Are You Showing Up for Yourself?

Tracie Pape is a clinical social worker, therapist, and longtime Heartfulness Meditation trainer, who works in the crisis area of mental health. Tracie questions how she is showing up for herself, and encourages all of us to ask ourselves the same questions.

- By Tracie Pape

Loneliness does not come from having no people around you, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important to you. - Carl Jung

As all of us emerge from the global pandemic, we are experiencing challenges unlike anything we have ever encountered before. I work in the mental health field in the area of crisis, and have witnessed firsthand the impact the pandemic has had on mental health. Many who struggled with depression or anxiety prior to the pandemic found the symptoms exacerbated by the stress of isolation and fear. One thing I noticed, even with myself, was an increased sense of loneliness. This observation has been a catalyst for me to consider what helps me connect to others and what gets in the way.

Systemic racism and intergenerational trauma have been at the forefront of mental health issues for social workers during this time. The impact of oppression, inequity of resources and support, parents with untreated mental health concerns, and lack of education or stigma about mental health can keep many of us in the dark.