In this episode the X-Podcast team discusses the  impact of the 2024 USA elections. They describe their personal thoughts about it. They also discuss their opinions about how they perceive others are being impacted by the election results. Mental health is directly impacted and implicated in the responses to the election. Xiomara gives some tips on how to maintain good mental health in this journey and provides the listeners with resources if they need it. The team also discusses some personal reactions, thoughts and feelings and what they are doing to take care of their mental health. Host Xiomara A. Sosa, co-host JRoc, and guests Rigel and Ant have a relatable and lively discussion about this topic and share some of their personal life experiences with it. 

Listen to episode at https://blubrry.com/studio_talk_mental_health/

Full Transparency

I am (Xiomara A. Sosa) an Independent. I am not a Democrat or a Republican.

This is not about politics for me. As a mental health clinician I am trained to not discuss anything political in mental health. To those of us who are people of color, members of marginalized communities or have been historically oppressed, that is a very culturally incompetent position to take. So most of us push back on that and do the work anyway within our ethical guidelines. 

It is also political for our clients. - It is a privileged white Western mentality to want to believe it is not. Most of our clients come to therapy to heal from and learn healthy ways to manage their experiences as a result of political issues that are oppressive in nature to them.

Even I go to therapy to deal with some of the negative effects that politics has on me.  

Social Change Advocacy

"Social change advocacy" in the context of clinical counseling refers to the active role clinical counselors take in working to address systemic inequalities and promote social justice by advocating for their clients and communities, often by challenging institutional barriers and promoting policy changes that benefit marginalized populations; essentially, using their professional skills to create positive societal change beyond the individual therapy room. 

Key points about social change advocacy and counselors:

• Focus on marginalized groups:
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• Clinical counselors who engage in social change advocacy often focus on supporting individuals from groups experiencing systemic oppression, such as racial minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, or those facing socioeconomic disparities. 
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• Empowering clients:
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• A key aspect of social change advocacy is empowering clients to become advocates for themselves by educating them about their rights, teaching self-advocacy skills, and encouraging them to engage with community organizations. 
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• Systemic change:
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• Advocacy goes beyond individual client interventions to address broader societal issues by lobbying for policy changes, raising awareness about systemic inequities, and collaborating with community organizations. 
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• Ethical responsibility:
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• Many professional counseling organizations consider social justice advocacy a core ethical responsibility, encouraging counselors to actively work towards creating a more equitable society. 
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Examples of social change advocacy by counselors:

• Policy advocacy:
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• Lobbying for legislation that improves access to mental health services for marginalized communities. 
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• Community outreach:
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• Educating the public about mental health issues and stigma related to specific populations. 
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• Collaboration with organizations:
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• Partnering with community groups to address social issues impacting mental health. 
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• Client education:
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• Helping clients understand how societal factors impact their mental health and empowering them to navigate these challenges. 

We are about to see what institutional discrimination looks like at the very top of our system. It's being normalized and legislated - trying to be. 

Due to the recent election results here in the US, many people reevaluate their relationships post-election. Some tips on results to consider and remember as you make these decisions. 

#1) we all have the right to feel safe in our relationships. We get to define what safe means to us and what that looks like. And we have the right to not allow people in our lives who do not make us feel safe. This does not make us petty, it does not make us dramatic, or sensitive. It just means that we are choosing to not allow people to benefit from being in our lives if at the very least they do not contribute to our sense of feeling safe. 

#2) Allow some space for some nuance. For example, you can eliminate the people who are no longer helping you feel safe in your own life. But, this individual might have some kind of real or perceived power over you - boss, manager, landlord, parents, housemate, In that scenario cutting them off 100% might not feel like it is in your best interest in the bigger picture. Might not be the psychologically or physically best option for you right now. We also might have someone or people in our lives that we might not be ready to let go of completely. 

Good people to follow:

Heather Cox Richardson:  Heather Cox Richardson is an American historian. She is a professor of history at Boston College, where she teaches courses on the American Civil War, the Reconstruction Era, the American West, and the Plains Indians. She previously taught history at MIT and the University of Massachusetts

Robert Reich:  Robert Bernard Reich is an American professor, author, lawyer, and political commentator. He worked in the administrations of presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, and served as Secretary of Labor from 1993 to 1997 in the cabinet of President Bill Clinton. 

Families and friends are going no-contact. It’s not about politics, it's about morals. Character.  

#USElections #Election #2024Election #MentalHealth #PostElection #MentalHealth #Counseling #Therapy #SocialChange #SocialChangeAdvocacy #ClinicalCounseling #TheXPodcast

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References

 https://www.google.com/search?q=+social+change+advocacy+and+counselors+&sca_esv=281e988bd194038a&rlz=1CAVARX_enUS1120&sxsrf=ADLYWIKfLihPQOCB5LkmqFEDNmqD8KcOvw%3A1731589302598&ei=tvQ1Z-2jJJ-Hw8cPtIammQo&ved=0ahUKEwjt1pzq8NuJAxWfw_ACHTSDKaMQ4dUDCBA&oq=+social+change+advocacy+and+counselors+&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiJyBzb2NpYWwgY2hhbmdlIGFkdm9jYWN5IGFuZCBjb3Vuc2Vsb3JzIDIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRirAjIFECEYqwJIlTZQpQRYqSlwAXgBkAEAmAF-oAHrD6oBBDAuMTi4AQzIAQD4AQGYAhOgAuEQwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICBhAAGBYYHsICCBAAGIAEGKIEwgIFECEYnwWYAwCIBgGQBgiSBwQxLjE4oAezZA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+social+justice+advocacy&sca_esv=281e988bd194038a&rlz=1CAVARX_enUS1120&sxsrf=ADLYWIKhB6Px5kjpkaeqA0q-Woj2T1OFOQ%3A1731589337687&ei=2fQ1Z5XLKde9p84P2pSckAI&oq=what+is+social+&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiD3doYXQgaXMgc29jaWFsICoCCAEyBBAjGCcyChAjGIAEGCcYigUyCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFMg4QABiABBiRAhixAxiKBTIOEAAYgAQYkQIYsQMYigUyCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFMgsQABiABBiRAhiKBTIIEAAYgAQYsQMyCBAAGIAEGLEDMgUQABiABEjPPVC_HFiLLXACeAGQAQCYAYwBoAHIC6oBAzkuNrgBAcgBAPgBAZgCEaACzgzCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgIQEAAYgAQYsQMYQxiDARiKBcICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAhEQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHAcICChAAGIAEGEMYigXCAgsQLhiABBixAxiDAcICDRAAGIAEGEMYyQMYigXCAgsQABiABBiSAxiKBcICDRAAGIAEGLEDGEMYigWYAwCIBgGQBgiSBwM5LjigB9WUAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp