For Therapists: How to Cope When the World’s On Fire

by Cameron Carr

Lately it feels like the world’s on fire. Whatever your political beliefs may be, there is something major happening, seemingly every day with very little time to process before the next big event happens. Major changes to the political landscape are being implemented and life, for some people as they know it, is drastically different. It can be very easy to feel like there is little hope or get swept away in the chaos of what's happening while also feeling like there’s nothing you can do.

The struggle I have come across as a therapeutic intern, is struggling to figure out how to help people with the same things that I am feeling and worrying about. When my clients come in anxious about the state of the world, how do I respond when I am also anxious about the state of the world?

What do I do when I feel like I don’t have the answers or the understanding to say just the right thing to make it better? 

I have to remind myself that that’s not my job. 

My job as a therapist isn’t to fix all the problems in my client’s life. It isn’t to know the exact right things to say to make them feel better.

My job is to focus, and help my clients focus on what we can control.

My job is to hold space, and help them know that they are not alone.

The world may be on fire right now, but I am sitting in this room with you right now and we are processing the chaos together.

You are not alone.