Resiliency Amidst Crisis: A Workshop for the Iranian Diaspora

Over the past months, many Iranians — both inside and outside the country — have been living with a constant sense of uncertainty, grief, and tension. Even before the recent escalation into war, there was already a heavy emotional climate: systematic state violence, strict control over media, a sense of imminent threat, and the feeling that things are unpredictable and out of control.

For those living abroad, this experience can feel especially complex. You are physically safe, yet emotionally very close to what is happening. You follow the news, worry about loved ones, and carry a sense of helplessness from a distance.

It was in this context that I offered a 3-hour workshop on resiliency amidst crisis for members of the Iranian diaspora. Here is a breakdown of the content.

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Physically Safe, but Emotionally Burdened: Living Between Two Realities

Before getting into any theory or tools, we started by acknowledging the heaviness of the situation.

Many people in the diaspora are currently living with what could be described as two parallel experiences. On the one hand, there is a body that moves through the relative safety and structure of life in the West. On the other hand, there is a psychological reality that remains closely tied to what is happening in Iran — following the news and emotionally living through events from afar.

This can feel confusing. Often, people try to resolve this tension, to make these two experiences fit together in a coherent way.

In the workshop, I encouraged the participants not to rush into integrating these parts.

It is okay that these two experiences coexist. In a way, this temporary "split" is not a problem to fix, but a natural response to an abnormal situation. Allowing both realities to exist without forcing them into one can already reduce some of the internal pressure.

Understanding What Happens in the Body

We then moved to understanding what is happening more broadly. What many people are experiencing right now can be understood as a form of collective trauma. When violence, injustice, and threat happen on a large scale, the body reacts — even from a distance.

From there, we looked at what happens in the body when danger is perceived.

I introduced some basic ideas from the autonomic nervous system. When the brain detects threat, it activates the fight-or-flight system. This can show up as anxiety, restlessness, constant checking of the news, difficulty sleeping, or feeling on edge.

If the stress becomes too overwhelming or prolonged, the system can shift into a different state — one of shutdown. People may feel numb, low in energy, disconnected, or unable to act. Sometimes this is experienced as depression.

We used the idea of the "window of tolerance" to make sense of this. When we are within this window, we are able to think, feel, and respond with some flexibility. When we move outside of it, we either become overwhelmed (anxiety, panic) or shut down (freeze, withdrawal).

An important point here is that these reactions are not a choice. They are automatic. The nervous system is doing exactly what it is designed to do: protect you.

How to Re-Regulate the Body

From there, we shifted to what can help.

At a behavioral level, because these reactions are happening in the body, we also need to work through the body.

If you are in a more activated state (anxious, restless), the focus is on slowing things down: breathing more deeply, relaxing the muscles, reducing stimulation, or simply pausing.

If you are in a more shut-down state, the focus is on gently bringing movement back: going for a walk, engaging your senses, or doing small physical actions that reconnect you with your environment.

We also looked at the role of thoughts. In situations like this, the mind often moves toward worst-case scenarios, or takes on responsibility for things that are outside of one's control. Thoughts like "everything is lost" or "I should be doing more" are common.

Instead of trying to stop these thoughts, the idea is first to recognize them, then take a step back and question them. What is actually happening right now? What is within my control, and what is not?

Finally, we touched on emotions.

Many people feel overwhelmed not only because of what they feel, but because they cannot clearly identify it. Naming emotions — even roughly — can already create some distance.

We also spoke about allowing emotions to be there. Sadness, anger, fear — these are not signs that something is wrong with you. They are appropriate responses to what is happening.

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Resilience Reconsidered

What stood out to me most during the workshop was how shared this experience is.

Even though participants were in different countries and life situations, many of the internal experiences were similar. The same tension, the same questions, the same emotional responses.

Resilience, in this context, does not mean staying strong or unaffected. It means understanding what is happening in your body and mind, and responding to it with a bit more awareness and care.

If anything, this workshop was a reminder that in times like these, slowing down, paying attention, and allowing space for what is there can be more helpful than trying to quickly "fix" how you feel.