Being triggered by Trump? Here’s why…

If you grew up in a chaotic household, like me, you might be experiencing big feelings as you are noticing shifts in our political landscape.

Here are some ways people who grew up in chaotic households might be more negatively impacted by Trump getting elected:

1) heightened sensitivity to authority- Adults from chaotic homes usually associate leaders with being unpredictable, dysregulated our inconsistent. If Trump's leadership style felt conflict centered, it could amplify feelings of anxiety.

2) Emotional triggers from family dynamics- Trump's combative anti muslim homophobic, xenophobic rhetoric can trigger unresolved trauma that resembles our family's volatility.

3) Lack of coping mechanisms- adults from chaotic households can sometimes lack coping skills as most of us spent time trying to survive rather than developing emotional regulation skills.

4) adults from chaotic homes may experience Trump's election like a resurgence of patterns they've worked to escape from their home countries that also experienced massive political instability that led to wars and uprisings. Authoritarian figures, like Trump, might remind us of controlling or abusive figures.

Coming from a chaotic home myself, I am working on healing the different parts of me that experienced emotional neglect and I'm really trying to practice my coping skills as I am finding myself triggered and feeling powerless and helpless.

After hearing about Trump getting elected, I thought to myself, "do I matter? Is my existence important?"

I immediately recognized that Trump activates a part of me that is unhealed and needs some attention. It is the part of me that feels invisible and insignificant. It is the part of me that says:

"I don’t matter. People like me are invisible to those in power."

"I can’t change anything. No one will listen, no matter how hard I try."

"People in power don’t care about fairness. They only cause harm."

"This isn’t a safe place for me. I’ll be forgotten or harmed."

I have trust that there is a roadmap where I can be with my feelings without being in my feelings. This experience of being WITH my feelings has been invaluable and I hope you can learn about it too.

Schedule a time with me here to learn more.

I hope you take care during this tumultuous time.