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Exposure to graphic images and hateful speech deeply impacts all of us, especially communities of color who live with these aggressions every day.  Make time to reflect, breathe, journal, or other ways to check in with how you are really doing. 

It is normal to experience a range of emotions right now, most of which are very uncomfortable.  Resist the urge to rush through or numb your feelings, without understanding what they may be saying to you.  Use these emotions to consider opportunities for solidarity, learning, and action.

Practice self-care in the midst of whatever engagement, activism, or caretaking you take on.   Honor your needs, and prioritize your own well-being.  This can be as basic as making sure you are drinking water, eating regular meals, and getting enough sleep.  It may also mean cultivating ongoing practices of creative expression, mindfulness, or spiritual reflection - whatever keeps you grounded and accessing hope.

It can be damaging to constantly expose ourselves to violent images, or people whose views threaten our welfare.  Think about how your media intake is affecting you.  Determine what information you need to know because it is actionable, and be aware that taking in too much may be harmful.  Make sure that your media diet includes positive individuals and organizations, and sources of reputable information.

 Connect with people who understand how you are feeling because they are going through it, too.  Seek support from elders or mentors who can remind you of the ongoing history of struggle and resistance in which you are taking part.

For people of color, it can be exhausting to educate others about racism and how it impacts their communities.  Allow yourself to choose what conversations you take on, and where you draw limits.  For allies, seek out ways to educate yourself that do not require this emotional labor from people of color.

Think about how you can affect positive change, however small it might feel. This might mean participating in a protest, writing a letter, donating to a cause you believe in, educating yourself, or having a conversation in your circle of influence.

The work of engagement and activism is exhausting.  Allow yourself to choose the times you step in, and to also give yourself permission to say no when you need to.  The burden of challenging injustice does not rest on your shoulders alone.  It is especially important for people of color to remember that their identities encompass more than trauma - connect with your joy, strengths, hope, and passions.

Download our Mental Health and Allyship Resources for Jewish, Muslim & Palestinian Students reference guide.

Community Mental Health Resources

(Alphabetically organized)

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Activist Support Calls Free Non-therapy support calls only

• More information:
• Website:
• Specialty community: Muslim/Palestinian Students

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Charles Bauman

• Discovery Counseling Center
• Phone: 831-431-0346
• Website:
• Telehealth only
• Sliding fee scale for students
• Specialty community: Muslim/Palestinian Students
• Specialty community: Jewish/Israeli Students

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Jennifer Jaber LMFT

• Phone: 510-698-1807
• Email: jennifer@jenniferjabermft.com
• Fee: $10/session
• Specialty: anxiety, depression, loss of identity
• Website:
• Availability: Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9 AM and 2 PM
• Specialty community: Muslim/Palestinian Students

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Jewish Family and Children's Services

• Website:
• Specialty community: Jewish/Israeli Students

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Amy Markoff Johnson, MA, AMFT (she/her)

• Email: amymjtherapy@gmail.com
• Phone: 408-412-2707
• Website:
• Low fee for students
• Specialty community: Muslim/Palestinian Students
• Specialty community: Jewish/Israeli Students

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Laura Johnson, AMFT

• Low Cost by On My Mind Foundation:
• Phone: (650) 880-2804
• Website:
• Sliding fee scale for students
• Specialty community: Jewish/Israeli Students

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Sarah Lesko, LMFT she/her

• Email: SarahLeskoLMFT@gmail.com
• Phone: (916) 934-2636
• Website:
• Telehealth only
• Sliding fee scale for students
• Specialty community: Muslim/Palestinian Students
• Specialty community: Jewish/Israeli Students

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Nicole Ohebshalom

• website:
• Sliding fee scale for students
• Specialty community: Jewish/Israeli Students

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Katarina Pogosov

• Email:  firepoppytherapy@gmail.com
• Website:
• Fee: $80 (normally $190)
• Specialty community: Muslim/Palestinian Students

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Dr. Tanya Shtutman

• Website:
• Sliding fee scale for students
• Specialty community: Jewish/Israeli Students

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Other Mental Health Resources

1.  of more mental health providers in the community that specialize in services for Muslim/Palestinian students
2. of more mental health providers in the community that specialize in services for Jewish/Israeli students

• Understand your own biases by taking an implicit bias test. Dialogue about your results with someone you care about and can encourage you to challenge these biases: 
• #StayWoke  surveys your strengths and interests to connect you with activism opportunities.
•  - books, podcasts, organizations, films/tvs

• - healing for women of color, especially black women and girls 
•  - eradicating stigma around mental health issues in the African-American community

•  - Raising money to support undocumented Californians who are not able to receive federal relief money for Covid-19
•  - support bail for people arrested during protests in Minnesota
•  - organizes Minneapolis community and city council members to move money from the police department into other areas of the city’s budget that truly promote community health and safety.

Voices for Black mental health:

• @melaninandmentalhealth

• @_beamorg

• @therapyforblackgirls

• @blackmentalwellness

• @browngirlselfcare

• @blackfemaletherapists

Voices for change:

• @blklivesmatter

• @colorofchange

• @naacp

• @showingupforracialjustice

• @civilrightsorg

• @reclaimtheblock

• @unitedwedream