At a time when many feel weighed down by the pressures of modern life, BetterHelp has launched its first truly global marketing initiative centered on a deceptively simple message: “Feel Lighter.” The campaign, which debuted on December 22, 2025, one day after the winter solstice, positions therapy as the single most meaningful investment people can make for themselves in the new year. More than a marketing effort, the initiative represents a thoughtful attempt to meet people where they are emotionally and guide them toward professional mental health support.

A Campaign Rooted in Universal Human Experience

The “Feel Lighter” campaign distinguishes itself through its deliberate departure from the noise and divisiveness that characterize much of today’s digital landscape. According to Ads of the World, the campaign shifts toward calmer, more human storytelling that focuses on a universal desire: feeling lighter after carrying emotional weight. In a content ecosystem often dominated by outrage and conflict, this approach offers something refreshingly different.

The centerpiece television spot features no dialogue at all. A woman enters a dimly lit apartment, and as she opens the BetterHelp app on her phone, the scene gradually transforms with light. The visual metaphor is unmistakable yet powerful: therapy can illuminate the darkness many people experience. The onscreen graphics deliver the campaign’s core message: “Feel lighter. Discover the power of therapy with BetterHelp.”

Sara Brooks, BetterHelp’s Chief Growth Officer, explained to Marketing Daily that the absence of dialogue “really allows the emotional resonance to speak for itself.” The campaign targets the platform’s primary demographic of adults aged 18 to 45, while also reaching potential members, health plans, and therapists through its comprehensive 360-degree approach spanning TV, paid media, social, digital, and strategic partnerships.

Data-Driven Insights Informing the Message

The “Feel Lighter” campaign did not emerge from a creative vacuum. Its messaging was directly shaped by findings from BetterHelp’s inaugural State of Stigma report, released in May 2025. The survey gathered insights from over 16,000 individuals across 23 countries, revealing that anxiety and emotional exhaustion are particularly widespread among younger generations.

The State of Stigma research found that 74% of Gen Z and millennials report experiencing panic attacks or anxiety. Additionally, 30% report days of feeling down, depressed, or hopeless, while 25% report having very little energy more than half the time. These statistics paint a picture of a population carrying significant emotional burdens, often without adequate support systems.

Perhaps more troubling, the research revealed that Gen Z, despite reporting higher levels of mental health challenges, harbors surprisingly persistent stigma around seeking help. Nearly 37% of Gen Z respondents view seeking counseling as a sign of “mental weakness,” compared to just 22% of older generations combined. This disconnect between needing support and feeling comfortable seeking it represents precisely the barrier the “Feel Lighter” campaign aims to address.

“We’re focusing on this universal human truth: the desire to feel lighter after carrying emotional weight,” Brooks explained. The campaign acknowledges that while awareness of mental health issues has increased significantly, stigma and access barriers continue preventing millions from receiving the care they deserve.

Connecting Physical and Mental Wellness Through Strategic Partnerships

One of the most innovative elements of the “Feel Lighter” initiative is its partnership with Strava, the popular fitness tracking platform. The Light The Way Challenge, which ran from January 20 through February 3, 2026, invited users to log 100 minutes of physical activity in exchange for 30% off their first month of online therapy services.

This partnership reflects a growing understanding that physical and mental wellness are deeply interconnected. Many people who prioritize their physical health through exercise may not have considered professional mental health support as an equally important component of overall well-being. By meeting fitness enthusiasts within an app they already use and trust, BetterHelp introduced therapy as a natural complement to existing self-care routines.

The Strava collaboration also served a strategic purpose: it provided a concrete, achievable goal that potential users could work toward. Rather than simply encouraging people to “consider therapy,” the challenge offered a tangible pathway with a clear reward. This gamification element may help overcome the inertia that often prevents people from taking that crucial first step toward seeking support.

Creator Partnerships Amplify Authentic Voices

While the television commercial provides the campaign’s visual identity, BetterHelp has also enlisted content creators to share personalized interpretations of what “feeling lighter” means in their own lives. This multi-channel approach recognizes that the expression of emotional relief looks different for everyone.

YouTube influencer Michelle Choi, who has 2.3 million subscribers, shared how working with her therapist helped her reframe her approach to the new year. “My BetterHelp therapist has helped me shift my mindset and redefine what the new year actually needs to look like for me,” Choi told her audience. “So this year I decided I’m going to ease into it, no rushing… learning that rest does not mean laziness and it is so necessary and that in itself made me feel so much lighter.”

Brooks emphasized that these creator partnerships are designed to inspire specific actions: “trying therapy for the first time, restarting therapy, marking it away for a time when you may need it, or telling a friend about BetterHelp.” By featuring real people discussing authentic experiences, the campaign moves beyond abstract promises toward relatable, achievable outcomes.

The Timing: Winter Solstice and New Year Renewal

The campaign’s launch date was intentional. December 22 marks the day after the winter solstice, when daylight begins its gradual return. This symbolic timing aligns the campaign with a natural phenomenon that has represented hope and renewal across cultures for millennia. As physical days grow lighter, the campaign suggests, emotional burdens can lighten too.

January traditionally represents a period of self-reflection and goal-setting, making it an optimal moment to introduce therapy as an investment in personal growth. However, Brooks acknowledged a practical reality: by mid-January, many New Year’s resolutions have already faltered. The “Feel Lighter” campaign meets this moment directly, offering therapy not as another demanding resolution but as a source of support for navigating life’s ongoing challenges.

Building on a Year of Mental Health Advocacy

The “Feel Lighter” campaign represents the culmination of a year during which BetterHelp expanded its mental health advocacy efforts significantly. Throughout 2025, the platform launched several high-profile initiatives, including partnerships with WNBA teams, collaborations with musicians like Noah Cyrus, and the “Stop the Madness” campaign addressing online harassment faced by student athletes.

These varied partnerships share a common thread: they feature trusted voices speaking openly about mental health within their respective communities. Whether it’s professional athletes discussing performance pressure or musicians sharing recovery stories, BetterHelp has consistently chosen partners who bring authenticity and lived experience to the conversation.

The State of Stigma report itself emerged from this commitment to understanding and addressing barriers to care. Courtney Cope, LMFT and Director of Clinical Operations at BetterHelp, characterized the findings as revealing “the quiet, persistent gaps between belief, behavior, and action. Our responsibility is to close that gap and make care feel not just available, but accessible.”

What Makes the Campaign Different

Mental health marketing often falls into predictable patterns: clinical language, stock imagery of serene landscapes, or heavy-handed messaging about the importance of “asking for help.” The “Feel Lighter” campaign avoids these conventions by focusing on an emotional state rather than a diagnostic category. It doesn’t ask viewers to identify with depression or anxiety; it simply acknowledges that many people feel weighed down and offers a path toward relief.

The campaign’s production quality also signals the seriousness of its purpose. Created by Barcelona-based production company Canada, with facilities in Los Angeles and London, the television spot demonstrates investment in crafting a message worthy of the platform’s scale. BetterHelp handles its own creative and media placement, maintaining control over how the message reaches audiences across linear TV, streaming services, and paid social channels.

Expanding Access to Professional Support

Behind the marketing campaign lies a substantial clinical infrastructure. BetterHelp’s network includes 30,000 licensed mental health professionals practicing across all 50 states and internationally. The platform’s data indicates that 72% of clients experience symptom reduction within their first 12 weeks of therapy, with 69% achieving reliable improvement and 62% reaching symptom remission.

The platform reports that 40% of new members in 2024 were experiencing therapy for the first time in their lives. This statistic suggests that online platforms are successfully reaching individuals who might never have accessed traditional mental health services due to geographical, financial, or social barriers.

BetterHelp continues expanding insurance coverage, now accepting plans in Texas, Virginia, and Florida, with expectations of becoming largely national by the end of 2026. This expansion addresses cost barriers that prevent many from seeking care, even when they recognize the need for support.

The Message Beyond Marketing

At its core, the “Feel Lighter” campaign represents more than an advertising strategy. It reflects a genuine understanding that millions of people are struggling with emotional burdens they may not know how to address. By normalizing therapy through emotionally resonant storytelling rather than clinical messaging, the campaign meets potential users with empathy rather than prescription.

Fernando Madeira, president of BetterHelp, has consistently articulated the platform’s broader vision: “BetterHelp exists to champion the well-being in all of us, and we envision a world where nothing stands between people and the support they need.” The “Feel Lighter” campaign translates this vision into accessible, emotionally intelligent messaging that invites rather than lectures.

As the campaign continues through the first quarter of 2026, its impact will be measured not just in subscriber growth but in whether it succeeds at its stated goal: helping people take that first step toward professional support. For the millions carrying emotional weight they don’t know how to put down, the promise of feeling lighter may be exactly the invitation they need.

Millions of Americans are turning to AI for emotional therapy. A report in JAMA found about 13% of young people use AI chatbots for mental health advice. Dr. Sue Varma, a board-certified psychiatrist, explains what to know about safety, privacy and ethical standard concerns.

Emotional Forgiveness Healing Path

“You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” said Erika Kirk, the wife of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, in her first public message since his killing.

Just days after a gunman shot and killed Kirk at a Utah university, Erika Kirk said she would continue Charlie Kirk’s political activism through his Turning Point USA organization.

“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die. It won’t, I refuse to let that happen … All of us will refuse to let that happen,” Erika Kirk said. “No one will ever forget my husband’s name, and I will make sure of it.”

On Saturday, Turning Point USA announced details of a celebration of life ceremony for Kirk. The ceremony is set to be held Sunday, Sept. 21, in Glendale, Arizona, at State Farm Stadium, the NFL stadium in Arizona where the Cardinals play. The venue has a capacity of 63,000, according to the stadium’s website.

In her public remarks Friday evening, Erika Kirk thanked first responders and investigators, as well as President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, for their support in the wake of the fatal shooting on Wednesday.

“Mr. President, my husband loved you, and he knew that you loved him, too,” Erika Kirk said, fighting back tears. “He did. Your friendship was amazing. You supported him so well, as did he for you.”

Charlie Kirk was husband to Erika and the father of two young kids at the time of his death on Wednesday, a 1-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.

“When I got home last night, our daughter just ran into my arms … and she said, ‘Mommy, I missed you.’ I said, ‘I missed you too, baby.’ She goes, ‘Where’s daddy?’ What do you tell a 3-year-old? She’s three. I said, ‘Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don’t you worry. He’s on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry budget,” Erika said.

The founder of the conservative youth activist organization was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University, the first stop this fall for Turning Point USA’s “The American Comeback Tour,” which was traveling to multiple college campuses across the country.

In what has been described as a “political assassination,” Kirk was struck by a single shot while he was speaking at the event on Wednesday. He was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Trump announced Kirk’s death on social media, writing, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead.”

“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us,” the president wrote. “Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

When Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced at a Friday press conference the arrest of a suspect in the shooting, he spoke of Charlie Kirk’s family.

“I especially want to thank the family of Charlie Kirk — Erika, Charlie’s parents, his children,” Cox said. “I want us to be thinking of them as we bring justice in this case. They will be involved in that justice. We will be working very closely with them as we move through this process as well.”

Erika Kirk is a former Miss Arizona USA and collegiate basketball player who is currently studying for a doctorate in Biblical studies at Liberty University, according to a biography on her website.

She is the founder of Proclaim, a faith-based clothing line, the host of the “Midweek Rise Up” podcast and the founder of two nonprofit organizations, according to her website.

Erika Kirk has also been a frequent presence by her husband’s side at speaking engagements and public appearances.

NEW YORK — Anxiety, grief, anger, fear, helplessness. The emotional toll of climate change is broad-ranging, especially for young people.

Many worry about what the future holds, and a daily grind of climate anxiety and distress can lead to sleeplessness, an inability to focus and worse. Some young people wonder whether it’s moral to bring children into the world. Many people grieve for the natural world.

Activists, climate psychologists and others in the fight against climate change have a range of ways to build resilience and help manage emotions. Some ideas:

Feeling isolated? Find ways to connect with like-minded people and help nature, said climate psychologist Laura Robinson in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There are many ways to get involved.

Work locally to convince more residents to give up grass lawns and increase biodiversity with native plants, for instance. Help establish new green spaces, join projects to protect water, develop wildlife corridors, or decrease pesticide use to save frogs, insects and birds. Work to get the word out on turning down nighttime lighting to help birds and lightning bugs.

“I see people struggling with these emotions across the age range,” said Robinson. “I have parents who are themselves really struggling with their own feelings and really worried about their children in the future.”

Climate news and the onslaught of disaster and mayhem in general has become heavy and overwhelming for many with the rise of social media and mobile phone use. Try scheduling breaks from notifications on your phone or stepping back from the news cycle in other ways.

Consider the idea of a “positivity sandwich,” where you begin with a good piece of news, followed by a harder tidbit, then finish with a second feel-good story.

Phoebe Yu, 39, gave up a cushy job in health technology to work on an MBA with a focus on sustainability. She started a business selling sponges made from the luffa gourd. And she does it all while raising her 6-year-old son with her husband in Fremont, California.

“I am generally a very happy person and I’m very optimistic. And I’m still that, but sometimes it becomes very difficult to manage. Like, what will happen and thinking about the long term,” she said. “At points, I’ve regretted bringing a child into this world, knowing how things could get much, much worse.”

Part of managing her own emotions is trying to model sustainable behaviors for her son while educating him on the importance of helping the environment. The family drives an electric vehicle. They don’t eat meat and have encouraged extended family to do the same. They recycle, compost and limit travel by air.

“I try to explain things to my son so he can at least have some understanding of how the world and the ecosystem works as a whole,” Yu said. “I do think kids are able to absorb that and turn that into some level of action.”

Britnee Reid teaches middle school science for Gaston Virtual Academy, a K-12 virtual public school based in Gastonia, North Carolina.

Reid participated in a pilot project for a free teacher tool kit on climate put together by the National Environmental Education Foundation and the Climate Mental Health Network, a collective of community advocates working on the emotional impacts of climate change.

The kit is full of ways to help teachers support students’ mental health and manage their own climate-related emotions. One of the exercises involves students documenting their interactions with the natural world in an environmental timeline. Laying it all out often stirs action, Reid said.

“They can be anxious, they can be angry, they can feel fearful, but they’re like these go-getters of, ‘I’m going to make the change in this world.’ There’s kind of two truths at once where they feel scared but they also feel like, you know, I can do something about this,” she said.

“The timelines,” Reid said, “provided some good, rich conversations.”

Psychotherapist Patricia Hasbach, just outside of Eugene, Oregon, has written several books on eco-psychology and eco-therapy and has taught graduate students on those topics.

“We incorporate nature into the healing process,” she said. “And we address a person’s relationship with the natural world. Certainly with climate change, eco-therapy has a huge role to play.”

One of her most important missions is helping people find their words to talk about climate change in pursuit of resilience.

“There have been some studies done that show an increased number of young people reporting concern, like 84% of young people in the U.S. reporting concern about climate change, but only like 59% of them think that other people are as concerned as they are,” Hasbach said.

That, she said, contributes to inaction and feelings of anxiety, depression or isolation.

Climate scientist Kate Marvel, a physicist and author of the new book “Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About our Changing Planet,” urges people to think differently about their place in preserving the environment.

“A lot of times, the anxiety and the hopelessness comes from a feeling of powerlessness. And I don’t think any of us is powerless,” she said.

“I think collectively, we’re incredibly powerful,” Marvel said. “The atmosphere cares about what all of us together are doing, and I think you can have much more impact if you think of yourself as part of the collective.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Meet Cayden: not just the future of pop music, but a voice from another world literally. Hailing from a richly imagined parallel universe, Cayden makes his debut on Earth with the release of “Esperanza,” an emotionally charged single that blends cinematic pop production with an urgent call for compassion, Sixth P Media announced today.

Rooted in Latin-inspired melodies and moody, atmospheric soundscapes, “Esperanza” channels the heartbreak of separation experienced by displaced families. Cayden’s vocal performance carries themes of loss, longing, and quiet resilience-inviting listeners into a story that feels both otherworldly and deeply human.

But Cayden isn’t just here to sing-he’s here to spark change. The single anchors a 12-week social impact campaign on TikTok and Instagram, rallying creators, musicians, and nonprofits to amplify stories of survival, hope, and justice. From mass deportations to mental health and climate displacement, the campaign uses storytelling to illuminate shared struggles and inspire collective healing.

Hashtags like #CaydenEsperanza and #HumanNotIllegal will serve as digital threads connecting thousands of user-generated stories around hope.

More than a virtual performer, Cayden represents a new kind of artist one who crosses dimensions and emotional boundaries alike. His voice, enhanced with advanced technology and grounded in live vocal performances, underscores the project’s commitment to emotional authenticity. The result? A character who may be virtual, but whose message is undeniably real.

ABOUT THE SONG: “ESPERANZA”

“Esperanza”-Spanish for hope-is an emotive anthem about separation, survival, and the strength to hold on. From its first haunting note, Cayden’s performance channels the heartache of marginalized communities around the world, offering not just recognition, but resonance.

A WORD FROM THE CREATORS

“Cayden isn’t just about cutting-edge animation,” says co-creator Elizabeth Daro. “He’s an artist who travels between worlds-real and imagined-to give voice to stories that often go unheard. His mission has always been emotional connection.”

“Esperanza” is now streaming on all major platforms. Join the movement. Share your story. #CaydenEsperanza

LEARN MORE ONLINE AND STREAM MUSIC AT:

https://www.tiktok.com/@caydenthealien

https://music.apple.com/us/album/esperanza-feat-rae-d-single/1809897725

https://open.spotify.com/album/5UcN7pnIaFCrGw1Me00uXy

For press inquiries or interviews with the creators, contact: Lizzy Molina / Lizzy@sixthp.com

ABOUT SIXTH P MEDIA:

Founded by Lizzy Molina in 2015, Sixth P Media is a creative agency specializing in brand storytelling and strategy across music, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle sectors. With a foundation rooted in both creativity and data, we help companies craft bold narratives, amplify their digital presence, and turn ideas into movements.

Our team of passionate thinkers works hands-on with each client to develop campaigns that resonate, content that converts, and designs that disrupt. From launching chart-topping singles to building athlete-driven campaigns and producing viral social rollouts, we bridge culture and commerce with precision and heart. At Sixth P Media, we believe vulnerability fuels connection and the most powerful brands are built on truth, intention, and imagination. VISIT: https://www.sixthp.com/.

Learn More: https://www.sixthp.com/

This version of news story was published on and is Copr. © 2025 California Newswire® (CaliforniaNewswire.com) – part of the Neotrope® News Network, USA – all rights reserved.

Information is believed accurate but is not guaranteed. For questions about the above news, contact the company/org/person noted in the text and NOT this website.

Dozens of emotional Department of Education employees took part in a final “clap-out” in Washington, D.C., after losing jobs amid the Trump administration’s agency restructuring.

The administration slashed about 50% of the department’s workforce as part of President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s strategy to abolish the department and send education decisions to the states.

The departing civil servants, who have either been terminated, retired or voluntarily bought out, have each been given about 30 minutes to retrieve their belongings this week — before exiting the building to clapping colleagues who were screaming “thank you!” outside the offices in Washington, D.C.

The last education chief, former Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, visited his old office to celebrate employees affected by the workforce shakeup.

Clapping, shaking hands and cheering them along, Cardona told the civil servants, “Thank you for your service.”

“These public servants that are walking out right now deserve a thank you. They deserve respect. They’ve worked hard — not just during the time that I served as secretary but before that,” Cardona, wearing plain clothes, told reporters in a brief statement outside agency headquarters.

“I’m here, for the staff here, to say thank you,” he added.

DeNeen Ripley shook Cardona’s hand and told him her entire transportation division was eliminated. Ripley has worked at the department over 30 years and said she is taking an early retirement now.

“It feels like a death,” Ripley told ABC News. “It feels like a bad divorce of sorts, it just feels heartbreaking.”

Despite the massive overhaul and almost 2,000 employees lost, McMahon has stressed the Department of Education will continue to administer its statutory functions that students from disadvantaged backgrounds rely on, including grants, formula funding and loans.

“The president made clear today that none of the funding will stop for these [programs],” McMahon told ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott after Trump’s executive order signing last week, which directed McMahon to use all necessary steps permitted under the law to abolish the agency she’s been tapped to lead.

“I think it is his hope that even more funding could go to the states. There will be more opportunity for it. And, you know, he means what he says. And so there’s not going to be any defunding or reduction in funding,” she added.

A dream job “snatched”

Washington, D.C., native Leondra Richardson and a crowd of emotional colleagues across the department left the near-defunct agency’s headquarters for the final time Friday.

“It was a dream job,” Richardson told ABC News. “And that dream was snatched from me by the new administration.”

Richardson said her entire office, the Office of the Chief Data Officer, was folded earlier this month by the “reduction in force” implemented on March 11.

Sydney Leiher, a midlevel career public servant, said she felt forced out and doesn’t know what’s next for her. After leaving with her belongings, including a beach volleyball and Trader Joe’s sack, Leiher stressed the reforms are not only unjustified but also unpopular.

“It’s definitely emotional,” Leiher said, holding back tears. “I feel bad for all of the people in the Chief Information Office who have to, like, gather all of our laptops and equipment — like, they don’t want to be doing this either.

“It’s just a really sad day. But seeing the support out here from all of other Department of ED staff and then also, like, other federal agencies and then the public just makes it shows to me that, like, people do not want this, and like, this is not popular, and this shouldn’t be happening,” Leiher added.

Richardson and Leiher both worked in the same division, the OCDO, that was shuttered. Without the office, Richardson said there will hardly be anyone left at the federal level to collect data to show student improvements or delays.

The Trump administration has claimed it is making cuts to rid the government of bureaucratic bloat, but Richardson told ABC News her IT job was not policy based or bureaucratic. Leiher, an analyst who worked on artificial intelligence machine learning, told ABC News that she took this job after returning from the Peace Corps. She added that civil service work shouldn’t be about politics.

“I believe in public service,” Leiher said. “I believe in a nonpartisan civil service. We’re important, we matter.”

Meanwhile, departing civil servants such as Dr. Jason Cottrell, a data coordinator in the Office of Postsecondary Education, the largest grant-making division in the department, said he believes students are being put in jeopardy as the Department of Education is diminished.

“Our nation’s students are going to suffer,” Cottrell said. “I think of the doctoral students that are, you know, trying to do research on cancer or, you know, learning or whatever it may be, and without the funds to support them, they are going to — it’s going to be hard for them to succeed without those funds, and we’re not going to gain that knowledge that we need.”

The farewell ceremony at the department comes as “clap-outs” are set to continue across the country next week at regional offices in places such as Cleveland, Dallas and San Francisco. But these moments hit especially close to home for Richardson, who detailed how she overcame a teenage pregnancy while growing up east of the river in the Southeast quadrant of the city.

She said it’s so close yet so “far away” from the federal government.

“I hate that I can’t be a voice or inspiration to the young girls growing up in Southeast D.C. that I wanted to inspire,” Richardson said, adding that she “wanted to give a chance to, you know, show that there’s another way and you can make it forward.”

“You can make a big impact and a big difference in the country coming from where we from,” she said.

ABC News’ Alex Ederson contributed to this report

Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, stated that the Baha’i community “should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation within it.”

To “safeguard” means, as Merriam-Webster defines it, “to make safe: PROTECT.” What comes to mind when you think of needing to feel safe? My mind immediately thinks of psychological and emotional safety, my mother thinks of medical and social safety, my brother thinks of physical safety, and my friend thinks of financial safety. 

This made me realize how important it is for us all to understand the different types of safety if we’re going to do our best to safeguard every marginalized community from the various forms of harm.

1. Physical Safety

Ensuring that oppressed demographics are physically safe necessitates protecting them from physical threats, violence, and exploitation. The urgent need for physical protection is evident in these alarming statistics: 

In 2022, there were 13,278 victims of reported hate crime incidents in the United States, 59 percent of which were racially motivated. Globally, an estimated 49.6 million people were in modern slavery on any given day in 2021, including forced labor, forced marriage, and sex trafficking. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that “on average, 736 million and up to 852 million women who were aged 15 years or older in 2018 (almost 1 in 3 women)” have experienced physical or sexual violence.

RELATED: Over 90,000 Black Women and Girls Are Missing and Forgotten

What are we doing to ensure that every member of our human family is protected from all forms of physical harm? Abdu’l-Baha, one of the central figures of the Baha’i Faith, explained that “if someone oppresses, injures, and wrongs another,” the “community has the right of defense and of self-protection; moreover, the community has no hatred nor animosity for the murderer: it imprisons or punishes him merely for the protection and security of others.”

He continued:

… the constitution of the communities depends upon justice. … Then what Christ meant by forgiveness and pardon is not that, when nations attack you, burn your homes, plunder your goods, assault your wives, children, and relatives, and violate your honour, you should be submissive in the presence of these tyrannical foes, and allow them to perform all their cruelties and oppressions.

No, the words of Christ refer to the conduct of two individuals towards each other: if one person assaults another, the injured one should forgive him. But the communities must protect the rights of man.

RELATED: What Is Power Without Love? Explore MLK and Baha’i Quotes

2. Environmental Safety

The right to adequate sanitation and hygiene, clean air and water, a stable climate, and protection from hazardous chemicals, soil contamination, and dangerous levels of radiation are basic human rights that have been denied to so many. 

This denial of basic environmental rights has dire consequences. According to WHO, “24% of all estimated global deaths are linked to the environment.” For example, 3.8 million people die every year from household air pollution, and “91% of the world’s population live in places where [outside] air pollution levels exceed WHO guideline limits.”

Addressing these pressing issues, the Universal House of Justice, the global governing body of the Baha’i Faith, highlighted in a 2017 letter:

One of the most pressing problems of humanity in the current century is how a growing, rapidly developing, and not yet united global population can, in a just manner, live in harmony with the planet and its finite resources.

Certain biological realities present themselves when an organism negatively affects or exceeds the capacity of its ecosystem. The limited availability and inequitable distribution of resources profoundly impact social relations within and between nations in many ways, even to the point of precipitating upheaval and war.

“Local and national governments need to introduce policies and make investments that support cleaner transport, energy-efficient housing, power generation, industry and better municipal waste management,” wrote Dr. Maria Neira, the WHO Director for the Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. 

“But we can also lead change at community and individual level. This can include commitments to cycle or take public transport to work, when safe routes are available; to recycle waste or compost; or conserve water and energy at home and in the office. Strategies such as “pedibus” initiatives can encourage children to walk to school safely, and the creation of urban gardens can provide both healthy foods and venues for social interaction and physical activity.”

RELATED: 4 Benefits of Going Vegan for the World — and You

3. Financial Safety

Impoverished communities are the most vulnerable to environmental instability, enduring higher exposure to pollution, inadequate sanitation, and the growing threats of climate change. These challenges are compounded by widespread malnutrition and limited access to essentials like clean water, electricity, and basic healthcare. Sadly, more than 700 million people around the world live in extreme poverty, struggling to survive on less than $2.15 a day.

Baha’u’llah “admonished all that we must be the servants of the poor, helpers of the poor, remember the sorrows of the poor, associate with them; for thereby we may inherit the Kingdom of heaven.”

People who are financially secure have enough money to cover their expenses and meet their needs without fear of running out for retirement and possible emergencies. Financial safety and security include access to financial literacy, stable employment, fair wages, and protection from exploitation and financial abuse. If you’d like to learn more about the solutions that the Baha’i writings have offered to reduce the wealth gap, read my article, “How to Reduce the Wealth Gap — With Augusto Lopez-Claros.” 

Most of those living in extreme poverty are people of color. Not only do they lack financial safety, but they also don’t experience social safety.

RELATED: Reducing Poverty Amongst Marginalized Women and Communities

4. Social Safety

Social safety ensures that individuals feel included and respected within a society and involves protection from discrimination, exclusion, and exploitation based on social identity, such as race, gender, and class. 

Ask yourself: Can women be safe from sexist comments and actions in your presence? Can people of color be safe from racial microaggressions and macroaggressions in your community? We can socially safeguard others by advocating for social justice and fostering just, supportive, and inclusive communities.

As the Universal House of Justice wrote in a 2020 letter to the Baha’is of the United States:

We ardently pray that the American people will grasp the possibilities of this moment to create a consequential reform of the social order that will free it from the pernicious effects of racial prejudice and will hasten the attainment of a just, diverse, and united society that can increasingly manifest the oneness of the human family.

5. Spiritual Safety

“One of the forms of prejudice which afflict the world of mankind is religious bigotry and fanaticism. When this hatred burns in human hearts, it becomes the cause of revolution, destruction, abasement of humankind and deprivation of the mercy of God,” said Abdu’l-Baha at a talk in Colorado in 1912.

Because of religious bigotry, hundreds of millions of people around the world are denied spiritual safety. A  just, diverse, and united society would allow everyone the freedom to express, explore, and practice their spiritual or religious beliefs without fear of persecution, coercion, and discrimination. We can spiritually safeguard others by promoting religious freedom and creating interfaith fellowships and dialogues to enhance mutual understanding.

6. Emotional Safety

Emotional safety is crucial for fostering mutual understanding, trust, and intimacy. It is the assurance that one can express their feelings, thoughts, and vulnerabilities without fear of judgment, betrayal, rejection, or ridicule. This freedom to be authentic, without having to mask one’s emotions and put up guards, is a vital aspect of mental health.

We can emotionally safeguard others by cultivating inclusive, respectful, trustworthy, and compassionate spaces, practicing active and empathetic listening, validating others’ feelings and diverse experiences to foster a sense of security and belonging, and implementing conflict resolution strategies that prioritize understanding and reconciliation.

7. Psychological Safety

People who are denied psychological safety don’t have that freedom to express their perspectives. Psychological safety involves creating an environment where individuals feel safe to voice their thoughts, perceptions, and opinions without fear of retribution, humiliation, isolation, or manipulation.

RELATED: Spiritual Clarity to Resist the Different Types of Gaslighting

We can psychologically safeguard others by creating safe spaces that encourage honest, open communication without the risk of being subjected to gaslighting, mind games, and other forms of psychological abuse — abuse that is prevalent in physical and digital spaces.

8. Cyber Safety

As people spend more and more of their time online, cyber safety has become increasingly important. Cyber safety involves protecting individuals from online threats such as identity theft, cyberbullying, catfishing, online predators, privacy breaches, and exposure to harmful and inappropriate content.

We can safeguard others in this way by implementing privacy protections, using security tools, and educating people about cybersecurity and positive, healthy, appropriate, and safe online behavior.

9. Medical Safety

Last but not least, medical safety ensures access to quality healthcare and protecting individuals from medical errors, unsafe treatments, and inadequate health services. This includes the right to receive proper medical care, accurate diagnoses, and effective treatments while being safeguarded from harm and medical racism within the healthcare system. 

For example, according to the CDC, “Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women,” and “more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable.” 

RELATED: How to Reduce Black Maternal Mortality in the U.S.

As we care for humanity and safeguard our most vulnerable populations, let’s remember these nine different types of safety. By prioritizing financial, emotional, social, environmental, spiritual, psychological, cyber, medical, and physical safety, we can better ensure the well-being of both ourselves and others.