We hear a lot about the importance of rest but what if slowing down feels deeply uncomfortable? For many of us raised in survival mode or shaped by systems that reward hustle and hyper-independence, rest can actually feel unsafe.
Especially for those with marginalized identities, rest has often been denied, punished, or made inaccessible. BIPOC, neurodivergent, queer, and working-class communities are regularly forced to "earn" rest by pushing through burnout. And when we finally have the chance to pause, guilt rushes in.
This isn’t laziness or weakness, it’s trauma. Our nervous systems adapt to constant alertness and struggle. So when the body slows down, the mind may panic. "Shouldn’t I be doing something? Am I allowed to rest? Will I fall behind?"
Therapy can be a place to gently explore these questions. We work to understand where the guilt originated family messages, cultural norms, systemic pressures and begin to rewrite the narrative. Rest is not failure. It’s resistance. It’s a reclamation of our worth outside of productivity.
Healing means learning that rest is not selfish it’s survival. It’s a return to rhythm, to breath, and to being human. And you don’t need to wait until you’ve burned out to deserve it.
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