When the World Feels Heavy: From Hopelessness to Healing and Surviving the News Cycle With Therapist Lilly Risch
Tue Feb 03 2026
The current political climate in the U.S. is heavy and many of us are feeling it in our bodies, our relationships, and our sense of safety - even if we can’t always put words to it. In this episode, I sit down with a licensed therapist to talk honestly about collective trauma - what it is, how it’s different from personal trauma, and why witnessing violence, political unrest, and constant crisis through the news and social media can be so deeply activating. We explore how trauma impacts both the mind and the body, including anxiety, stress responses, overwhelm, and feelings of hopelessness.We also talk about what happens when you’re repeatedly exposed to triggering videos or headlines, how political violence affects our nervous systems, and why social anxiety can feel heightened right now. She shares tools and therapeutic approaches to support healing during this time.
So if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure how to keep going when it doesn’t feel like things are getting better, this episode is a reminder that your response makes sense and that healing is possible - especially when we do it together.🎥 WATCH ON YOUTUBE
www.youtube.com/@bloomera-podcast🗣️ JOIN THE CONVO
I want to hear from you! Request advice, suggest a topic, or apply to be a speaker here:bloomera.co/features-faq📸INSTAGRAMinstagram.com/bloomerapodcastinstagram.com/forward.healing.therapy/📲 TIKTOK tiktok.com/@breazieboozhoo EPISODE TOPICS:🔷 What is collective trauma?🔷 How is collective trauma different than personal or individual trauma?🔷 What classifies an event as traumatic?🔷 When you witness trauma in videos🔷 The impact of political violence🔷 The impact of witnessing violence🔷 Healing after witnessing violence🔷 Psychological impacts of witnessing violence🔷 Physiological impacts of stress and trauma🔷 What does social anxiety feel like?🔷 Overcoming social anxiety🔷 Exposure therapy for trauma recovery🔷 EMDR for trauma therapy🔷 EMDR for trauma recovery🔷 Attachment therapy🔷 Navigating the news🔷 Navigating seeing triggering videos on social media🔷 When the news is overwhelming🔷 How to stop getting overwhelmed by the news🔷 Navigating motherhood in america🔷 Recovering from sexual assault🔷 Therapy for sexual assault🔷 Me too movement🔷 How to start healing as a sexual assault survivor🔷 Overcoming feelings of hopelessness🔷 How to cope with feeling hopeless🔷 When you feel hopeless🔷 When it doesnt feel like anything is going to get better🔷 The healing power of community🔷 Community healing🔷 Community trauma🔷 Community building🔷 How can community help you heal🔷 Setting boundaries around politics with family or friends🔷 When you disagree politically🔷 Political disagreements with family🔷 Political disagreements with friends🔷 Political conflicts with family and friends🔷 Fighting over politics with family🔷 How to deal with maga family members🔷 Setting boundaries with maga family members🔷 Fighting with maga family members🔷 Reclaiming personal power🔷 Navigating the release of the files as a sexual assault survivor🔷 News being triggering🔷 Somatic therapy to heal trauma🔷 Finding your power🔷 Getting your power back🔷 How to empower yourself🔷 How to feel empowered🔷 How to be empowered🔷 Reclaim personal power🔷 How to support sexual assault survivors🔷 Navigating the political climate💻 WEBSITE/SHOW NOTESbloomera.co❤️Podcast for youPodcast for momsPodcast for mumsPodcast for womenPodcast for parentsPodcast for mothersPodcast for self-lovePodcast for survivorsPodcast for feministsPodcast for self healersPodcast for mental healthPodcast for cycle breakersPodcast for change makersPodcast for self-acceptancePodcast for personal growthPodcast for personal development
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The current political climate in the U.S. is heavy and many of us are feeling it in our bodies, our relationships, and our sense of safety - even if we can’t always put words to it. In this episode, I sit down with a licensed therapist to talk honestly about collective trauma - what it is, how it’s different from personal trauma, and why witnessing violence, political unrest, and constant crisis through the news and social media can be so deeply activating. We explore how trauma impacts both the mind and the body, including anxiety, stress responses, overwhelm, and feelings of hopelessness.We also talk about what happens when you’re repeatedly exposed to triggering videos or headlines, how political violence affects our nervous systems, and why social anxiety can feel heightened right now. She shares tools and therapeutic approaches to support healing during this time. So if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure how to keep going when it doesn’t feel like things are getting better, this episode is a reminder that your response makes sense and that healing is possible - especially when we do it together.🎥 WATCH ON YOUTUBE www.youtube.com/@bloomera-podcast🗣️ JOIN THE CONVO I want to hear from you! Request advice, suggest a topic, or apply to be a speaker here:bloomera.co/features-faq📸INSTAGRAMinstagram.com/bloomerapodcastinstagram.com/forward.healing.therapy/📲 TIKTOK tiktok.com/@breazieboozhoo EPISODE TOPICS:🔷 What is collective trauma?🔷 How is collective trauma different than personal or individual trauma?🔷 What classifies an event as traumatic?🔷 When you witness trauma in videos🔷 The impact of political violence🔷 The impact of witnessing violence🔷 Healing after witnessing violence🔷 Psychological impacts of witnessing violence🔷 Physiological impacts of stress and trauma🔷 What does social anxiety feel like?🔷 Overcoming social anxiety🔷 Exposure therapy for trauma recovery🔷 EMDR for trauma therapy🔷 EMDR for trauma recovery🔷 Attachment therapy🔷 Navigating the news🔷 Navigating seeing triggering videos on social media🔷 When the news is overwhelming🔷 How to stop getting overwhelmed by the news🔷 Navigating motherhood in america🔷 Recovering from sexual assault🔷 Therapy for sexual assault🔷 Me too movement🔷 How to start healing as a sexual assault survivor🔷 Overcoming feelings of hopelessness🔷 How to cope with feeling hopeless🔷 When you feel hopeless🔷 When it doesnt feel like anything is going to get better🔷 The healing power of community🔷 Community healing🔷 Community trauma🔷 Community building🔷 How can community help you heal🔷 Setting boundaries around politics with family or friends🔷 When you disagree politically🔷 Political disagreements with family🔷 Political disagreements with friends🔷 Political conflicts with family and friends🔷 Fighting over politics with family🔷 How to deal with maga family members🔷 Setting boundaries with maga family members🔷 Fighting with maga family members🔷 Reclaiming personal power🔷 Navigating the release of the files as a sexual assault survivor🔷 News being triggering🔷 Somatic therapy to heal trauma🔷 Finding your power🔷 Getting your power back🔷 How to empower yourself🔷 How to feel empowered🔷 How to be empowered🔷 Reclaim personal power🔷 How to support sexual assault survivors🔷 Navigating the political climate💻 WEBSITE/SHOW NOTESbloomera.co❤️Podcast for youPodcast for momsPodcast for mumsPodcast for womenPodcast for parentsPodcast for mothersPodcast for self-lovePodcast for survivorsPodcast for feministsPodcast for self healersPodcast for mental healthPodcast for cycle breakersPodcast for change makersPodcast for self-acceptancePodcast for personal growthPodcast for personal development