By Tyreese R. McAllister
We are living through a season that feels like a slow-motion emergency. The air is thick with grief, rage, and uncertainty. From the deployment of National Guard units in our cities to the rise in hate-fueled attacks against Black, Latino, LGBTQ+, and immigrant communities—our collective nervous system is under siege.
And now, the unthinkable has happened again.
On September 10, 2025, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University. A single bullet, fired from a rooftop by a masked gunman, ended his life in front of thousands. The shooter remains at large. This act of political violence joins a growing list of recent attacks—from the attempted arson of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home to the shooting of Minnesota lawmakers—each one a chilling reminder that our democracy is being tested not just in policy, but in blood.
As a therapist and public safety strategist, I’ve sat with survivors of violence, frontline responders, and community leaders who are asking the same question: How do we care for ourselves when the world feels unsafe?
The Toll of Political Trauma
Political violence doesn’t just shake institutions—it shakes bodies. It disrupts sleep, triggers hypervigilance, and erodes our sense of belonging. For marginalized communities, these events are not isolated—they’re cumulative. They echo centuries of systemic harm and remind us that visibility can be dangerous.
When the streets are filled with armored vehicles and the news cycles with assassinations, our trauma responses activate. Fight. Flight. Freeze. Fawn. And for many, numbness becomes the only way to cope.
Self-Care as Sacred Resistance
In times like these, self-care must be more than bubble baths and breathing exercises. It must be radical. Intentional. Communal.
Here are trauma-informed strategies to help you hold space for yourself and others:
- Curate Your Inputs: Limit exposure to violent imagery and sensationalized headlines. Choose sources that inform without retraumatizing.
- Ground in Ritual: Whether it’s prayer, journaling, or lighting a candle—rituals remind us that we are still here. Still human.
- Build Circles of Safety: Connect with people who affirm your identity and values. Healing happens in relationship.
- Honor Your Rage: Anger is a valid response to injustice. Channel it into advocacy, art, or movement—but don’t suppress it.
- Rest Without Guilt: Rest is not avoidance. It’s preparation. It’s how we stay in the fight without losing ourselves.
What Public Safety Must Remember
As strategists, we must advocate for safety that is not just tactical—but emotional. We must train officers, educators, and responders to recognize trauma, de-escalate fear, and protect dignity. We must push for policies that treat mental health as infrastructure, not an afterthought.
And we must name the truth: political violence is not just a threat to individuals—it’s a threat to the soul of our nation.
Final Reflection
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder, and the countless unnamed acts of violence that preceded it, we are called to do more than mourn. We are called to heal. To organize. To protect. To imagine a world where safety is not a privilege, but a promise.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, know this: your feelings are valid. Your rest is righteous. And your healing is revolutionary.
Let’s hold space. Let’s hold each other. And let’s keep going.
