Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.
– Audra Lorde, A Burst of Light and Other Essays
Recent acts of violence against Black people and the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed the long-standing public health crisis of racism. The individual and collective trauma and stress of racial violence, daily microaggressions, and health disparities for Black, indigenous, and other people of color cannot be overstated. White students, too, have questions and concerns about how to be a supportive ally and how to be supported as they face issues of privilege. The University Counseling Center offers workshops and a wide array of diversity resources specifically created to support students as they pursue social justice. Self-care is an ongoing, daily practice—especially during times of stress.
Resources
- Tips For Self-Care: When Police Brutality Has You Questioning Humanity and Social Media Is Enough
- 44 Black Mental Health Support Resources
- Emotionally Restorative Self-Care for People of Color
- The Road to Resilience
- 101 Ways to Take Care of Yourself when the World Feels Overwhelming
- Psychological Toll of Racism
- Psychological Impact of Traumatic News
- Impact of Racial Trauma on African Americans
- Digital Self-care for Black individuals coping with trauma
- The Four Bodies: A Holistic Toolkit for Coping with Racial Trauma
- Black Lives Matter Meditation for Healing Racial Trauma
Some of this content is duplicated from University of Kentucky Counseling Center.