Speaker 2: 0:04

Welcome to her time to Talk. I'm Megan Clark, a licensed professional counselor and the founder of Her Time Therapy, a group practice dedicated to supporting women's mental health. This podcast is for women by women, and is all about creating a safe place for our experiences, amplifying our voices, and empowering each other with the knowledge to improve our mental health.

Speaker: 0:28

In today's episode, we are talking about activism. I've spoken in the past about why I, as a therapist talk about politics and civic action. So if that's your thing, and you haven't already listened to some of my former episodes on women's healthcare feminist therapy, and how to maintain resiliency when coping with difficult political situations or election outcomes, I'll link to those in the show notes. Today I'm leaning specifically into the ways in which activism are important parts of feminist therapy, but how they are also an important part of your mental health. Specifically, we're gonna talk about how taking action in big or small ways and actually be really good for your mental health. I'll share a personal story about attending the October 18th No Kings protest in Savannah, Georgia. And we'll also talk about how you can practice activism safely and in alignment with your values. you may be wondering, isn't therapy supposed to be apolitical? Weren't you taught in grad school to show up as a blank slate? that's a fair question, but the answer is no. And yes. I'm in good company with a population of therapists. especially millennial therapists who reject the idea that we as mental health providers can truly show up as a blank slate. honestly, even if we could, is that really what's going to help anyone. To form a therapeutic relationship with a blank white wall who keeps their authentic reactions hidden behind this wall of clinical professionalism doesn't really seem like a healing dynamic. from a feminist therapy perspective in particular, the answer is definitely no to this blank slate. research shows that the reciprocal egalitarian relationship between a therapist and the client is paramount to the healing process. So here I am being real and sharing what I really do, both in and outside of the therapy session because I honor the reality that the personal is political, both for myself and for my clients. So in other words, the struggles that people bring into therapy are often influenced by systems, laws, social norms, gendered expectations, racism and policy decisions. All of these things shape access to resources like healthcare. safe housing, economic stability, and even who gets to feel safe bringing children into the world. So activism truly isn't outside the realm of therapy. It's inextricably bound to the wellbeing of every client I see. because this is the case, I feel it's important to practice what I preach and to engage in activism as much as I feel it is safe and within my capacity to do. So with that, I wanna tell you about the last protest I attended. it was a few weeks ago. the October 18th no Kings protest in Savannah, Georgia. while I've participated in many protests before, I had mixed feelings about this one. I had recently moved to Savannah from Colorado where I attended much larger protests in Denver, including the first Women's March and other big demonstrations where I often got used to feeling surrounded by large crowds and empowering energy, in a city I was familiar with and had lived and worked in for years So for me to move to the south, to Savannah, I actually felt a little nervous. Hopefully you can hear the connotation that I'm alluding to here. When I say the South, there is a reputation for right or wrong, that certain areas of the country are more hostile, more right wing, and to be blunt, more racist. And history has proven that the South has earned that connotation. I could also share that from a global perspective because I have a lot of people in my inner circle that are not originally from the us that the US on a whole is regarded as being a racist country in general. And that is despite our taglines of being a melting pot and having the inscription of, give me Your Tired, your poor. Etched on the Statue of Liberty, and I wondered being here in the South to attend a protest. Would I feel safe? Would the turnout be meaningful? And I was lucky enough to attend this protest with a very close friend who works as a licensed teacher in Florida. like me, she carries her own privilege as a white woman. yet she also told me she doesn't necessarily feel safe protesting in Florida. some districts in Florida have surveilled teachers, disciplined them, and in some cases even fired them for speaking their mind politically or for standing up for their trans students or advocating for books. Of all sorts by all authors to be available for consumption and inclusion and curriculum. So her coming here to Savannah to stand with me and participate in the No Kings protest was an act of courage. It mattered to me personally, but also in a much larger sense. It's a great example of how standing together with someone you trust can make participating in protest feel feasible and like you can take that step safely. At the protest, we saw an incredible turnout, especially for a smaller tourism focused city like Savannah. On that day, roughly 2000 people gathered and marched through the beautiful riverfront parks and streets, we noticed maybe one or two cars that drove by shouting hateful things, but many more cars. Drove by and honked in solidarity and support. The energy of the No Kings protest was overwhelmingly positive, peaceful, and purpose driven, it was a great reminder of how activism can be, and most often is an organized collective, peaceful, powerful healing experie. at the protest, I personally chose to carry a sign that read dictators fear books more than bullets. That phrase was a rhetorical choice. a nod to my former life and career as an English teacher and academic it also evokes the power of language and literature that has always served as the heartbeat of social change. Books, stories, and critical thought have long been among the most effective tools of resistance because they challenge people to see the world differently empathize with experiences outside of their own and see the world through new possibilities. History shows us that authoritarian regimes have always understood that power. It's why they ban books silence journalists and censor educators. Words are contagious. They inspire courage. awaken moral imagination and expose hypocrisy. And in moments where we're watching politicians openly follow a playbook of authoritarianism, the idea that a dictator might fear books more than bullets feels both timeless and urgent. Violence can control bodies, but exposure to ideas and stories that allow people both to practice empathy and recognize the value of diversity can move entire generations. The sign that my friend chose to carry at the protest read, I am mad as hell because I love this place. This was a Taylor Swift inspired quote that captured something essential about the heart of Democratic protest. Her sign wasn't about rage for rage sake. It was about love of community, and of country of people who deserve safety and freedom, but are so often denied it. And that's the beauty of these movements. Peaceful protests led by people who care deeply, and not just about their own rights, but about everyone's. The signs that we carried, one rooted in intellectual rebellion and the other in fierce love represented two sides of the same coin. They were both affirmations that dissents and devotion can coexist, and the activism can be born from tenderness as much as from anger. Standing shoulder to shoulder. With her, I realized that even the act of creating the signs of crafting the message and putting it out into the world and holding it up high is in its own form healing. It's a declaration that our voices and our stories and our love for humanity are stronger than the fear that seeks to silence them. That act of showing up in any form of activism, whether you show up carrying a sign like we did in person or showing up in other ways, can feel like reclaiming a piece of agency in a moment that is otherwise terrifying. That agency is part of what actually helps people move from a feeling of helplessness into action. And action is a powerful antidote to chronic rumination, depression, and fear. Okay, so that's my story, but let's talk a bit about what the research says. Is activism actually correlated with improved mental health? The short answer is yes, especially when activism takes the form of pro-social behavior, collective action, and meaningful engagement. sometimes activism can be stressful or even traumatizing, especially if people lack social support. But there is a growing body of research that shows positive links between pro-social action, collective engagement, and your personal sense of wellbeing. There is currently a growing body of research that shows helping others and getting involved in your community isn't just good for the world. It's actually good for your mental health too. There are studies looking at multiple peer reviewed articles, including a recent review in the JAMA Open Network that found pro-social behaviors. Those are things like volunteering, helping a neighbor or supporting an immigrant family are linked to better mental health and wellbeing across multiple groups when you act in ways that benefit and help others, your own body and mind benefit too. other studies back this up as well with both experiments and world observations that have found that doing things like helpful acts can reduce stress, increase feelings of connection, and a sense of purpose in your life, feeling like you belong and that your actions matter are actually protective for your mental health and can help prevent anxiety and depression from taking root. As a therapist, one of the go-to interventions for depression is something called behavioral activation. In other words, literally doing the opposite of what depression tends to tell you to do. So things like staying sedentary or to self isolate. If you do the opposite of that, you're getting up and doing something in service of someone else or a larger calling. So in this way, protesting or engaging in some form of activism is actually the best medicine to combat depression. Researchers have also looked specifically at how collective action, things like protesting, marching, or organizing together can affect your meaning in life. A 2025 social psychology study found that participating in collective action gives people a temporary boost in the sense that their life has purpose, and that sense of purpose can be a key factor that sustains you, motivates you, and keeps you engaged in the act of living over time. And that is especially critical and central to good mental health. because of all this research, I think now is a good time to remind listeners that it can be scary to bring political topics religion money or other quote unquote taboo topics up in therapy. But this is the perfect place to bring up those topics and have a safe space to explore what you think about them and how they're impacting your life. So feel free to bring up politics and any fears related to that in the therapy space. when clients bring up anxiety about the state of society in sessions, I'm very careful to make space to explore those and allow them to figure out if they want to take action or not. If so, to normalize how activism can be one of many options to cope and make meaning. I also validate that as helpful as activism can be, activism can be risky, and that not everyone has the same capacity or privilege to protest in person the way I did I work intentionally with clients to assess their safety, privilege and their support system and resources to make sure that we can identify actionable value-based behaviors and steps of activism that feel good. They can be small or they can be really big, but either way, they tend to promote feelings of agency rather than paralysis. I wanna be sensitive here to acknowledge that people of color and marginalized communities. For people working in really high stress or high risk environments tend to experience quite a bit more burnout, anxiety, and trauma, especially during times of political turmoil feeling connected, supported, and prepared is key to making activism a positive healing experience rather than one that adds to your stress or trauma. in this political environment where people of color, especially those who appear Latina or Hispanic in origin, are being abducted off the streets, attending a protest in person may not feel like the safest form of activism right now. But I'm here to say that that does not have to mean that that healing nature of activism is totally off the table for you or inaccessible to you. In times such as these, we tend to need to balance and acknowledgement of this reality and doing what we need to do to keep ourselves physically safe, while also finding ways to take action and exert control where you can. Activism doesn't have to mean marching in the streets or participating in large rallies, although those are powerful and important forms of action. There are countless ways to make meaningful steps that align with your safety, your energy, and your privilege. So I wanna move into talking about a couple of different categories of activism and action steps that you could take that are grounded in practice and research. The first category of activism that I wanna touch on here as an option, especially for those that don't feel safe or comfortable attending a protest, is natural opportunity in daily conversations and connection to others. This theme is about using your voice in small, consistent ways that fit into your daily life. This can look like speaking up in work meetings, in family discussions, or in friend groups. When something comes up or is said that feels unjust, speaking out and not just letting these things go under the rug helps to establish boundaries and assert values and what is okay and what's not socially. Another form of this could be. Joining or doing the work to start a book club centered on feminist, anti-racist or queer literature, book clubs and discussion of literature can really help strengthen critical thinking and social connection, Another option under this category is sharing accurate fact-based content on social media, especially content made by usually underrepresented voices. All of these options can help enhance social connectedness and that social connectedness and action on a daily basis, no matter how big or small. Is a proven method of reducing depression symptoms and aiding in improved overall wellbeing. the next theme of activism that we can choose to engage in is creative expression. Art, storytelling, and other forms of creative expression allow us to process emotions, to raise awareness, and to connect with others. So if you are artsy or creative in any way, which we all are, you just have to tap into what that means for you. I encourage you to take some space and some time to engage in that creative part of yourself and let it come to the front. some examples of creative expression you may try are writing poetry, essays, or songs that reflect your experiences and values. You could create visual arts, like paintings drawings or photography that document social issues and moments you want to amplify You could also submit some of this work to community exhibits or publish them online if creating art is not your thing. You can amplify art and content created by marginalized voices across social platforms through your position at work, or through whatever form is available to you. All of these type of options are proven throughout many research studies too, Give you mental health benefits because that creative pro-social engagement reduces stress improves your emotional regulation and fosters a sense of agency and empowerment to externalize some of the turmoil that a contentious political environment can create. The next theme of activism available to us other than protesting is financial and resource. Based support. This can be using your resources, financial or otherwise, to support causes and communities that need that support. some specific examples of this would be donating to a mutual fund or a local nonprofit aligned with your values. You could intentionally buy from businesses owned by women or a BIPOC individuals, or L-G-B-T-Q, individuals to support those Marginalized owned businesses. You could volunteer your time or your professional skills to grassroot causes or organizations that are working for social justice and causes that you believe in. All of these are evidence-based ways that you can engage in and improve your mental health through helping others.'cause we know at the end of the day, all the researcher on this topic shows that the helper is helped by helping others. The next category of activism you could choose to engage in is civic engagement. civic participation in general allows us a lot of agency and power to shape systemic change, and that in turn, alleviates feelings of helplessness. So the most obvious example of this that I hope we are all doing, and I encourage you to do, is to register to vote and actually go vote when the polls are open. But don't just stop there. Other options for this are encouraging others to go and vote or giving them a ride to the polls. It could also look like attending town halls or school board meetings or even making those phone calls or sending emails to your state representatives about issues that matter to you. All of these things add up and they do influence policy. It's a. Very direct action step that can be taken even on a daily basis if you choose. that directly combats feelings of helplessness because it is you stepping in and doing something to change something bigger than you. The next form of activism that we are gonna talk about is the theme of community and relationship building Any form of activism anchored in community creates connection and reduces isolation across the board. specific examples of actions you could take under this category are volunteering and community-based organizations becoming a mentor, building a network of activists, or joining with other healers or helpers in different spaces by practicing mutual care. These options can sound really intimidating, especially for those of us that are more introverted in nature. So I also wanna point out that. Community and relationship building doesn't have to be outside of your circle. Sometimes simply taking an extra moment out of your day to check in on your friends and send that text that says, Hey, I've been thinking about you. What are you feeling or thinking about what we're seeing on the news today? That can make a really big difference in just making sure that we feel connected rather than isolated in this bubble of fear That kind of social support and connectedness is a direct buffer against stress and trauma, especially in political environments where fear is a central tool being utilized. the last category of activism, and my most favorite is healing and rest as resistance. It's really important to recognize that rest, boundaries, and joy are themselves, a political act of resistance to fear and totalitarianism. Especially for women navigating patriarchal structures, things like practicing mindfulness or therapy focused on empowerment. Saying no to things that demand your energy and participating in hobbies that feel joyful and uplifting, or attending community gatherings that make you feel celebrated and in solidarity with others. These are all self-care practices that are restorative in nature. They reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and reinforce a sense of community and agency. As a therapist, the number one thing I always try to remind my clients to do and make sure they are incorporating into their day and week is both rest and joy. These are not a failure of productivity. Rest in itself is productive. Joy in itself is productive because we have to have these things to be restored enough to show up in a way that will help ourselves, help others, and help the world. Each of these categories allows people to act in alignment with their safety, their privilege, and to reduce feelings of helplessness so that they can foster that social connection and meaning. All of these are critical components of being able to practice activism in a way that's supportive of mental health. even if you personally don't feel like you can be on the front lines of a protest, at least right now, taking small deliberate action that creates agency and purpose and resilience in the face of fear and uncertainty. in closing, I wanna invite you to take one small step of activism this week, pick one small action that feels truly doable to you. Maybe that is writing one email to an official. Making one call using the five calls app to your state representative. sharing a piece of writing or artwork from a person of color on your social media feed, or donating five or$10 to a women's health clinic. Then take a moment to notice how you feel after doing that action. Do you feel a little less stuck? Do you feel a little bit more connected? Do you feel a little bit more sense of purpose and a little bit of a reduction in fear and helplessness? That tiny change is an evidence-based move that you can use today to move towards agency and meaning and improve mental health.

Speaker 3: 22:54

If you're feeling empowered by today's episode, be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. You can also follow us on social media at her time to talk for more updates and tips. And if you'd like to support the show, consider becoming a patron. If you're ready to take the next step in your mental health journey, visit her time therapy.com and schedule a free consultation with one of our therapists. Thank you for taking the time to talk today. Remember, your story matters. Your voice is powerful, and your mental health is worth prioritizing. Until next time, take care of yourself. This is your time. The information shared on this podcast is not intended to be personal mental health advice, and listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic relationship between the listener and the therapist featured on this podcast. We encourage listeners to engage with a licensed therapist for personalized mental health treatment and advice.