Living by this acronym will help you HEAL in a hurt world

HOUSTON – Living by this acronym will help you HEAL in a hurt world

Over the past week as we've seen such disturbing images on television and in our communities, you might be feeling a range of emotions, and if you have children, you might wonder how to talk to them about racism and social injustice. And all this on top of an already stressful time during covid-19.

Licensed professional counselor, Dr. Shana D. Lewis shares simple ideas for us to step back and take a breath.

HEALING IN A HURT WORLD

This is where we are right now. A world that is hurting and in need of a healing. As a country we are being traumatized yet again. The weight of covid-19 is heavy enough, but now adding this racial pandemic on top of it is excessively overwhelming. This is causing significant stress, anxiety, depression, and anger for people of all colors as we watch our world be literally torn apart at the seams.

The mental health fallout from this is compounded as many were struggling under the weight of “Quarantine Fatigue.” The longer the quarantine went on the heavier the weight of managing it could become for many due to job loss, sickness, uncertainty, and even increased anxiety due to the world opening up.

Add the racial pandemic onto the health pandemic and we have an explosive situation emotionally. Dr. Lewis is helping people daily to manage a few aspects of their world that may help them begin the healing process in a hurting world thru the acronym HEAL.

Honor – We need to honor our feelings no matter what color we are. We have a right to feel how we feel. We also need to honor the feelings of others and not minimize them or dismiss them. Acknowledge your response to the situation instead of ignoring it or pretending it’s not happening and express your emotions appropriately.

Educate – Get accurate information about what you are responding to. Sometimes we are responding to things that aren’t actually true. Learn about racism and its effects in this country if you are unfamiliar and operate from a more informed place.

Ask – Ask for what you need and also ask others how you can help. So many times, we assume we know what someone else needs and we assume others know what we need. Asking is the only way to make sure you are getting it right and that you give other people an opportunity to support you.

Listen—Listen for the answers. Listen to what others are saying before you act. Many times, we jump to conclusions and assumptions before we have truly listened to the issue at hand. This facilitates healing as everyone just wants to be heard and understood.

Visit Dr. Lewis online here, for the full list of tips.