How do you feel about Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s debate tonight? Nervous? Hopeful? Scared?
From an assassination attempt on Trump to Harris becoming a presidential candidate, the campaign season has stirred up all kinds of emotions as the Nov. 5 election nears.
Room to Breathe therapist Kelsey Schroeder works with Chicagoans to navigate election-based anxiety. She shares tips ahead of tonight’s debate and an upcoming virtual workshop Friday.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How does election anxiety affect people’s everyday lives?
“For some folks, election anxiety is very much evident in their everyday functioning of how they interact, what they consume on social media, who they talk to.”
“For others, it can be more of a low hum in the background of an awareness that November is looming.”
“There is a component of just saying updated right now that requires a lot of emotional energy. And I think for a lot of folks, it can feel like something new is happening every day.”
In addition to breathwork and setting boundaries, how does community fit into fighting election anxiety?
“Part of election-based anxiety is also existential anxiety and fear of what it means to be isolated, what it means to feel disconnected, what it means to not have access to resources. One way that we combat it is by being engaged in neighborhood work.”
“Community can be as big or as little as you want it to be. And community can happen within a group of two.”
What advice do you have for people tuning into the debate?
“Before you go into watching it, think about what do you want to get out of it? What are you curious about? What are your expectations? And what may you need to re-regulate if you feel dysregulated during it or after it?”
The June 27 debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden was a turning point in the election. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP)
The Room to Breathe workshop Friday is from 6–8 p.m. If you register but can’t attend in real time, you can view the recording for up to eight days.
Looking for a debate watch party? Go to Williams Inn Pizza & Sports Bar on the Near South Side or Kennedy-King College in Englewood.
