The social structure and systems that most people live by were not built to favor those who are BIPOC. Progress has been made, but history still stands, and the world still has a long way to go in the fight for equality.
Social media has a constant display of the happenings around the world. News outlets provide round-the-clock coverage of their own stories. For this reason, trauma can easily be triggered and passed along the family tree.
As a BIPOC, you don’t have to have experienced trauma directly to have racial trauma. Unfortunately, current events continue to propel racial trauma in today’s time. Whether you’ve experienced the trauma first-hand or suffer from indirect exposure, healing is important and possible.
Practice Self Care
Self-care is an important practice no matter who you are or what your background is. Racial trauma can have significant impacts on both your mental and physical well-being. Establishing a good and effective self-care routine can be a key component to navigating your healing journey.
Focus on proper rest and sleep. Ensure you are consuming a well-balanced diet. Participate in activities that bring you joy and refresh your soul. Incorporate daily movement into your routine to ward off any symptoms that may come with your trauma.
One other key area of practicing self-care is setting boundaries with work, your relationships, and social media.
Explore Activism
Being able to fight in the good fight can be healing in a unique way of its own. Engaging in local community or national activism can be a healing experience. Working towards justice for the circumstances surrounding your source of trauma can help you feel more empowered.
Attending local meetings, participating in a local protest, and writing letters or emails to political or leadership figures are ways to start this journey of involvement. One important thing to be mindful of is your mental health and energy in any activism you choose to do. It can be healing, but also exhausting so you want to make sure you balance it out.
Find a Support System
When you are healing from trauma, surrounding yourself with family and friends is a great coping mechanism. They can provide you with the love and support you need to find that healing.
Sometimes, you may need to look outside this close circle of yours to find the amount of support you need. If your friends do not share your experiences, they may not have the same understanding you need. Your family may not be on the same healing journey either.
Connect with others in your community who have shared similar experiences or have racial trauma of their own that they are navigating. You may find your experiences more validated through theirs, but you also learn more about their coping strategies.
Seek Professional Support
No matter what the source of your trauma is, professional help is generally recommended to process it effectively. This concept stands even more true with racial trauma and the amount of triggers in daily life.
There are many resources available online to guide you healing, but the most useful one could very well be therapy.
If you are a BIPOC and have trauma that you’re living with, contact us today to see if we can help you on your healing journey through trauma therapy.
