How to Cope with Current Events: Anxiety Therapy in Portland
Even in heavy times, light finds its way in. Anxiety therapy in Portland can help you reconnect to what’s steady, real, and within reach.
The news cycle can feel relentless. Headlines about war, economic instability, anti-Queer legislation, and increased immigration targeting seem to arrive daily…and each one can hit like a punch to the chest.
If you’ve felt breathless, shaken, vulnerable, angry, and crestfallen after just a few minutes of scrolling, you’re not alone. These are deeply human reactions to a world that often feels chaotic and imbalanced.
Carrying this heavy mixture of emotions doesn't mean something is wrong with you. It means you're deeply attuned to what’s happening. And anxiety therapy in Portland can help you stay grounded and connected, even when the weight of the world presses in.
There’s No “Right” Way to React
Some days you might feel numb. Other days, you might find yourself unable to stop reading. Some mornings you're exhausted before you're even awake. These responses aren’t signs of failure or weakness; they’re your nervous system trying to protect you in an unpredictable world. Many of these changes strike us in personal ways, either directly or through the people we love; our families, chosen families, and communities.
This doesn’t minimize how uncomfortable it can be to feel the urgency and intensity of some of these emotions or to have your mind going through all of the possible ramifications and outcomes. It’s understandable to want, or need, more support to feel a sense of stability and to make room for everything you’re holding right now in an effort to stay informed and engaged in the world. You deserve therapy that supports you in processing what is happening and to feel supported in the process.
The Extra Burden Carried by Marginalized Communities
If you identify as Queer, Trans, BIPOC, immigrant, or part of another marginalized community, you already know how hard it is to feel seen and safe. Chances are you can feel the weight of the intergenerational burdens as well. Current events can awaken old wounds and stoke fresh fears of “what if the world keeps turning against us?”
Therapy can help you to carry these concerns and burdens. It can offer a clear space to unpack the layers of worry, pain and emotional heft that comes from living under persistent threat, and to reconnect with what’s most true in your heart.
That does not mean that every therapist will have the experience or cultural competence that you need to open the door to those vulnerable topics and layers of feeling. If having a therapist that identifies within the community or communities you identify with, consider exploring options on Inclusive Therapists to help soften one barrier to getting the support you deserve. Myself, I belong to and specialize in working with the Queer community and provide LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy.
Something You Can Try Now: Let Movement Gently Anchor You
When the world feels too loud and your thoughts start to spiral, even a small act of presence can be a turning point. I often invite clients to start simple, not to fix anything, but to offer the nervous system a moment of steadiness. That might mean…
· Letting yourself walk slowly down the hallway or around the block, noticing the points of connection between your feet and the ground and all of the micro-movements in each foot as it rises and returns to the ground.
· Holding a glass of cool water in your hands and actually focusing on and feeling the cooling temperature, just for a breath or two. No need to analyze here, just notice the temperature.
· Noticing the rise and fall of your stomach and chest as you breathe. Simply observing what it is like to breathe the body today.
These aren’t grand gestures, but they are meaningful. They remind you that you have a body, here and now, and that your experience matters. If you’ve ever felt frozen in place by fear or overwhelmed by all the things you can’t control, you’re not alone. You don’t have to force calm. You can simply return (gently) to what’s real and within reach.
When You Need Something Steady: Therapy and Real Connection
You don’t have to carry this all alone. Yes, inner resilience matters, but we’re not meant to live in isolation. Especially when the news feels like a constant drumbeat of fear and injustice, connection becomes more than a comfort, it becomes a lifeline.
In therapy, we begin with something simple but powerful: a steady, trusting relationship. From there, we can explore how that sense of support might expand outward and at your own pace.
Some of the things we might explore together:
· How you tend to show up in conversations, groups, or even brief interactions when the weight of current events feels especially heavy.
· What values matter most to you, and how to align your daily actions with those values, even when the world feels uncertain.
· Small, meaningful ways to stay connected, like checking in with a loved one, volunteering without burning out, or participating in a local gathering that aligns with your beliefs. Taking intentional action is an effective way to navigate through anxiety.
If and when you’re ready, here are a few Portland-based organizations that offer connection and care:
· Q Center – A welcoming space for LGBTQ+ community and belonging.
· Portland United Against Hate – A collective working toward healing and justice.
· APANO – Advocacy and connection for AAPI communities in Oregon.
· Don’t Shoot PDX – Centering art, activism, and intergenerational community healing.
You don’t have to do everything. But you do deserve support, both within yourself and beyond.
Holding Onto Hope and Our Shared Humanity
It’s okay to both care deeply and need a break when overwhelmed. It’s okay to stay informed and equally okay to step away when needed. Your feelings are valid, and your peace matters. Rest can also lead to more sustained action.
Belonging doesn’t require perfection. You don’t need to fix everything or yourself. You’re allowed to carry hope, even in small moments that feel bright against a gray sky.
Real Support During a Chaotic Time
If you’ve been trying to cope alone and finding yourself burned out, disconnected, or deeply unsettled, you don’t have to carry this burden by yourself. Anxiety therapy in Portland—and online throughout Oregon—offers grounded, compassionate support that meets you exactly where you are.
My approach is mindfulness-informed, relational, and LGBTQ+ affirming. Together, we’ll find small, steady steps to help you stay steady in a world that often feels imbalanced.
Ready to Begin Anxiety Therapy in Portland? Let’s Talk.
Eric Goodwin, Licensed Professional Counselor, offers LGBTQ+ affirming anxiety therapy in Portland and online throughout Oregon—supporting clients in finding clarity, steadiness, and connection in uncertain times.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world and want support that helps you stay connected to your sense of self, your values, and your community, I offer:
Free 15-minute phone consultations
In-person sessions in Portland
Online therapy available across Oregon
Take the next step toward ease and clarity.
Call 971‑533‑5590 or click here to schedule your consultation.
You’re not alone and relief is possible, even when you feel the weight of this uncertain world.