How Do LGBTQ+ Make Sense of a World That is Working Against Us & Feels Like It’s Falling Apart?

By Dr. Keonna Watson

August 20, 2025

We may never make sense of the nonsense, but we can make sense of ourselves by keeping our pride, leaning on each other, building safe spaces, and holding onto our wholeness.

When life feels overwhelming, it’s natural to slip into survival mode, just trying to make it through the day. But surviving isn’t the same as thriving. Thriving means finding peace, strength, and joy, even when the world around us feels chaotic. So, how do we move from survival to thriving?

We start with community. Find your people: the loved ones, friends, support groups, or therapist, who give you space to be fully yourself. Create or enter environments where you can be “emotionally naked,” vulnerable, and safe. Healing begins when we no longer have to carry everything alone. From there, lean on the skills that protect and strengthen your mind, body, and spirit.

Practices like open communication, mindfulness, and meditation are more than buzzwords; they are tools that restore balance, lower stress, and create lasting change. For example, meditation has been shown to lower stress hormones, improve focus, and strengthen emotional regulation, while healthy communication builds trust, reduces misunderstandings, and deepens our sense of connection. Research shows that mindfulness not only reduces anxiety but also improves our ability to respond more calmly to challenges (Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo, 2022).

Yes, it can feel easier to put up walls right now. But powerful transformation happens when we give ourselves permission to be vulnerable, to let out the pain, and to open ourselves to what we deeply desire: love, understanding, safety, fairness, and belonging.

Most importantly, know this: if you can’t find community or safety anywhere else, you can find it here. This is a space for you to be seen, heard, and supported.

Peace and always with you in community and healing.

Dr. Keonna "Dr. Cookie" Watson: Owner, Holistic Mental Health Provider, & Spiritualist at FreeLee Integrated Health Wealth, an inclusive and sacred healing space for LGBTQ+, Men, Women, and BIPOC

Founder and Warrior of FreeLee Foundation (FreeLee Life Services), a nonprofit organization committed to dismantling the inequities faced by LGBTQ+, Women, and BIPOC communities in accessing essential resources and support.

Reference Pastorino, E., & Doyle-Portillo, S. (2022). What is psychology? Foundations, applications, and integration (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.