Center for Teaching And Learning Excellence

Election Season Self-Care: Balancing Engagement and Well-Being

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CTLE Logo. CTLE logo created by Graphic Design student Jordan Huston

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. CTLE logo created by Graphic Design student Jordan Huston

In the lead-up to a presidential election, many of us find ourselves struggling to balance our desire to stay informed with the need to maintain our mental well-being. The current climate of political division intensifies this challenge, bringing additional stressors such as:

  • Potentially tense discussions with family members.
  • Exposure to emotionally charged rhetoric.
  • The complex task of distinguishing between factual information and misinformation on various social media platforms
  • Coping with the emotional impact of election results, regardless of the outcome

Our esteemed faculty and staff experts have provided insights on the emotional impact of election seasons and offer guidance on managing overwhelming feelings caused by the constant influx of news and information. Their expertise can help our community navigate this intense period while prioritizing personal mental health, including strategies for processing and responding to election outcomes in a healthy manner. 

We also have resources to help you and your students with this topic.  

Decoding the Political Discourse:
Andrew Butz, Ph.D., is an Instructor in the Sociology department whose expertise is in news media framing of social change movements; and technology & society. His Dissertation title was: “Selling Protest in the News” (Comparing Occupy Wall St. & the Malheur Refuge Occupation)

Contact: abutz@pcc.edu

Dear Community:

Good news for Election 2024! We can get free from the media-consumer treadmill. Are you a News Avoider? …News Junkie? …In between? Well, ignoring — or obsessing over — 2020’s realities, from the next wildfire to the next pandemic, can kill you. So, survive and thrive by optimizing your info-media diet. But why not just “unplug”? Too often, that just trades doom scrolling for binge-watch escapism. Instead, here’s what works. Survive the news through a sustainable media diet, including:

  • Variety 
    • We “K-12+” grads should regularly explore at least 5 different news outlets
    • 3 out of 5 should be:
    • News organizations that follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics;
    • Text-/Print-based, not video. And if it’s social media (e.g. TikTok, YouTube), it needs external/independent source citation.
  • Democratic Accountability
    • 2 of 5 outlets should be:
    • Independent/alternative (NON-corporate/conglomerate-owned/mainstream);
    • Nonprofit, solutions-focused (e.g., civic organizations for the common good); &/or
    • Publicly funded.
    • Avoid outlets that are autocratic-gov-controlled (such as Russia Today) or are legally convicted of disinformation/fraud (such as FOX).
  • Using a Critical Lens
  • Finally, what’s worse than being misinformed or manipulated? It’s being cynical. In our so-called fake news era, cynicism (i.e., believing nothing &/or not caring) is the most fake of all the lenses we might wear. Instead, let’s reclaim that classic millennial motto: “The Truth Is Out There.”
Bridging Divides in Personal Relationships
Lisa Aasheim, Ph.D. is the Director of Counseling Services and an instructor in the Interpersonal Neurobiology program at PCC’s Institute for Health Professionals.

Contact: lisa.aasheim@pcc.edu

It’s okay to disagree with the ones we love and adore. It’s not always such a great feeling when they disagree back.  

Deep within, we hold survival instincts that defy modern logic. We hold a primitive understanding that if we stick together, we’re less likely to get eaten by a carnivorous rex of some sort. Our primitive instincts remind us that our “pack” is meant to keep us in physical safety and psychological harmony. It’s only natural to feel betrayed when a member (or members) of our pack supports what we find threatening.

Election seasons are emotionally charged by design; the candidate that wins our hearts and minds wins our votes. This emotional charge puts our nervous systems into a prolonged state of agitation. We count on certain people in our life to be our soft landing space when we feel nervous, and we grieve when those people are pro-the-opposite-of-things-we-passionately-believe. They provide the opposite of what we count on them for, and our nervous system mistakes them for the very threat they represent.

Charged times call for radical flexibility, the kind that defies our natural instinct to dig our heels in and fight for what we value. This radical flexibility allows us to re-cast those loved ones as more minor characters in our lives, perhaps just for a short while until we feel some harmony settle back in. We can intentionally invite folks to play a larger role, with a special nod to those people who allow us to safely explore, discuss, and navigate challenges without further damage to our fraught nerves. 

Highly charged times are not usually the right time to make forever decisions about family and friends. Radical flexibility invites us to postpone forever decisions about relationships while we invest in our community of comfort to help us navigate whatever lies ahead.

Ceci DeValdenebro, M.A. SAC Chair, and Tanya Mead, M.A.  (FDC) are two constantly evolving (aka “chingona”) PCC Education Faculty members who are deeply committed to ensuring the well-being of their students while providing the highest quality of education and support. Their passion for creating a nurturing and inclusive learning environment drives them to go above and beyond to meet students’ needs inside and outside the classroom. They believe that when students feel cared for and understood, they are better equipped to thrive academically and personally. 

Contact: ceci.devaldenebro@pcc.edu and tmead@pcc.edu

This election, for the great majority of us, feels more significant than ever. But how do we approach this election without descending into panic, anxiety, or dread as we contemplate the future of our world? We will admit that the panic and dread options feel quite real and tempting on a daily basis. And then we are reminded that jumping out of the boat serves no one, least of all ourselves. Your care of yourself is more critical than ever.  For all of us, that may look different. Still, the important thing is to recognize and honor the need, make some deliberate plans, and set aside actual time (hours or days off?) for self-care, whether it be taking to the streets, walking among the trees, snuggling with your favorite person or pet, exercise, cooking with friends, grant writing to make change, or creating art. 

It is imperative at times like this that we seek connection — with each other, with like-minded folks, with chosen family — and that we find ways to take action despite the outcomes and how they align with our values. In fact, if the outcome does not suit us, this can serve as a call to action and connection, which is the main thing that can help us find meaning in the coming days. 

In our Education classes at PCC, we prioritize creating a welcoming environment that supports students’ well-being, especially during stressful times like election days. We start by ensuring that students’ basic needs are met through daily rituals. This initial gesture sets the tone for a caring and inclusive space. In every class, we use a stress check-in inspired by Andratesha Fritzgerald, where students can acknowledge and express their feelings without judgment. This practice helps honor each individual’s emotions, validates their experiences in that moment, and allows the instructor a chance to follow up. After the check-in, we guide students through a brief mindfulness activity to help them center themselves. We then engage in a short getting-to-know-you activity, fostering connection and understanding among the group. Some faculty may believe there is just not enough time for such rituals, but we believe these (daily) rituals not only help create a supportive learning environment but also ensure that students feel seen, heard, and ready to engage meaningfully while also helping to lower their stress levels—especially during challenging times such as election days.

Sally Guyer, MSW HS-BCP, is a  Professor in the  Family and Human Services Department of Child and Family Studies.

Contact: sally.guyer@pcc.edu

Remaining calm and focused during this election cycle has not been easy for me, so I am not sure that I am an “expert” on bridging divides and/or maintaining harmony.  I am, however, well-practiced in finding strategies to disagree without damaging relationships as my friend and family group is distributed all along the American political spectrum, and I “get” to hear all their reasoning – despite my protests.  

  1. Remember why this person is in my life and focus on a happy memory of why I hold them close to my heart.
  2. Use all my training to maintain a neutral face (I don’t always succeed with this one) and repeat the phrase, “we will have to agree to disagree on that point.”
  3. Take a time out when I feel my unproductive emotions rising and watch kitten videos until I am calm.
  4. Say, “No, thank you, I am not open to discussing _____ (fill in the blank), but I do want to hear about your plans for _______. (Halloween, your birthday, etc.)
  5. Stay off the Social Media accounts of those who post things I find inflammatory.
  6. Say, “Isn’t it great that we live in a country where we each get the freedom to make our own choices.”  Sometimes on repeat.
  7. BREATHE

For the most part, that has worked for me – at least so far.  And when all else fails, I watch a Kid President video from 2016.  

Good luck!

Bonni Goldberg, M.A. is an academic advisor trained in Restorative Justice practices for communication and connection, facilitating difficult dialogues (especially between Jewish and Muslim Americans), Mediation, and Coaching.

Contact: bonni.goldberg@pcc.edu

  1. Conflict is natural. 
    1. A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.  — John A. Shedd
  2. Biology is strong, and so are you.  Practice Breathe, Body, Be: 
    1. Breath: take 3 deep breaths
    2. Body: scan your body and acknowledge areas of tightness or discomfort. 
    3. Be: invite yourself into a mindset of genuine curiosity with a dash of humility.

Do this before beginning each class or encounter. Try it during class or an encounter too. When an interaction gets heated or tense, say something like, “I need a few moments before I/we resume,” and take the time to breathe, body, and be before you respond or continue. You don’t have to explain what you’re doing unless asked. This is an opportunity to role model the practice of slowing down to self-regulate and reset.

  1. Conflict can be positively transformative, but not often right away.   
  • To create or reestablish a connection with someone
    • Paraphrase what the speaker said.
    • Make sure the speaker affirms your paraphrase. If not, try again or let them tell you their main ideas and paraphrase again until you reach a shared understanding.
    • Identify one of their underlying worries or desires (Ex: It sounds like you’re worried that there won’t be good jobs for your children)
    • If the speaker affirms, connect from a genuine place (Ex: It’s so important to do our best for our kids); if they are saying something different, ask the speaker what their worry or desire is and then connect with that underlying element.
    • Pause for another three breaths to give everyone time to regulate and reset

If you have questions, want more information, or want to practice, please reach out.

Please see extensive resources to help you and your students navigate through these times. 

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