery from Hurricane Helene, Dr. Jack Saul’s work reminds me that my patients and I are part of a larger collective process where healing, solidarity, and shared strength are both possible and essential. Saul is a leading expert in collective trauma and resilience and explores the profound impact of shared traumatic events on communities and the therapeutic approaches that can promote recovery. In his book Collective Trauma, Collective Healing: Promoting Community Resilience in the Aftermath of Disaster, Saul delves into the ways in which communities process trauma together and foster resilience. He emphasizes that while trauma can fracture communities, it can also be an opportunity to deepen social connections, foster a sense of shared purpose, and mobilize collective strength.
Saul’s work reminds me that my patients and I are not alone in this experience. While the election results may feel like an individual crisis to each of us, we are actually part of a larger process, one where collective healing is both possible and essential. Drawing from Saul’s insights, I try to create a therapeutic space that serves not just as a private refuge but also as a small community of shared experience. In this sense, our therapy sessions are less about separating the “therapist” from the “patient” and more about navigating this complex landscape together, acknowledging our shared humanity in the face of trauma.
Holding Space While Also Processing My Own Emotions
One of the most challenging parts of this experience is holding space for my patients’ distress while managing my own. In the world of therapy, we often say a therapist can only take their patient as far as they’ve gone themselves. This means that to truly be present with my patients, I need to process my own emotional reactions, too.
In sessions where patients express feelings of confusion, fear, or anger, I recognize my own similar reactions bubbling up. I have to remind myself to center the therapeutic process, focusing on my patients’ needs while acknowledging, privately, that I’m wrestling with the same anxieties. And while my clinical training taught me to keep my personal life separate, times like these demand a different kind of authenticity—a willingness to gently nod to our shared experience without allowing it to overshadow my role as a therapist.
Finding Meaning and Resilience in Collective Trauma
Despite the challenges, there’s something profoundly meaningful about experiencing this cultural upheaval alongside my patients. Just as we did during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, we’re finding ways to build resilience together, re-examining our values, and focusing on what remains within our control. For some patients, this means setting boundaries around news consumption, while for others, it’s about exploring ways to advocate for change. Together, we explore practical coping strategies and meaningful expressions of grief, but also existential questions around hope, purpose, and action.
This echoes Saul’s emphasis on the role of storytelling, community, and meaning-making in healing from collective trauma. According to Saul, narratives can serve as powerful tools for individuals and communities to reclaim their agency and understand their place within a larger, resilient whole. In my work with patients, we draw on these concepts to begin reframing personal and political crises as opportunities for growth and resilience. And, if there is one truth that I am sure of, it is the resilience of my patients. These sessions often include discussions on how to find personal meaning amidst collective turmoil and how to stay connected to a larger vision of hope and resilience.
The Gifts of a Therapist’s Journey Through Cultural Trauma
Experiencing these societal upheavals alongside my patients has taught me a great deal about resilience, both as a therapist and as an individual. Just as in the pandemic, where many learned to adapt to teletherapy and I supported patients through prolonged isolation and fear, I’m now finding new ways to help patients face the stress and anxiety brought by political uncertainty.
One gift of this time is the reminder that healing often happens in community. The therapeutic relationship itself can become a space where both patient and therapist acknowledge the complexity of shared cultural traumas. Saul’s work reinforces the idea that healing from trauma isn’t just about individual recovery; it’s about rebuilding and reinforcing communal bonds. This perspective has changed the way I approach therapy, reminding me that resilience isn’t simply a matter of individual grit but something we foster through shared support, compassion, and solidarity.
Practical Steps for Moving Forward in Difficult Times
For those feeling adrift in these uncertain times (myself included), here are a few strategies that may help:
Set Boundaries with Media Consumption: While it’s important to stay informed, try setting limits on news and social media to prevent overload. Establishing “media-free” zones or times can help you focus on the aspects of life you can control.
Practice Self-Compassion: Remember that it’s natural to feel stress and uncertainty. Practicing self-compassion allows you to approach your emotions with kindness and patience, rather than judgment.
Seek Connection and Support: You’re not alone. Whether it’s through therapy, support groups, or conversations with trusted friends, connection is a powerful tool for coping in times of stress.
Embrace Collective Storytelling: Finding ways to share your experiences, whether with close friends, in support groups, or even journaling, can create a sense of connection and meaning, an approach supported by Saul’s work on collective trauma.
Final Thoughts
As we move forward, I hope we all continue to find strength in our shared experiences and honor the resilience we build, even in times of collective uncertainty.
At Mid-Atlantic Psychotherapy, we recognize the critical need to support the mental health of all individuals, no matter their political affiliation. We believe that mental health and support is a bipartisan issue, each and every clinician is supportive of a bipartisan approach to helping individuals prioritize their mental wellness. Our team offers individualized therapy to help you navigate the unique challenges of living in the DC metro region, managing stress, and improving your overall well-being. Mid-Atlantic Psychotherapy is a fully virtual practice to meet your busy lifestyle. We have therapists who offer daytime and evening appointments to residents of DC, Maryland, and Virginia. You are not alone in this struggle, we are here to provide you with support.
Interested in Reading More?
- National Association of Social Workers. “Donald Trump Has Been Re-Elected 47th President of the United States.” NASW Press Releases, 5 Nov. 2024, www.socialworkers.org/News/News-Releases/ID/3095/Donald-Trump-has-been-re-elected-47th-president-of-the-United-States.
- Saul, Jack. Collective Trauma, Collective Healing: Promoting Community Resilience in the Aftermath of Disaster. Routledge, 2014.
- Saul, Jack. “Collective Trauma & Community Resilience.” Jack Saul, jacksaul.org/about-3-1-2. Accessed 7 November 2024.
About the Author
Christina Moynihan is the Owner of Mid-Atlantic Psychotherapy, a web-based psychotherapy practice aimed at helping overwhelmed individuals prioritize their mental health. With over twenty years of professional clinical social work experience, she has had the honor of working with populations suffering from grief and loss, HIV/AIDS, addiction/harm reduction and recovery, perinatal challenges, systemic racism and injustice, mental health struggles, and trauma. Since 2015, she has also served as an adjunct professor at her alma mater, Mount Saint Mary’s University. With the desire to reduce the challenges people face attempting to access mental health care, Christina created Mid-Atlantic Psychotherapy in 2023. In her time away from work, Christina is an exhausted parent of two amazing children and strives to be a positive role model for them.