Marlen Villegas Garcia, LCSW-A
Picture this: it’s been a long day. You’ve spent most of it at your desk or sitting through lectures, commuting back and forth, and it just wasn’t a good day.
So, you try to make it a little better. You decide to treat yourself. You order takeout from your favorite spot, something to look forward to. Then you check your bank account and realize your last $25 went to a Klarna payment you forgot about. It’s only Monday, and payday isn’t until Friday.
Great.
So instead, you turn to the easiest escape: scrolling on TikTok, hoping for a few laughs or at least a distraction.
But then, out of nowhere, a video hits your feed, and you see rising war tensions between countries. Next, that musician who was one of the top artists on your 2025 Spotify Wrapped is being charged for “allegedly” murdering a child (if you know you know). Then, a clip shows innocent people being murdered for apparently no reason. And just like that, everything shifts.
Nothing feels real anymore.
Getting up in the morning starts to feel like a chore. The things that used to matter don’t feel as important. You stop making plans because a quiet thought keeps creeping in: what’s the point?
And the worst part? You’re not ignoring it. You’re doing everything you can. You stay informed, you talk to others, you share articles, you donate when you’re able.
Yet somehow, it feels like you’re the only person within a hundred-mile radius who actually cares.
That’s when the hopelessness really sets in…. as you’ve fallen into a hole that just keeps getting deeper, with no way out. BUT…Everything that you have experienced is completely normal, and you are not alone.
Hopelessness. What is it?
Hopelessness can occur as a symptom of various mental health conditions or when a distressing, unsatisfying, and negative event occurs that causes an individual to feel discouraged. Regardless of how it creeps into our lives, it is a devastating experience that affects many people, making them feel like…
- There is no future
- Nothing will ever get better
- The world is doomed, and nothing matters anymore
- There is no reason to look forward to anything.
- A terrible person because you just found out the store you buy your groceries from helps fund wars (but you live in a rural area with little to no options, you can’t afford to buy wholesale items, or both)
Just thinking about the disheartening things that are happening around us feels overwhelming and devastating. To top it all off, some of these issues are way too big for a single individual to even fix.
So…What now?
Instead of trying to fix everything, start here:
First, pause and breathe. Your brain cannot process anything effectively when it’s overwhelmed. Slow your breathing down. Inhale, hold for a moment, then exhale slowly. Do that a few times. The goal isn’t to feel instantly better. The goal is to give your mind just enough space to settle so it can function again.
Next, acknowledge what’s happening.
You don’t have to agree with your thoughts but notice them. “I’m feeling hopeless right now.” “My mind is telling me nothing will get better.” Naming it creates a small distance between you and the feeling, instead of letting it completely take over.
Then, remind yourself: this reaction makes sense.
If you’re overwhelmed by everything happening around you, (global issues, personal struggles, moral pressure, *gestures vaguely at everything*) that doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re responding to a lot at once. Anyone placed under that kind of mental load would feel some version of this.
After that, narrow your focus.
Right now, your brain is trying to hold everything. The state of the world, your life, the future, everything, everyone, everywhere, all at once. That’s not sustainable. Gently bring your attention down to something smaller and immediate.
Ask yourself:
- What is directly in front of me right now?
- What is one thing I need to do today?
Not everything. Just one thing. Then, separate what you can control from what you can’t. You might care deeply about large, systemic issues. But in this moment, trying to carry all of that responsibility at once will shut you down. It’s okay to think: “This matters, but I can’t solve it right now.” That’s not giving up, it’s being realistic about your limits.
Finally, allow the feeling to exist without letting it decide everything.
Hopelessness will tell you that nothing matters and nothing will change. You don’t have to argue with it or prove it wrong right now. You don’t have to let it make every decision for you at this moment.
Even small actions like drinking water, stepping outside, or sending a text message to a friend. They all count. Not because they fix everything, but because they keep you moving when your mind is trying to shut down. You don’t need to solve your entire life or the state of the world right now. You just need to get through this moment.
Does prioritizing your mental health = selfishness?
Two things can be true at the same time:
- We all need to prioritize our mental health at times to stay grounded and well.
- At the same time, people are living in constant fear, facing discrimination, instability, and even war.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean ignoring the realities others face. Both truths can exist together. So maybe it’s not about choosing one over the other but learning how to hold space for both.
Self-care shouldn’t become an excuse to tune out the world, but burning yourself out doesn’t help anyone either.
How would therapy help?
Therapy with me begins by giving you the floor. A space where you can openly talk about your feelings without filters or judgment. When discussing difficult topics, I believe it’s important for clients to express themselves freely, without interruptions or the pressure to censor their words. My goal is for every client I work with to feel heard, understood, and validated.
Depending on what you’re going through, we’ll work together to identify what’s within your control. This might include setting personal boundaries, taking breaks from the internet, connecting with others who share similar experiences, regulating your nervous system to ease physical symptoms, or exploring realistic self-care options. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s important to recognize that what works for one person may not work for another, especially for those directly impacted by ongoing conflicts around the world. Regardless, we’ll find what best supports your needs and goals.
Overall, I’m here for you. You are not alone. And believe it or not, we may even share some of the same concerns. Therapists are human too, and we can feel overwhelmed at times.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, the world is a terrible place…but that doesn’t take away from the meaningful relationships we form, the hobbies that bring a smile to our face, our accomplishments (no matter how big or small), and, not to sound cliché, but also the little things, and your ability to remain empathetic in an unempathetic world. Now that is what makes the world beautiful and worthwhile.
If this resonates with you, let’s get you scheduled. I’m ready whenever you are!
Working with me looks like…
What Working With Marlen Actually Looks Like
If you’ve ever left a therapist’s office feeling like you were being studied rather than seen, this is going to feel different.
My sessions aren’t stiff… there’s room for real humor and the occasional well-placed sarcasm. Healing doesn’t have to mean being serious every second. You can say exactly what’s on your mind (yes, even the words your mother told you not to say). Bring a meme. Reference your favorite show. Eat a snack.
But underneath all of that ease, you’ll find something steady: a therapist who is genuinely curious about you – not just your symptoms or your history, but the full, complicated, sometimes contradictory and messy person that we all can be.
Working with me looks like:
- Showing up without having to explain yourself perfectly first, and not always having to have the perfect word or best way to describe something
- Finally saying the thing you’ve never said out loud and being met without judgment
- Laughing sometimes, crying sometimes, and not having to perform either way
- Feeling like your therapist actually gets it – not just intellectually, but really
- Building skills that make sense for your life, not someone else’s
I give you the floor, with some occasional assistance steering the ship. I see you (unless you would prefer not to make eye contact then I can see .. the plant in the corner. If something falls outside what I know, I research it first and ask clarifying questions.
Whether you’re carrying something heavy, burned out from always putting everyone else first, or just tired of shrinking yourself to fit, this is a space where you don’t have to do that anymore.
You don’t have to have it all figured out to begin. You just have to show up.
About the Author
About Marlen Villegas Garcia, LCSW-A
Marlen Villegas Garcia (Mar-lenn VEE-ah-ges Gar-SEE-ah) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate based in Greenville, NC, offering compassionate, judgment-free therapy for adults navigating anxiety, trauma, OCD, body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). Marlen affirms and celebrates LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent identities. She provides in-person sessions in Greenville and telehealth therapy across North Carolina.
Marlen holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Aurora University in Chicago, IL. Before entering the therapy room, she worked as a care manager supporting pregnant individuals in public health and as a social worker within the DSS system — experiences that gave her a grounded, real-world understanding of how complex life can be, and how deeply the systems around us shape us.
Her approach draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Strength-Based Interventions, Art Therapy, and Systemic and Sociocultural Awareness tailored to each person rather than pulled from a one-size-fits-all playbook.
She writes about anxiety, burnout, identity, body-focused repetitive behaviors, people-pleasing, and the quieter struggles that don’t always have easy names, because the people she works with deserve to see their experiences reflected and taken seriously.