Therapist shares advice on dealing with the heavy global news cycle: 'We have to band together

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Between immigration concerns - to Middle East tensions - and everything in between - many may be thinking it's tough to manage stress both mentally and emotionally.

Licensed Clinical Therapist Toni Morris tells ABC11 her clients are spending a lot time talking to her about their anxieties, especially in light of recent protests over immigration, a deadly plane crash in India, and recent airstrikes unfolding in the Middle East. She says her patients are having a difficult time processing it all.

"As we're looking at the things that are going on in the world, we are the United States of America. We have gotten through things like this before and we'll get through this now. But we have got to band together."

The Fayetteville therapist also says some of her patients feel vulnerable because of the ICE raids, even ones that are happening in other parts of the country.

"A lot of our clients who are Hispanic and they have been paying attention to all the deportations and they're fearful. And when they're watching this and they're seeing this happen, it's going to make them fearful it can happen here. If it can happen in California, what makes you think it can't happen in Fayetteville?

"So, I'm really encouraging them to understand that each state is different. We have Governor Josh Stein. He's going to fight for them. He's going to do what he can to make sure that doesn't happen in North Carolina to the best of his ability. And with that, I'm hoping it decreases the anxiety and depression, knowing that we have a governor here that will fight for them," Morris said.

Morris urges parents to take action to have age-appropriate conversations with their kids about what's happening in the world and to protect them from harmful material on social media.

"Be mindful about paying attention to what they're seeing on social media. A lot of kids on TikTok, if they watch one clip, an algorithm is going to tell them to feed on more and more and they can't control that. And so now they're getting a whole lot of information that they probably don't need, and you won't know what if you're not monitoring it. So please, monitor your kids and talk with them and make sure that you can decrease any fears they may have."