Many people woke today feeling deep shock, disbelief, fear, numbness, sadness, or outrage.

Grief is the word I feel adequately describes the collective experience.  

If you’re experiencing election grief right now, you are not alone. For many people, the election felt like it held so much at stake on the future of women, people of color, immigrants, and trans and non-binary people.  This election felt so intricately tied to the future of global matters, abortion rights, the economy, and more.  It’s a lot for us to process today.

6 Ways To Honor & Process Your Election Grief

1. Feel your feelings.

Easier said than done, I know. But the first step for processing grief is creating space to express and explore your feelings. This may look like journaling, processing in therapy, giving yourself extra time in the morning in your meditation practice, visiting a rage room, or just a few deep breaths before your next meeting.

2. Engage in grounding or resourcing practices.

Grief is a full-body experience. Plus, with an abundance of news and media reporting on the results (hello, Jupiter in Gemini!) it will be important to engage in the practices that help you get rooted and grounded.

How? Engage your senses in practice, routines, or rituals that feel good or even sacred to you.  This may mean eating nourishing foods, taking time to give your full attention to your beloved pet, completing a grief ritual with your favorite candles and herbs, or soaking in a lavender-scented bath. 

3. Talk it out with like-minded souls.

Sometimes we need to grieve privately. Yet, when it comes to election grief, leaning into your community—to the people who feel safe and supportive—could be more ideal for you.  Consider setting up tea dates, Zoom processing gatherings, or simply exchanging texts with a friend in the coming days or weeks about how you are feeling. 

4. Rest, rest, rest.  

If you are feeling grief about this election, you also know that the road ahead will require energy, resilience, and action.  However, rest is essential to ensuring this action is sustainable. Rest can look restorative, such as naps or downtime, but rest can also be active, like a low-key yoga flow class or engaging in hobbies. For additional inspiration, check out The Nap Ministry’s Rest Deck.  

Pictured: The Nap Ministry’s Rest Deck

5. Take action, when you’re ready.

It’s important to give yourself time to process all layers of your grief. However, for some, your grief process can be supported by small action steps that aim to make change, such as donating to a cause, volunteering, supporting others, or speaking up for what they believe in.

6. Monitor your mental & physical health

Grief can sometimes trigger an increase in anxiety, depression, panic attacks, PTSD, perfectionism, or OCD. Often, this might show up first as stress in our body, indigestion, chronic pain, or sleep issues. Pay attention to how your mind and body are impacted in the coming days for signs that you may be struggling more than usual. Reach out to a professional if you feel you need additional support.  

If you are looking for a safe space to process your election grief, please reach out for a free 20-minute consultation.  

I’m Arianna Smith (she/her). I’m an IFS therapist and HSP specialist.

Working together, you will find a space where your election grief is honored and where we can hold space for all the losses associated with the election results. I will call upon effective trauma-informed approaches, such as EMDR or IFS, to help you move through any particularly stuck places that arise as you process your election grief. Then, we can identify a path forward that feels positive and aligned with your values.  

To get started, please schedule your free consultation.

Feel free to email me at arianna@quietmooncounseling.com or call/text (720) 772-7413 today.