Sustaining Climate Activists
Project Description
Sustaining Climate Activists is concerned with the psychological effects of Climate Change on mental health and wellbeing. This project arranges public presentations, maintains a list of online resources, and offers a facilitated monthly support group to address distress and develop resilience. Facilitators: Liz Olson (Clinical Chaplain) & Ken Deveney (Teacher of Re-Evaluation Counseling).
Meets fourth Saturday of the month from 10:00 – 11:30.
Please see SOCAN events calendar for location (changes with the seasons.)
Coffee provided, potluck snacks. N-95s requested when meeting indoors.
To be on reminder notification list – and for zoom invitations when meeting online – please contact one of the project leaders.
Project Leaders
To join this project contact Ken Deveney and/or Liz Olson
Goals
To address and raise awareness of the psychological impacts of Climate Change for individuals, our communities, and relevant public agencies. To provide emotional support and resilience tools for people involved with SOCAN’s work and those in our larger community.
Connection to SOCAN Mission
This project addresses the Mission of promoting awareness and understanding of climate change, its causes and consequences.
Background Information
While our professions and institutions are developing a growing understanding of the impacts of climate change to our physical health, less attention is being paid to the effects on our mental health. As our global community struggles with overlapping and concurrent crises, the stressors are stacking up. Our ability to respond well is tied to our ability to handle the demands on our psyche. For those engaged directly in the work of responding to the climate crisis, the psychological toll can be especially challenging, benefitting from support and education on coping strategies.
