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Climate Psychology webinar - Video, resources and summary

This Climate Psychology webinar was held on May 14, 2021 and follows on from the release of a comprehensive literature review which investigated the emotional and psychological impacts of disaster and crisis, conducted through The University of Cumbria. 

The paper was released to support the Scholars Warning Initiative whereby academics from various disciplines and demographics are collectively calling for better government policy regarding Climate Change.

The themes revealed through this research identified:

  • the need for emotional support through crisis
  • the need for collective responsibility for mental health
  • and the need for authentic communication regarding crisis.

This webinar is a series of short presentations by individuals and organisations from around the globe who represent the way these themes can be upheld, whilst working with people in the context of Climate Change.

I would like to thank all participants for generously providing their time to make this webinar happen, and for their ongoing commitment and dedication to driving this important work forward.


Please find below a list of individuals who presented and links to the resources they provided for distribution.

Host: Jasmine Kieft - Climate Justice Union - https://www.climatejusticeunion.org

Bio: "Jasmine is a Clinical Psychologist Registrar and divides her professional time between private practice and academia.

Jasmine has been working therapeutically with children and adolescents for over 10 years and works predominantly to support families systemically. Jasmine teaches undergraduate psychology and conducts research in emotion theory and group process. She is on the leadership team of Climate Justice Union in WA.

Jasmine is also community minded and sits on professional cohorts within co-design steering committees as part of community and organisation program development."

Resource - "Embracing Climate Related Emotions" – Article for The Psychologist (British Psychological Society): https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-34/june-2021/embracing-climate-related-emotions

Resource - Kieft, J. & Bendell, J. (2021). The responsibility of communicating difficult truths about climate influenced societal disruption and collapse: an introduction to psychological research. Institute for Leadership and Sustainability (IFLAS) Occasional Papers Volume 7. University of Cumbria, Ambleside, UK. (Unpublished): https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/5950

Resource - Conference Presentation - NZAP Te Ipu Taiao The Climate Crucible - 13 March 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCyt56b7ypI


PART 1 – SYSTEMIC SUPPORT

Merle Conyerlinkedin.com/in/merleconyer 

Bio: "Merle Conyer supports individuals, teams, organisations and communities responding to interpersonal, institutional, political, cultural and environmental trauma.

She is an independent practitioner offering counselling, supervision, debriefing and training in diverse contexts. Merle is active in raising the climate crisis and therapeutic implications with professionals within mental health and social services. She facilitates groups for communities concerned about the climate crisis and actively advocating for climate justice outcomes. Her track record includes service delivery, management and board positions.

She holds a Master of Counselling & Applied Psychotherapy, Master of Education, and Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work."

References list: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1juXOIG-O5abuTUfwghkYjT5jSyCmF-9n/


Luke Skinner - United Workers Union - unitedworkers.org.au 

Bio: "Luke Skinner is an Organiser at United Workers Union and the Secretary of Climate Justice Union WA.

He has an extensive background in communications, campaigns and organising with a focus on human rights and climate justice. At United Workers Union Luke leads an Occupational Health & Safety program focused on Extreme Weather at Work, through which workers identify the impacts of extreme weather and climate change on health and safety in the workplace. This program empowers workers to understand their rights and ensure their own collective safety during increasingly common and severe extreme weather events happening right across Australia.

Luke is also a State Emergency Services volunteer and Hip Hop MC in his spare time."

Resource - Top 20 Impacts of Extreme Weather on workers health and safety: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bfK9qbjloOJFVx9MHal3PBjvMHD_rSqWRfJ9PH8plXc


Susanne Moser - susannemoser.com

Bio: "Susanne C. Moser is a geographer (Ph.D. 1997, Clark University) who works nationally and internationally as an independent scholar and consultant from a base in western Massachusetts.

Her work with government agencies, non-profits, foundations, and other researchers and consultants focuses on adaptation to climate change, science-policy interactions, effective climate change communication, and psycho-social resilience in the face of the traumatic and transformative challenges associated with climate change.

Susi is the editor of two award-winning edited volumes, one on successful adaptation to climate change; the other on how to communicate climate change. She is a prolific writer, an inspiring speaker and has served on scientific advisory boards for Future Earth, the International Science Council, the US National Research Council and has contributed to the IPCC and US national climate assessments"

Resource - Introducing the adaptive mind project: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FxFexgo57nrMGE_HUaoPinLEBeQeEG1P

References list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rljnYEq65qZBzLaszCCGXTebFAmKtJcb6ONoaWeuGU0


Tamara Stanton – Citizen’s Climate Lobby - https://citizensclimatelobby.org

Bio: "Tamara Staton co-founded her local Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) Chapter in Portland, Oregon in 2012 and stepped in as Regional Coordinator for the Greater Pacific Northwest a few years later, supporting leaders and expansion efforts in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, and 3 Pacific Island territories.

In March 2020, she accepted a new position as Education & Resilience Coordinator, excited at the opportunity to integrate her background in education and personal development with the climate work she has come to love.

In addition to her CCL endeavors, Tamara is a consultant, facilitator, coach and educator with over 20 years’ experience. She has worked with individuals and groups around leadership development, communication, team building, and improving overall effectiveness, in the solar industry and beyond. She’s passionate about integrating more joy into the climate movement, and supporting leaders in building resilience and effective pathways to positive global change.

In her downtime, you might find her backpacking, kayaking or camping with her family, or strumming her banjo by the creek."

Resource - Citizen Climate Lobby 'Resilience Hub' - https://cclusa.org/resilience


Dr. Panu Pihkala - https://researchportal.helsinki.fi/en/persons/panu-pihkala

Bio: "Dr. Panu Pihkala (b. 1979, he/his) is an adjunct professor of environmental theology (Title of Docent) at the University of Helsinki. He is the leading Finnish expert on interdisciplinary research about eco-anxiety and participates actively in public discussions. Among other positions of trust, Pihkala serves as an advisor for the Finnish national project on social and health sector responses to eco-anxiety (www.ymparistoahdistus.fi).

Pihkala has published monographs in Finnish about eco-anxiety (2017) and ecological emotions (2019), and his research articles in English are often cited by scholars from a wide variety of disciplines.

Pihkala leads workshops on related themes and often collaborates with artists."

Resource - Science-based national report by Pihkala, Panu (2019). "Climate Anxiety. A report for the Finnish Mental Health Society. Helsinki" : https://mieli.fi/en/raportit/climate-anxiety

Resource - Blog with many practical resources: https://www.ecoanxietyandhope.blogspot.com

Resource - Academic articles by Panu Pihkala:

  • “Eco-anxiety and Environmental Education”, Sustainability Vol. 12:23, 10149; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122310149
  • “Anxiety and the Ecological Crisis: An Analysis of Eco-anxiety and Climate Anxiety”, SustainabilityVol. 12:19 (2020), 7836; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12197836
  • “The Cost of Bearing Witness to the Environmental Crisis: Vicarious Traumatization and Dealing with Secondary Traumatic Stress among Environmental Researchers”, Social Epistemology 34:1, 86-100. https://doi.org/10.1080/02691728.2019.1681560
  • “Death, the environment, and theology”, Dialog Vol. 57 (2018), 287–294, https://doi.org/10.1111/dial.12437
  • ”Eco-anxiety, tragedy, and hope: psychological and spiritual dimensions of climate change”, Zygon Vol. 53:2 (2018), 545–569.
  • “Environmental Education After Sustainability: Hope in the Midst of Tragedy”, Global Discourse Vol 7:1 (2017), 109–127.

Bella Broadway - Climate Justice Union – https://climatejusticeunion.org

Bio: "Bella lives on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja in Boorloo (Perth, Western Australia).

For the last year Bella has been working with the Climate Justice Union to co-design tools and process to support the social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing of CJU members and the wider climate justice community.

As the CJU Mental Health & Wellbeing Worker, Bella’s role is to create support pathways, capacity building training, resources and connections that can help climate activists look after themselves and each other, and to support the Mental Health sector to better understand and respond to the unique and intersectional needs of climate justice activists and supporters.

Climate Justice Union was launched in September, 2019."


Psychologists For Future - Dr. Med. Monika Helga Krimmer - https://www.psychologistsforfuture.org/en

Bio: "Born in Backnang, in 1963. Studied Medicine in Ulm and Berlin.

Four year stay in Great Britain with recognition as a specialist for anaesthesiology in 1995. Working in the Hanover Region Hospital, Nordstadt, 1996-2001, with a focus on pain care. In-service further training in in-depth psychology-based psychotherapy, in group therapy according to the Gottingen method and analytical psychotherapy at the Teaching Institute for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy at Hanover (DPG) in Hanover. Since 2001 working in private practice for in-depth psychological psychotherapy and analytical psychotherapy. Lecturer and supervisor of the training committee at the Teaching Institute since 2017.

Main area of work is climate psychology.

Member of DPG and DGPT. Member of IPPNW and Greenpeace. Member of Psychologists/Psychotherapists for Future since the start (4/2019)"

Resource - Psychologists & Psychotherapists for Future (slides): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JE4-Yi4jHh34rakBw8ec6O_nGnkYBwlw


PART 2 – ADULT INDIVIDUALS AND GROUP SUPPORT

Carol Ride - Psychology For Safe Climate - https://www.psychologyforasafeclimate.org

Bio: "Carol Ride is the founder in 2010 of Psychology for a Safe Climate and currently acting ED. She has been active in the community climate movement since 2005.

As a psychologist she worked as a couple therapist and trainer."

 Resource - About Psychology for a Safe Climate: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PfGXngZTz3qlcx6OjvhSWDcvd4JUaZ1Y

Judith Anderson - Climate Psychology Alliance – https://climatepsychologyinternational.org

Bio: "Judith is an experienced psychotherapist trained in the Jungian tradition and working in York. She has a long interest in trauma and how to develop resilience in recovering from it. Judith is also profoundly aware of the climate, environmental and biodiversity crises facing us and how psychotherapeutic methods can be in service to these issues.

Judith completed training in Jungian Analytical Psychotherapy in 1995 and is UKCP registered and a member of the West Midlands Institute for Psychotherapy. She has worked as a psychotherapist for 25 years, following a mental health background as a Consultant Psychiatrist. She is interested in the way our inner and outer social and political worlds relate. Judith chaired Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility for some years and has a particular interest in the psychological aspects of Climate Change.

Judith is the Chair of the Climate Psychology Alliance and played a major role in bringing to birth its present website. She has also worked with other organisations such as Royal College of Psychiatrists in this area."

Resource - The psychotherapist - issue 63 "climate change and radical hope": https://issuu.com/ukcp-publications/docs/63_the_psychotherapist_summer_2016


Deep Adaptation Forum – Matthew Painton and Dean Walker  - https://deepadaptation.ning.com

Bio 1: "Matthew has been life coaching for about 10 years, with an academic and career background in philosophy, environment, and Agroforestry.

In 2017 he suffered a crisis of anxiety and grief with regard to the unfolding collapse of natural and social systems. His subsequent involvement and relationships within the Deep Adaptation community has enabled a transformation from personal crisis into positive engagement, and to formulate a Deep Adaptation coaching framework based around five elements of existential change (physical, emotional, mental, values, and spirit).

He co-founded the Deep Adaptation Guidance community website, where a variety of professional practitioners offer collapse aware support through many different modalities."

Bio 2: "Dean Walker is the founder of the collapse-aware, trauma-informed, body of work Living Resilience / Deep Academy. He is also the host and producer of the podcast (YouTube channel) The Poetry of Predicament.

The purpose of this body of work is: Offering transformative support and resources to people bravely facing human-caused collapse of Earth and Human Systems. Dean’s work as a coach, facilitator, mentor, and trainer, is founded in his life-long career experience in transformation-based methodologies to promote individual and organizational fulfillment and excellence.

In the past 10 years Dean has shifted his entire body of work to be of service to the more-than- human life on Earth. This still means transformation-based coaching, facilitation and training... but now the foundation of the work is Dean’s life-long psycho-spiritual and energetics practices. This fundamental shift means a deeper than ever commitment to his facilitation of people’s reconnection to the Web of Life, reconnection to: Deeper Self, Other People, Earth and Soul.

Dean has been involved with the Deep Adaptation organization since its inception in 2019. He has filled many roles there including: DA Advocate / Spokesperson, Professions Network Moderator, Deep Relating Facilitator, Content Producer."

Resource - Transformative support and resources to people bravely facing human-caused collapse of Earth and Human Systems: https://guidance.deepadaptation.info

Resource - Safe Circle Online Support Calls: (safecircle@gmail.com)

Resource - Deep Academy, Community of Practice for the Collapse-Aware community: LivingResilience.net/DeepAcademy

Resource - Transformative Resilience Coaching and Training: https://deepadaptation.coach

Deep Adaptation group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/deepadaptation

Deep Adaptation Forum: https://deepadaptation.ning.com

Deep Adaptation Website: https://www.deepadaptation.info

Jem Bendell's website: https://jembendell.com

The Poetry of Predicament Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgJ7no8Pja30cAqe5Ew_Omg


PART 3 – CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND PARENT SUPPORT

Frida Berry Eklund - Our Kids’ Climate - https://varabarnsklimat.se/

Bio: "Frida Berry Eklund is a Swedish Climate Communications Specialist, Head of Operations at Swedish climate-parent group VĂ¥ra barns klimat, and Founder and Senior Adviser at Our Kids' Climate.

She is also the author of the book Talk to children about the climate (currently only available in Swedish)."

Resource - Our Kids Climate Presentation Slides - https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/1eO5JADA-PIMLUU4kzqU7J_QonnEBgP4j


Harriet Shugarman - ClimateMama - https://www.climatemama.com

Bio: "Selected as a 2020 New York City Climate Hero and a 2019 featured speaker at the Global Engagement Summit at United Nations Headquarters, Harriet is an influencer and connector in the climate movement.

Harriet is the Executive Director of ClimateMama, an on-line community that reaches individuals in over 110 countries and all 50 states.

As a leader and mentor with The Climate Reality Project, Harriet established the Climate Reality New York City Metro Chapter, and served as its first chair. She was the recipient of the prestigious Climate Reality Alfredo Sirkis Memorial Green Ring Award in 2017, and is also profiled in former US Vice President Al Gore’s book: An Inconvenient Sequel, Truth to Power.

Harriet’s writing and thought pieces on climate solutions appear in international, national and regional publications on-line and in print.

Harriet’s 2020 book: How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change, Turning Angst to Action is a finalist for both the Foreword INDIES and Independent Book Publishers Benjamin Franklin book of the year awards. The book can be found in libraries and households around the world. Harriet has worked for more than 25 years with governments, international organizations, and educational institutions on climate and sustainability issues as an economist, policy analyst, informal educator and adjunct professor including 13 years with the International Monetary Fund as a representative of the IMF at the United Nations.

Harriet serves on numerous boards that address climate, public policy, youth, gender and justice, including as Board Chair of Young Voices for the Planet. Harriet lives in New York City."

Resource - Our Kids Climate - "How to talk to kids about climate" website (English): https://ourkidsclimate.org/ 

Book - "How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change, Turning Angst Into Action" 2020, New Society Publishers (available where books are sold): https://newsociety.com/books/h/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-climate-change

Resource - Climate Psychology Alliance (North America): https://www.climatepsychology.us/

Resource - Climate Psychiatry Alliance: https://www.climatepsychiatry.org/

Resource - American Public Health Association "Climate changes mental health - making the connection": https://www.apha.org/~/media/files/pdf/topics/climate/climate_changes_mental_health.ashx


Jill Kubit - DearTomorrow Project – https://deartomorrow.org

Bio: "Jill Kubit is the co-founder of the award-winning storytelling project DearTomorrow, and co-founder of Our Kids' Climate, a network of parent-led organizations from 23 countries.

Her work has been featured by Reuters, TED, Public Radio International, Parents Magazine, Vox, Grist, and the MIT Climate Co-Lab, among others. Jill is focused on expanding climate arts and storytelling, growing the global climate-parentmovement, developing new leadership and organizational structures, and integrating behavioural science and climate communications into program design.

Follow her work on Instagram @deartomorrow and @ourkidsclimate"


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We acknowledge that we begin our work as The Climate Justice Union on the Boodja (land) of the Wadjuk people of the Noongar Nation. We honour the Wadjuk people and their kin in other Nations and Country across these lands and waters, who have always cared for this place and all who lived here.

We acknowledge First Nations Elders past and present, and acknowledge that those of us living here, who came from across the seas, live on land that was taken, stolen. We acknowledge the responsibility that comes with this understanding and that we personally and collectively benefit from this theft.

As such, we all have a responsibility to decolonise ourselves, our lives and work, and to heal the harm these oppressive systems have inflicted.

Click here to read our full acknowledgements

We are a community union and do not cover you in your workplace. All Climate Justice Union members are also encouraged to join the relevant industrial union. Click here to find your industrial Union.


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