Mental health includes how we hold history.

💡 Takeaway

As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, you might feel a mix of emotions—pride, grief, hope, discomfort, exhaustion. You’re not alone.

Many of us grew up learning that July 4th marks the birth of freedom. But that freedom was selective.

Enslaved Black Americans were not freed until 1865.
Native lands were already being taken by force.
Women, immigrants, and many others had no vote, no voice, no recognition.

Mental health isn’t just about how we feel—it’s also about what we’re allowed to feel. When we’re told to celebrate uncritically, but our bodies or family histories carry something different, it creates dissonance. That tension is not pathology—it’s awareness.

There’s room for complexity. You can hold gratitude and anger. Celebration and mourning. Rest and resistance.

🔬 Psychological Framing

Dissonance between personal and public narratives creates emotional fatigue and identity conflict (Hammack, 2010).
Collective memory impacts group belonging, trauma processing, and emotional regulation (Braga et al., 2015).
ACT encourages making space for painful truths while choosing actions aligned with our values—not avoidance (Hayes et al., 2006).

APA-style citations:

Hammack, P. L. (2010). The cultural psychology of narrative and identity: Toward a social-constructionist model of narrative identity. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14(3), 222–247. Article
Braga, L. L., et al. (2015). Collective trauma and memory: The impact of post-dictatorship narratives in Latin America. Journal of Community Psychology, 43(3), 308–326. Article
Hayes, S. C., et al. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behavior Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25. Article

🗽 Cultural Reframe

You don’t have to feel patriotic to feel grounded.
You don’t have to ignore the pain to enjoy the day off.
You don’t have to fake celebration when you’re carrying history in your bones.

The nervous system doesn’t lie. If this time of year feels tense, disconnected, or loaded—trust that. Then ask: What do I want to remember? What do I want to stand for?

Your mental health matters—especially during collective storytelling.

📚 Resources for the Curious

🎧 Podcast - 1619 – New York Times & Nikole Hannah-Jones (American history through the lens of slavery’s legacy)

📖 Book - Dunbar, E. (2021). We the People: A Call to Reclaim American Democracy.

📄 Tool - “Values-Based Celebration Planner” – Reflect, choose, and create a holiday rhythm that aligns with your truth

✨ If You Only Remember One Thing...

Mental health includes how we hold the past.
You can celebrate progress and still name the pain. Holding both is part of healing.