Healing in Uncertain Times: How Therapy Can Help

Anna Welch, Advanced Clinical Fellow

Many clients are feeling a push and pull right now between their personal healing journey and the state of the world around them. What does it mean to heal when the future feels so uncertain—or even terrifying? How do you move forward and make major life decisions, like whether to have children, change jobs, or relocate, when everything around you feels unstable?

It can feel especially challenging to make these kinds of choices while being constantly bombarded with upsetting headlines, political tension, and rapidly changing technology. What does it look like to self-actualize in the midst of it all?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But therapy can be a grounding, collaborative resource for navigating times like these. Every therapeutic journey is unique, yet there are some common ways therapy can support you:

Nervous system regulation

In therapy, we work with clients to notice how dysregulation shows up in their bodies and to experiment with tools for restoring balance. This might look like somatic movement, breathwork, journaling, or creative expression.

Identifying self-destructive habits

There’s a difference between staying informed and getting stuck in cycles of doomscrolling or compulsive monitoring of the news. Therapy can help you find the balance that lets you remain engaged without burning out.

A safe space to let it all out

Carrying around existential worry 24/7 can be exhausting. We might joke about it with friends as a way of acknowledging the heaviness without dragging down a casual conversation. But in therapy, you don’t have to filter. You get to say the thing—the real thing—without worrying about keeping it light or appropriate.

Clarifying goals

Part of the purpose of therapy is clarifying your goals and taking tangible steps toward them. I see your broader environment as an important factor here—progress means something different when the world feels chaotic, and we’ll take that into account.

Relational healing

Relationships are at the center of so much of our mental health. In therapy, we’ll look closely at what your connections with others feel like and explore what it means to seek support, build community, and stay grounded in relationships that sustain you.

Moving forward together

Healing in a world that feels uncertain isn’t easy. But you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Therapy offers a space to make sense of what you’re carrying, to reconnect with resilience, and to keep moving toward the life you want—even amid chaos. If you’re curious about what that could look like for you, I invite you to reach out to inquire about working together.