GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — With the upcoming election bringing heightened stress for many, a Byron Center-based therapist is sharing strategies to manage anxiety and maintain well-being.

Janee Beville, owner and lead counselor of Beville Counseling, advises identifying personal triggers as the first step. This might include reducing screen time or distancing from people whose negativity exacerbates stress.

“A lot of times, we are very reactive. Being proactive means ‘I gotta learn (about) myself. Once I know, being in this space of life right now, around this person, my heart rate goes up. Why is that?’ Start asking why,” she explained. “You may uncover… ‘Oh, this situation is bringing out an old experience that I had from before.’ We never know because we don’t ask the questions. We need to ask ourselves the questions.”

Deep breathing, journaling and physical activity like walking outdoors are practical, healthy outlets she recommends to stay grounded. Self-care, she emphasizes, extends beyond indulgence; it’s about regularly unloading stress.

“What are you doing in your schedule, intentionally, to care for yourself? We take in a lot of information, so how are you unloading?” Beville explained. “Are you doing anything creative to just get an outlet? Because a lot of times, anxiety lives in our body and we’re wondering why we’re feeling this way when we’re not doing anything with it. So, what are you doing to let it out?”

Additionally, she warns that an outlet could become a harmful coping mechanism depending on your mental and physical response to it. If scrolling on social media leaves you anxious, also known as doomscrolling, it’s time to shut it down.  Just like voting, Beville also recommends planning how to handle election coverage until Nov. 5, even if that means taking a full break.