Feeling Triggered by the Political Climate? Strategies from an LGBTQ Therapist in NYC
Photo by Hannah Voggenhuber; downloaded from Unsplash on 9/29/24
Updated March 11, 2025
Ever find yourself overwhelmed with anger or frustration at what’s happening in politics? The sheer unfairness makes your blood boil, and the attacks on LGBTQ+ rights feel personal—because they are. If you feel exhausted, worried about the future, or like your emotions are running the show, you’re not alone.
As a gay man living in NYC, I understand this stress firsthand. Every day, while I hold privilege in some of my identities, I too wrestle with the impact of targeted legislation against trans people and the fear of future actions that could erode my own civil rights as a married gay person. And while my worry is grounded in reality, I also recognize that news sources are designed to provoke emotional reactions—rage, fear, isolation—because these are the emotions that drive engagement.
Over time, I’ve developed strategies to navigate these triggers: I’ve turned off push notifications so I control when and how I consume information. I give myself permission to question the sources I engage with and stay critically aware of how they’re affecting me. Most importantly, I hold onto two essential things: perspective and agency. Without these, it’s easy to spiral into helplessness and hopelessness. If you’re feeling stuck in reactivity, I want to help you regain your stability and strength.
I’m Eric Hovis, a licensed mental health counselor in New York. I specialize in LGBTQ Therapy in NYC, with a particular focus on complex trauma, including religious trauma. My passion lies in guiding clients beyond just coping with stress—I help them heal, reclaim their sense of self, and step into a life that feels truly their own. I use tools like EMDR Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Experiential Therapy to help clients move beyond anxiety and trauma to build meaningful, empowered lives. If political stress is taking a toll on your well-being, you don’t have to navigate it alone—I’m here to support you. If you'd like to learn more about me or my services, visit my website to explore how I can support you.
Why Political Stress Feels So Personal for LGBTQ+ Individuals
The Weight of Old Wounds
When a new law targets trans people, or another LGBTQ+ protection is challenged, it’s not just about the policy itself—it reopens deep wounds from our past. Maybe you grew up in a religious community that condemned your identity, and now those same ideologies are shaping harmful legislation. Maybe you’ve fought hard to claim your place in the world, only to feel like that security is constantly under attack. These reactions aren’t just about politics—they tap into unresolved pain and trauma that hasn’t fully healed.
Indignation as a Defense Mechanism
Anger is a natural response. It’s also a protective mechanism—one that shields us from the deeper emotions of grief, fear, or vulnerability. It’s easier to stay outraged at politicians than to sit with the heartbreak of past rejection. But if we only live in that indignation, we get stuck in a loop of reactivity rather than healing. I work with clients to honor their anger while also helping them tend to the deeper pain beneath it, so they can stay steady, grounded, and effective in the face of injustice.
How I Help Clients Move from Anxiety to Healing
Meeting You Where You Are
When clients come to me feeling overwhelmed by political stress, we start with the here and now—the immediate anxiety, stress, and emotional exhaustion. We don’t rush past the pain or dismiss how heavy it feels. We focus on navigating that stress with skill and compassion before we move deeper.
The LGBTQ Therapy Journey: Anxiety → Trauma Healing → Life Direction
I help my clients see that political anxiety often points to something deeper—older wounds that haven’t fully healed. This is where EMDR and IFS come in.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps reprocess past experiences so they don’t keep getting triggered by present-day events.
IFS (Internal Family Systems) helps clients understand and harmonize the different emotional responses they have, so they’re not constantly in battle with themselves.
The goal isn’t just to “manage” stress but to heal at the root so that you’re no longer thrown off-course every time there’s a new political headline. Over time, clients develop a sense of inner steadiness, clarity, and resilience, making it easier to take a stand when needed—without burning out.
What People Often Get Wrong About Political Anxiety
One mistake I see is that people stop at coping instead of moving toward healing. Sometimes this happens because the deeper work feels overwhelming—unpacking past wounds can be painful, and there’s a fear that it will be too much to handle. Other times, it’s simply a lack of awareness that something deeper is driving the distress. Coping provides short-term relief, but true healing requires the courage to face what’s underneath and move through it. Additionally, many of us get caught in the belief that things will feel better if only the oppressor changes. And yes—political change is necessary. But real liberation starts with healing ourselves. If we only wait for external justice, we stay stuck in the pain of past wounds. Therapy helps you reclaim your power now, rather than waiting for the world to shift.
Balancing Activism and Self-Care: Knowing When to Engage and When to Step Back
The Importance of Self-Awareness
You can’t fight for change if you’re running on empty. Therapy helps build self-awareness so you can tune into your energy levels, triggers, and boundaries. As you heal from past trauma, you’ll gain clarity on what truly matters to you—where to invest your time and emotional energy, and when to step back and protect yourself.
Understanding Your Yes and No
As you heal, you become more in touch with what aligns with your values and what drains you. You learn to set limits, honor your “yes” and “no,” and find your real community—the people who support your growth rather than keeping you in a cycle of outrage and exhaustion.
Taking the Next Step: Do You Want to Go Deeper?
There’s no shortage of quick-fix advice on dealing with political stress—things like “take breaks from social media” or “practice self-care.” And those things can help. But if you’re feeling constantly drained, angry, or hopeless, you need to go deeper.
That’s what I offer in LGBTQ Therapy in NYC. I don’t just help clients cope—I help them heal by integrating deep trauma work through EMDR and IFS, offering a space where you can explore not just how to manage stress, but how to truly transform your relationship with it. My approach focuses on helping you break free from old patterns of reactivity so you can engage with the world from a place of clarity, confidence, and resilience. If you’re tired of living in emotional reactivity and ready to find a more grounded, steady, and empowered way of moving through the world, let’s talk.
Click below to schedule a free 15-minute consultation and see if we’d be a good fit. During our call, we’ll discuss what’s been weighing on you, what you’re looking for in therapy, and how my approach—rooted in EMDR, IFS, and trauma healing—can support your journey. It’s an opportunity for you to ask questions and see if this feels like the right next step for you.
During our call, we’ll discuss what’s been weighing on you, what you’re looking for in therapy, and how my approach—rooted in EMDR, IFS, and trauma healing—can support your journey. It’s an opportunity for you to ask questions and see if this feels like the right next step for you. Together, we can help you move past reactivity and into clarity, confidence, and healing.
