COLUMBIA, S.C. — As the Derek Chauvin Trial continues, many are following the case closely.
The former police officer faces charges of murder of George Floyd.
The trial has included emotional testimony, and graphic images. A professional counselor spoke to WLTX about how to cope with feelings around this case.
Janelle Butler, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPA) and Life Coach in Columbia.
Butler said that for some, watching the trial is as if they are reliving trauma.
“Everyone’s experience with this case is different," Butler says, "everyone’s going to have a different opinion and have a different response to what they’re viewing and so one of the things that I highly recommend is that you give yourself permission to feel whatever it is that you’re feeling.”
Butler says while giving yourself this permission, you should give others the same.
“People are going to express their opinions and those opinions may be varying from your opinions and that’s ok! That actually is ok.”
She also recommends unplugging and doing something for yourself, whether that be exercising, reading or practicing mindfulness.
“It’s ok to stay abreast and to stay in the know and to be very vigilant as it pertains to the news but when you have reached your limit, your capacity to be able to ride your wave of emotion and be ok- then you need to step away for a little bit and that’s fine," Butler tells News19.
And while watching witnesses cry on the stand or family members testify to character, know your limit and when to take a break.
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“You watch the same clips over and over again. It does something to you in terms of reliving that trauma," Butler explains, "the defense and the prosecution they know what they’re doing for legal reasons and us as viewers are reliving it with them. Their purpose is different from our ingestion, though. So make sure you take your own mental health and your own mental well-being into consideration when viewing all of this and talking about it with other people.”
For free mental health resources click here.