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“Too BIG to talk about”

“Too BIG to talk about”. The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental Psychologist A presentation in response to Reser , Bradley & Ellul , 2013. Reser , Bradley & Ellul. Climate change a source of concern for many Australians

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“Too BIG to talk about”

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  1. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental Psychologist A presentation in response to Reser, Bradley & Ellul, 2013

  2. Reser, Bradley & Ellul • Climate change a source of concern for many Australians • Encounters with climate change produce strong emotions • sadness/grief, fear/concern, hopelessness; frustration/anger • realisation, motivation

  3. Difficult to talk about • Geographical distance & slow changes • Background to our lives • Large complex systems • STRONG FEELINGS

  4. Situated in a polarised debate • happening or not? • human induced or not? • Healthy discussion • how are you feeling about it? • what can we do about it?

  5. Important to • Address psychological & social distress • Motivate action for adaptation & amelioration • Create appropriate social spaces in which people can adequately make sense of and emotionally process their encounters with climate change

  6. Existing techniques • Originating in encounter groups • Joanna Macy • Ecopsychology, eco-therapy • ‘eco-anxiety’, ‘stages of awakening’, ‘end of suburbia moment’ • healthy but distressing psych. response to what is currently happening on the planet

  7. Key elements • Non-ordinary social space • Opportunity for expressing strong thoughts and feelings • Validated as normal & valuable • Visioning for positive alternative • Action planning (systems)

  8. Examples

  9. Formal evaluations? • ‘not alone’ & empowered (Bragg 1996) • success of action plans (SFA) • direction of university students (Brennan 2011) • psychotherapeutic analysis (Hollis-Walker 2012) • positive emotions & self-efficacy (Terrell 2012)

  10. Be the Change (Terrell 2012) Which word best describes your attitude towards the ecological crisis?

  11. Groups not individuals • Making sense • Support each other • Solutions are collective and systemic • “How can we best support each other to face and respond to our encounter with climate change?”

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