How to Live With People Whose Worldview You Can’t Stand
What I’m telling my therapy clients today
As I watched the election results begin to roll in last night, I kept thinking about the work I do in my therapy practice as a couples counselor. When a fight erupts, I give each person a chance to tell their version of an event.
This practice never fails to astonish me because it demonstrates how two people can experience the same thing in a completely different way: One person sees themselves as the hero, while the other labels them the villain. One person thinks they handled a disagreement with maturity, while the other calls them a selfish child.
This is exactly how the United States feels to me in this moment, as we wait for the final vote count to tell us who will be its president. We tell the story of the last four years with our vote, and right now, many of us are feeling stunned by the reminder that half the population has experienced a very different version of the American story.
So what do we do with this anxiety-inducing revelation? Some people shut down and avoid the news. Others lash out at everyone who voted differently than they did. Still, others bind up all their anxiety with food, alcohol, shopping, television, or other distractions.
