#32: Election Season Survival Skills
This is a special episode geared towards our listeners in the United States. We have a big election approaching and if you struggle with your emotions, you may be more impacted by the uncertainty, polarization, and chaos in our country.
Compounding the political uncertainty are environmental threats like wildfires and hurricanes. On top of all this, we are still in a pandemic! No wonder Wise Mind may be harder to find. Marielle and Ed discuss DBT skills to help you stay as grounded and effective in your life as possible this election season.
Show Highlights
- What helps you be in your Wise Mind?
- Using the mindfulness skill of Observe to help you check in your body.
- Emotional overwhelm during election season makes sense. How can you care for yourself?
- Recognizing our own power AND our limitations in the political process.
- Being mindful of news and social media use.
- Radical acceptance that is is the reality we are living in.
- Watching out for getting stuck in hopeless and black and white thinking.
- Change is a constant part of life.
- Walking the middle path – not getting stuck in either extreme.
- Loving-Kindness mindfulness meditation and how to use it.
- Remembering that we are interconnected.
- Reducing judgments helps lessen heightened painful emotional states.
- Check the Facts as an emotion regulation skill is harder because facts are often distorted in the political arena.
- Pleasure and cultivating good feelings is also important!
- Actively seeking out and cultivating pleasure and joy.
- Being mindful while doing pleasant events.
Links & Resources
DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition
Episode #20: How Do You Talk To Yourself?
Ask us a Question
We’d love to hear from you! Where are you getting stuck with your skills application? Ask us a question for the chance to have it answered on the podcast. Submit your question here.
Please note that questions, and this podcast in general, are not a substitute for individual mental health treatment.