Linda introduces us to the world of anxiety with respect to Climate Change, gives us some statistics to indicate the size of the problem, gives examples of how the anxiety/distress can manifest itself
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Linda introduces us to the world of anxiety with respect to Climate Change, gives us some statistics to indicate the size of the problem, gives examples of how the anxiety/distress can manifest itself, and suggests steps to be taken to ameliorate the condition for both individuals and corporations
Video Timeline (min:sec):
00:00 - 01:46 Introduction
01:46 - 34:15 Presentation
34:15 - 55:47 Q & A session
00:10:35 Jacky Lawrence: Hello, my microphone is still not working.
00:10:57 Jacky Lawrence: I now have eco anxiety because of the USA
00:15:38 Cathy Aubertin: Broadhempston in Devon
00:16:05 Michelle Golder: Hi I'm in Haslingfield, Sth cambs
00:16:06 Stuart Bacon: Huncote, Leicestershire
00:16:09 Cathy Aubertin: recommended by a colleague
00:16:11 Jacky Lawrence, Napton, Warwickshire: Napton, Warwickshire, I've heard you talk before. Napton Environmental Action Team and the Low Carbon Warwickshire Network.
00:16:26 Wendy Thomson: Hi, I'm based in Gloucestershire and have a small eco business and trying m y best to reduce my own carbon footprint while encouraging other to as well. www.wendygoesgreen.co.uk
00:17:03 Michelle Golder: What Stuart said!!!
00:18:00 Jacky Lawrence, Napton, Warwickshire: yes you did
00:18:26 Cara Naden: Somerset!
00:19:09 Wendy Thomson: Sounds good idea Linda!
00:37:49 Cara Naden: What age are the young people - would say myself and some peers feel the same..
00:37:58 Michelle Golder: Reacted to "What age are the you..." with 👍
00:57:33 Jennifer Lanham: Thanks so much Linda. As an American living abroad I was deeply upset by the news this morning and am grieving, but am feeling better now following your presentation.
01:00:20 Cara Naden: Reacted to "Thanks so much Linda..." with 💚
01:16:57 Jacky Lawrence, Napton, Warwickshire: thank you
01:17:06 Cathy Aubertin: thank you
Nov 06, 2024 11:45 AM London ID: 834 5460 8536
The group discussed their reactions to the United States election results and the psychological impact of climate change on individuals, particularly young people. They also explored strategies for coping with eco-anxiety, the importance of mental well-being within organizational priorities, and the challenges of addressing climate change. The conversation ended with an invitation for Linda to return in a month's time for another session.
Linda to share presentation slides and additional resources with attendees.
Attendees to explore recommended books, including "Not the End of the World" by Hannah Ritchie and "How to Talk About Climate Change" by Rebecca Huntley.
Attendees to consider implementing climate cafe listening circles or similar spaces for discussing climate-related emotions in their organizations.
Attendees to explore ways to connect with nature and engage in physical activities to cope with eco-anxiety.
Attendees to investigate resources for talking to young people about climate change, such as those available on the Climate Psychology Alliance website.
Linda to return for another session in a month's time to continue the discussion on climate psychology.
Interested attendees to connect with Linda on LinkedIn or visit her website for further resources and support.
Reactions to US Election Results
Graham and Linda discussed their reactions to the United States election results, expressing disappointment and disbelief. They agreed that the outcome was surprising and concerning, with Linda comparing it to a "chilling" film about Donald Trump's earlier career. Despite the negative outcome, they noted that 17 people had signed up for this event, indicating some level of optimism. Linda also shared her coping strategy for dealing with the anxiety caused by the election results, suggesting denial as a temporary solution.
Stuart's Home History and Energy Ideas
Stuart Withington and Graham discuss the history of Stuart's 13th-14th century home in Great Dunmow, Essex, including details about its construction and the dissolution of monasteries. They also talk about new insurance rules requiring chimneys to be a certain distance from thatched roofs. Graham shares information he learned about using wind turbines to compress liquid air for energy storage. Stuart expresses feeling hopeless about increasing greenhouse gas emissions, but Graham mentions ideas like using EV batteries for home energy storage as reasons for optimism.
Geographical Distribution and Personal Experience
Linda, Graham, and others discussed the geographical distribution of their group members. Linda asked everyone to share their locations, which included Devon, South Cambridge, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. Graham mentioned a subdivision of Minehead called Woodcomb, where he grew up. The group also discussed the possibility of more members joining and the importance of turning on cameras for a more personal experience. Cara mentioned her friend Adrian Tate, a psychologist who is a founder of the Climate Psychology Alliance.
Eco-Anxiety: Causes and Coping Strategies
Linda, a psychotherapeutic counsellor and climate psychologist, discussed the topic of eco-anxiety and its impact on individuals and organizations. She emphasized that climate change is not just about global heating and extreme weather events, but also about ecological and biodiversity damage, systemic pollution, and social justice issues. Linda also highlighted the increasing frequency of natural disasters and the alarming rate of wildlife population decline. She introduced the concept of eco-anxiety as a deep sense of loss and helplessness caused by the awareness of these issues. Linda's presentation was part of a broader discussion on strategies to cope with eco-anxiety, which she planned to cover in the following parts of the meeting.
Climate Change's Psychological Impact
Linda discussed the psychological impact of climate change and eco distress on individuals, particularly young people. She highlighted that climate distress is a normal response to the ecological threats we face and is not an illness. Linda emphasized that it's essential to acknowledge and understand the feelings of loss, helplessness, and powerlessness that many people experience due to climate change. She also noted that climate distress can lead to isolation, alienation, and a sense of betrayal, particularly among young people who feel ignored or dismissed when trying to discuss climate change. Linda suggested that acknowledging these feelings and engaging in meaningful action can be beneficial, but without moderation and resilience-building, it can lead to burnout. She also touched on the far-reaching impacts of climate change on mental health, including increased rates of suicide and risk of dying during heatwaves. Linda concluded by encouraging participants to reflect on their own responses to climate change and to consider how they can support others in their communities.
Mental Well-Being and Climate Anxiety
Linda discussed the importance of mental well-being within organizational priorities, emphasizing the need to address the ongoing anxiety surrounding climate change. She introduced the concept of "the work that reconnects" as a tool for building resilience and promoting new thinking. Linda outlined three personal strategies for resilience: finding ways to talk about feelings, cultivating new thinking, and connecting and reconnecting. She also suggested organizational strategies such as talking about climate feelings, ensuring leaders are engaged, and championing community initiatives. Linda encouraged the use of resources like the Climate Psychology Alliance and Thoughtbox Education for further support. The conversation ended with an invitation for questions.
Addressing Climate Change and Belief
Linda discussed the growing concern of climate change and its impact on people's lives. She noted that while the numbers are alarming, it's difficult to determine the exact proportion of people who don't believe in climate change. Graham asked about the proportion of people who don't get it, to which Linda responded that it varies across the world and is influenced by political and unconscious processes. Cara expressed her concern about the lack of attention given to climate change and suggested that more listening and understanding of people's fears and aspirations could help. Rick raised a point about people who have experienced floods or fires being less likely to believe in climate change, and Linda agreed, noting that people often build up defences and believe in exceptionalism. The group also discussed the issue of flying and its impact on carbon emissions, with Rick expressing his decision to never fly again unless it's an emergency.
Navigating Despair and Finding Hope
Michelle expressed her struggle with despair and hopelessness, particularly in the context of climate change and her local community's response. She felt overwhelmed and helpless, unable to find comfort or hope. Jennifer, on the other hand, emphasized the need to rise up and fight harder, despite the challenges. She mentioned her participation in the March for Clean Water and her efforts to spread positivity. Linda shared her own experience of feeling overwhelmed and found solace in the simple act of feeding the birds in her backyard. Stuart Withington suggested two books that he found helpful: "Not the End of the World" by Hannah Ritchie, which offers a different perspective on palm oil, and "How to Talk About Climate Change" by Rebecca Huntley, which emphasizes the co-benefits of tackling climate change.
Addressing Climate Change and Disavowal
The meeting focused on the psychological aspects of climate change and the challenges of addressing it. Linda discussed the concept of disavowal, a state where individuals know and don't know about climate change simultaneously, often due to cognitive dissonance. She also shared her experiences with climate cafes, which provide a space for people to express their feelings about climate change without judgment, leading to a sense of relief and often inspiring individuals to take action. The conversation ended with an invitation for Linda to return in a month's time for another session.
WEBVTT
1 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:10.359 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Hello, Linda! I see you're up and early.
2 00:07:12.960 --> 00:07:17.799 linda aspey: Hello! There, Graham, I see you're already recording. Do you know you're already recording.
3 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:21.619 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Yeah, well, we I just trim the beginning stuff off the end. Is that all right?
4 00:07:23.250 --> 00:07:25.460 linda aspey: Yes, that's fine. How's your morning? Gone?
5 00:07:26.280 --> 00:07:27.280 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: I have
6 00:07:27.390 --> 00:07:29.689 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: been more successful in the past.
7 00:07:32.210 --> 00:07:42.819 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: I've you know there's a whole list of things to do. And then you saw you think I'm spinning in to cross them off. And oops! I can't quite finish that one, and I can't quite finish that one.
8 00:07:43.510 --> 00:07:44.910 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: But never mind a
9 00:07:45.570 --> 00:07:46.630 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: and yourself.
10 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:52.250 linda aspey: Well, I think, like many people, we're all in a state of unsurprised shock.
11 00:07:52.500 --> 00:07:57.260 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Oh, yes, about the United States. Awful! Awful!
12 00:07:57.260 --> 00:08:06.470 linda aspey: I understand, believable particularly for for women and for climate change, and he's promised trillions to big oil, you know.
13 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:14.009 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: My daughter is an American citizen, and she texted me to say that she was very, very embarrassed, and I thought, Wow.
14 00:08:14.910 --> 00:08:17.629 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: it's very, unkind for her. But
15 00:08:17.960 --> 00:08:22.319 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: yes, awful! I don't. Has it actually got to the point where it's now
16 00:08:22.490 --> 00:08:25.359 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: confirmed? Are we still waiting for the last couple.
17 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:33.019 linda aspey: We're waiting for the last couple, but there's 4 votes that will take him to the majority he needs, so that will happen anywhere.
18 00:08:33.020 --> 00:08:33.770 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Yeah.
19 00:08:34.039 --> 00:08:44.409 linda aspey: So, even if Pennsylvania a swing state, I think I don't know if that's in yet. Even if Pennsylvania was declared in favour of Kamala. I don't think it would be. It's too far gone.
20 00:08:44.660 --> 00:08:45.939 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Oh, Pennsylvania is only going.
21 00:08:45.940 --> 00:08:50.599 linda aspey: The history books will look back in absolute gobsmacked
22 00:08:51.370 --> 00:08:54.290 linda aspey: astonishment at how one man could.
23 00:08:54.680 --> 00:08:55.490 linda aspey: Wow, yeah.
24 00:08:55.490 --> 00:08:58.040 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Many people so much of the time. Yes.
25 00:08:59.150 --> 00:09:05.570 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: it's a great case of saying, if you say things loudly enough and positive enough, people will believe you.
26 00:09:05.570 --> 00:09:06.280 linda aspey: Even though.
27 00:09:06.280 --> 00:09:07.830 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: It's nonsense.
28 00:09:07.830 --> 00:09:09.310 linda aspey: That's very true.
29 00:09:09.310 --> 00:09:09.730 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Right.
30 00:09:09.730 --> 00:09:11.980 linda aspey: The film, the Apprentice.
31 00:09:12.250 --> 00:09:16.590 linda aspey: which is a film about Donald Trump's earlier career.
32 00:09:16.800 --> 00:09:26.180 linda aspey: Right? It's chilling because you do get a real sense of the man, and how he was built, and how he thinks it's chilling.
33 00:09:26.180 --> 00:09:29.509 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: And you just don't want that person as a President. No.
34 00:09:29.780 --> 00:09:30.990 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: very worrying.
35 00:09:33.190 --> 00:09:34.010 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: I don't.
36 00:09:37.130 --> 00:09:40.959 linda aspey: So you don't necessarily know the sign ups. It's just whoever comes. Isn't that right?
37 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:43.569 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Well, I do, actually. Hi, Stuart!
38 00:09:43.897 --> 00:09:45.440 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Let me just go and see.
39 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:46.329 Stuart Bacon: Good morning!
40 00:09:46.330 --> 00:09:48.250 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Who's going to be coming? I can't.
41 00:09:49.020 --> 00:09:50.320 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: There is a way around it.
42 00:10:24.140 --> 00:10:25.500 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: You obviously
43 00:10:25.610 --> 00:10:30.440 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: a popular person, Linda. We've got 17 signed up so far.
44 00:10:30.680 --> 00:10:35.289 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: and there's nearly always someone who leaves it to the last very second. So
45 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:39.137 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: you count as one of the good guys.
46 00:10:39.550 --> 00:10:40.320 linda aspey: Join
47 00:10:41.150 --> 00:10:42.020 linda aspey: yes.
48 00:10:42.020 --> 00:10:49.180 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Hey? So what's the note from Jackie? Okay, Jackie. Well, we were going to suffer in silence from you. In that case.
49 00:10:49.900 --> 00:10:52.349 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: hopefully, you all will be well.
50 00:10:58.530 --> 00:11:01.300 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: I'm looking. Oh, it's a tree, is it? Behind?
51 00:11:01.540 --> 00:11:02.260 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Yeah.
52 00:11:02.260 --> 00:11:04.814 linda aspey: Society. Yeah, so do we, Jackie?
53 00:11:05.300 --> 00:11:06.450 linda aspey: Yeah.
54 00:11:07.430 --> 00:11:10.120 linda aspey: I said to her on a on a Facebook
55 00:11:10.510 --> 00:11:21.979 linda aspey: post to a friend today, my strategy is just going to be pretending that just like lots of people are pretending that climate change isn't happening. I'm pretending the election hasn't really happened. I'm going to be in denial today. It's a nice.
56 00:11:21.990 --> 00:11:24.480 linda aspey: warm, cozy place to be.
57 00:11:28.280 --> 00:11:32.480 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: That how you teach people to cope with anxiety, just deny it.
58 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:34.769 linda aspey: Well, that's what most people are doing. Yeah, exactly.
59 00:11:34.770 --> 00:11:37.869 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: That's true. Yes, yes, oh dear.
60 00:11:38.310 --> 00:11:39.409 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Hi, Stuart!
61 00:11:39.920 --> 00:11:40.690 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: I.
62 00:11:40.690 --> 00:11:44.659 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: In in Essex as opposed to Stuart, somewhere up in Leicestershire, or weird.
63 00:11:44.660 --> 00:11:45.300 linda aspey: Cool.
64 00:11:45.610 --> 00:11:49.080 linda aspey: That looks like a lovely period property you've got there, Stuart.
65 00:11:50.574 --> 00:11:57.359 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Thank you. Yeah. English heritage. Think it might be 13, th 14th century.
66 00:11:59.150 --> 00:12:02.390 linda aspey: Wow! Where are you in the country?
67 00:12:03.030 --> 00:12:03.720 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Sorry.
68 00:12:03.920 --> 00:12:05.730 linda aspey: Where are you in the country.
69 00:12:06.368 --> 00:12:08.080 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Great Dunmo in Essex.
70 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:09.440 linda aspey: Oh, lovely. Yeah, yeah.
71 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:11.220 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Near Stansted Airport.
72 00:12:11.220 --> 00:12:12.640 linda aspey: Yeah, yeah.
73 00:12:14.070 --> 00:12:14.780 linda aspey: I don't know.
74 00:12:14.780 --> 00:12:18.810 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Did have dendroctionology done on the new extension.
75 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:19.770 linda aspey: You too.
76 00:12:19.980 --> 00:12:23.710 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: And they reckon the trees for that were felled
77 00:12:25.410 --> 00:12:26.890 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: mid. Partner.
78 00:12:27.220 --> 00:12:29.619 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: 1536. Something like that.
79 00:12:30.430 --> 00:12:31.520 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: What fun!
80 00:12:32.250 --> 00:12:36.380 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Which sort of coincided with the dissolution of the monasteries.
81 00:12:36.620 --> 00:12:37.130 linda aspey: Wow!
82 00:12:37.130 --> 00:12:40.189 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: And they think that the monks
83 00:12:40.410 --> 00:12:45.569 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: chopped down sold a lot of the trees before the king could get his hands on them.
84 00:12:47.580 --> 00:12:48.220 linda aspey: Oh!
85 00:12:48.220 --> 00:12:50.270 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Fascinating.
86 00:12:51.180 --> 00:12:53.989 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Yes, I say that that's the new extension bit.
87 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:58.739 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: It's the little quirks of history that I think make it so much more intriguing.
88 00:12:59.150 --> 00:12:59.930 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Yes.
89 00:12:59.930 --> 00:13:03.719 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: The monks could see what was happening, so they used to went out and dropped them down quickly.
90 00:13:04.010 --> 00:13:04.670 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Yes.
91 00:13:06.170 --> 00:13:07.140 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Idea.
92 00:13:11.080 --> 00:13:17.800 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: The last 13th century cottage I lived in. Stuart had a very thick thatched roof. But you aren't thatched, are you?
93 00:13:18.891 --> 00:13:20.700 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: No, it's peg tiles roof.
94 00:13:21.540 --> 00:13:26.760 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: I gather that they've just changed the rules on chimneys, on thatched houses
95 00:13:27.210 --> 00:13:32.029 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: in order to get insurance. They have to be a minimum of 1.8 meters.
96 00:13:33.830 --> 00:13:34.530 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Wow!
97 00:13:34.530 --> 00:13:34.960 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Yeah.
98 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:36.090 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: The thatch.
99 00:13:36.490 --> 00:13:37.270 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Wow!
100 00:13:37.970 --> 00:13:39.789 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Which is going to cause problems.
101 00:13:39.950 --> 00:13:43.130 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: A lot of people are going to have to rebuild their chimneys. Goodness me!
102 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:44.030 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Yes.
103 00:13:45.790 --> 00:13:46.440 linda aspey: Yeah.
104 00:13:53.960 --> 00:13:54.690 Stuart Bacon: Thank God!
105 00:13:55.370 --> 00:13:58.659 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: The way this this tends to work, Linda, is that
106 00:13:59.021 --> 00:14:03.659 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: there are those who feel that it would be discourteous to arrive on time.
107 00:14:03.760 --> 00:14:09.410 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: and then there are those who never actually managed to make it until about 5 min later.
108 00:14:09.650 --> 00:14:17.649 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: and so we tend to sort of blather amongst ourselves for 5 min, whilst the latecomers get off their phone calls or out of their previous meetings, or whatever.
109 00:14:19.590 --> 00:14:23.350 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: I was listening this morning to an energy
110 00:14:23.370 --> 00:14:28.759 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: storage and distribution conversation that went on for hours. And
111 00:14:28.830 --> 00:14:34.640 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: it's actually very encouraging to discover that there are so many people doing so much
112 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:38.569 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: in sort of getting the infrastructure in place
113 00:14:38.770 --> 00:14:39.400 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: and
114 00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:43.980 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: new new ideas coming up all the time.
115 00:14:44.280 --> 00:14:57.320 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: So I had realised. There's 1 company now that is, using wind turbines, of which we have plenty, and as the turbine is going around, not only is it generating electricity, but it's also compressing liquid air.
116 00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:01.869 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: and so it's doing a storage and capture facility at the same time.
117 00:15:02.780 --> 00:15:04.310 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: which I thought was quite clever.
118 00:15:04.310 --> 00:15:05.440 linda aspey: Amazing. Yeah.
119 00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:12.170 linda aspey: yeah, would people like to put in the chat box where they're dialing in from? That would be really lovely for me to get.
120 00:15:12.170 --> 00:15:13.329 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: It's a very good idea.
121 00:15:13.330 --> 00:15:15.200 linda aspey: Of your location.
122 00:15:16.110 --> 00:15:22.080 linda aspey: Your role, too, if you want to. You don't have to. But just where? Where are you? In the world? In the country.
123 00:15:24.100 --> 00:15:25.929 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: I've done that in my name.
124 00:15:26.966 --> 00:15:29.039 linda aspey: You've done that. Thank you, Stuart. Yeah.
125 00:15:32.850 --> 00:15:41.449 linda aspey: And if you want, you can say what brought you here. There's lots of other things you could be doing with your time today like reading about Donald Trump or not.
126 00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:41.950 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Done.
127 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:47.259 linda aspey: So what brought you here to this session, if you want to? Otherwise just your location would be great.
128 00:15:47.680 --> 00:15:51.110 linda aspey: So we've got Devon beautiful, broad Hempstead. I haven't been there.
129 00:16:03.820 --> 00:16:05.307 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Yeah, just to
130 00:16:06.450 --> 00:16:08.946 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Add to Graham's point.
131 00:16:10.140 --> 00:16:17.739 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: I'm always heartened by reading and learning what other people in other industries are doing.
132 00:16:17.990 --> 00:16:19.430 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: And
133 00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:22.229 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: sometimes you think, Oh, there's still hope.
134 00:16:22.260 --> 00:16:25.809 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Yeah. But then you look at the scale of
135 00:16:26.530 --> 00:16:36.720 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: the amount of greenhouse gases which was still put into the environment, and I think last year was the highest year ever.
136 00:16:37.160 --> 00:16:43.220 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: and it still seems to be increasing. They think it's gonna peak around about 2025.
137 00:16:45.230 --> 00:16:50.089 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: But I I just left left feeling absolutely hopeless.
138 00:16:50.760 --> 00:16:54.582 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: And then then you get Donald trump gets reelected. You think.
139 00:16:55.220 --> 00:16:55.860 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: okay.
140 00:16:55.860 --> 00:16:57.040 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: That's yeah.
141 00:16:57.310 --> 00:17:03.560 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Yeah. Never mind. One of the the conversations I was listening to this morning said that
142 00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:17.370 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: every house needs to have a battery to store electricity when the renewables are not available. But then they said, but however, don't go out and buy a new battery. Just go and buy an Ev, and you can use that instead.
143 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:18.119 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: So
144 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:20.400 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: so people are thinking.
145 00:17:22.679 --> 00:17:26.509 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Yes, and a lot of the newer Evs are sort of bi-directional.
146 00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:28.559 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Yes, exactly.
147 00:17:28.739 --> 00:17:30.469 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: So. Did you make your decision yet?
148 00:17:30.470 --> 00:17:53.670 linda aspey: Coming from. Can I just read out where people are coming from? Graham? That would be great. We've got Devon we've got. We've got dunno. We've got Devon. We've got South Cambridge, Leicestershire. We've got Kathy. I'm not sure where Catherine, Jackie Lawrence from Napton. Jackie. I thought your face was. Familiar when I saw your picture with your hand up, I think I might have met you in Shipston on Stowa
149 00:17:54.170 --> 00:17:57.529 linda aspey: and Wendy in Gloucestershire.
150 00:17:57.670 --> 00:18:00.190 linda aspey: and what Stuart said.
151 00:18:01.900 --> 00:18:06.130 linda aspey: I don't know what that means in terms of place, but what Stuart said. There you go.
152 00:18:06.130 --> 00:18:15.089 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: I think she was referring to his comment, that how things are going really, really well, when you discover about them and then trump gets in.
153 00:18:15.250 --> 00:18:16.230 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: and then.
154 00:18:17.330 --> 00:18:18.210 linda aspey: I know.
155 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:19.790 linda aspey: Yeah.
156 00:18:20.590 --> 00:18:25.879 linda aspey: So, Cara, if you wanted to put where you are in the country, in your chat.
157 00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:28.869 linda aspey: and and Gary's got caution there.
158 00:18:29.530 --> 00:18:32.540 linda aspey: and Jan Burnell Somerset beautiful.
159 00:18:35.910 --> 00:18:46.619 linda aspey: I was fantasizing the other day about buying a property with several friends to go and live in an intentional community in Minehead looks really nice in
160 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:53.130 linda aspey: grow our own food. Have a little lake there as well have our own water supply.
161 00:18:55.100 --> 00:18:59.730 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: There's a little subdivision of Minehead called Woodcombe, which is where I grew up.
162 00:19:01.580 --> 00:19:02.270 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Yeah.
163 00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:06.629 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: I thought mine head was just a big buttman's camp.
164 00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:08.320 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: There is about.
165 00:19:08.320 --> 00:19:09.060 Cara Naden: Let's go.
166 00:19:09.060 --> 00:19:09.910 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Fortunately.
167 00:19:09.910 --> 00:19:10.580 Cara Naden: In the far.
168 00:19:10.580 --> 00:19:10.910 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: And
169 00:19:11.310 --> 00:19:12.790 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: our end of the beach
170 00:19:13.040 --> 00:19:17.420 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: well away from the bustle of the the town.
171 00:19:18.410 --> 00:19:19.090 linda aspey: Yeah.
172 00:19:22.590 --> 00:19:25.770 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: So in theory, we should be getting another 4 or 5 people.
173 00:19:25.970 --> 00:19:28.679 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: so we'll give them a couple more minutes.
174 00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:44.430 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Terrific.
175 00:19:46.970 --> 00:20:00.640 linda aspey: And if you are, if people, if you are able to put your cameras on that, it's not always possible, or it's not always convenient for you, but it is much nicer for me to to see people real people at the end of the screen.
176 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:02.530 linda aspey: That's lovely. If you can
177 00:20:02.930 --> 00:20:04.150 linda aspey: thank you.
178 00:20:08.670 --> 00:20:10.830 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: People's bandwidths are not up to it.
179 00:20:11.120 --> 00:20:12.670 linda aspey: Yeah, absolutely.
180 00:20:14.340 --> 00:20:19.130 linda aspey: And they're sometimes juggling the kids on the lap, or or the dog, or the cat.
181 00:20:19.250 --> 00:20:20.380 linda aspey: or both.
182 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:32.760 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Still another 6 people in theory joining us.
183 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:35.800 linda aspey: Yeah. Hi, Kari, did you have a question.
184 00:20:36.130 --> 00:20:39.705 Cara Naden: Yeah, so do while we're waiting for new people to join.
185 00:20:40.855 --> 00:20:45.104 Cara Naden: I was wondering whether you knew one of my friends
186 00:20:46.270 --> 00:20:48.569 Cara Naden: who used to be a psychologist
187 00:20:48.810 --> 00:20:52.049 Cara Naden: with that with your group, I think Adrian Tate.
188 00:20:52.210 --> 00:20:52.870 linda aspey: Yes.
189 00:20:55.260 --> 00:20:56.030 linda aspey: indeed!
190 00:20:56.030 --> 00:20:56.800 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Oh, well.
191 00:20:57.960 --> 00:20:59.400 linda aspey: Massive inspiration.
192 00:20:59.660 --> 00:21:01.280 Cara Naden: Yeah, nice. In fact, I'm
193 00:21:01.420 --> 00:21:02.720 Cara Naden: well, I don't know
194 00:21:02.990 --> 00:21:05.680 Cara Naden: less than a quarter of a mile from where he lives. At the moment.
195 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:07.070 linda aspey: All right. Yeah.
196 00:21:07.600 --> 00:21:10.699 linda aspey: Well, he's 1 of the founders of the Climate Psychology alliance.
197 00:21:11.060 --> 00:21:14.670 linda aspey: So he's still with us, not not as active as he was, but.
198 00:21:15.260 --> 00:21:15.900 Cara Naden: Okay.
199 00:21:17.310 --> 00:21:21.729 Cara Naden: I did a great course as well with him a while back, which I'm happy to comment about.
200 00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:24.090 linda aspey: Wonderful. Thank you. Yeah.
201 00:21:25.540 --> 00:21:34.919 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: I wonder, Linda, if we ought to assume that this is what we're going to get. So perhaps you'd like to introduce yourself and tell us what you're going to talk about, and then feel free to race on.
202 00:21:35.210 --> 00:21:46.470 linda aspey: Okay. Thank you. So yes, I'm I'm Linda, and I'm in more. I'm in ships on Star or near ships on Star, and also Moreton in the Marsh, in Warwickshire.
203 00:21:47.150 --> 00:22:12.379 linda aspey: and I'm a psychotherapeutic counselor coach, a facilitator and a climate psychologist. And I've been working in the area of climate psychology. I'm not a chartered psychologist. There are lots of different versions of that. But I'm working mostly with people around climate change, eco anxiety. And those kind of things working in organisations, hey, Jennifer? Nice to see you.
204 00:22:13.120 --> 00:22:15.689 linda aspey: and so great to see you.
205 00:22:16.030 --> 00:22:29.880 linda aspey: And so I got 1st involved in in understanding a lot more about climate around 6, 7 years ago, when extinction rebellion came to the fore. And so since then I've been taking a very deep dive into it.
206 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:35.050 linda aspey: So for this session. We're going to talk about eco-anxiety, eco distress.
207 00:22:35.110 --> 00:22:39.490 linda aspey: And look at some strategies that companies and individuals can use.
208 00:22:39.510 --> 00:22:52.550 linda aspey: And I'll look a little bit at the climate psychology as well. So, according to Graham's instructions, which are very helpful, we've got a little bit of just an opening, and then I'll do a presentation of a roundabout, probably 20 min
209 00:22:52.790 --> 00:23:03.169 linda aspey: with some slides, and then time for talk and conversation, and I'm happy to stay on a bit afterwards. If anybody wants to talk, and I'll be signposting some resources at the end.
210 00:23:03.510 --> 00:23:05.169 linda aspey: so I'll click off.
211 00:23:05.670 --> 00:23:11.509 linda aspey: So thank you all for giving your time here. So I'm just going to check that. I can share the slides
212 00:23:15.210 --> 00:23:16.390 linda aspey: and
213 00:23:17.750 --> 00:23:22.479 linda aspey: let me share my slides. So I'm going to go 1st of all. Here.
214 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:23.970 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: And good.
215 00:23:23.970 --> 00:23:39.520 linda aspey: So what I do is, I said, I work with leaders, and I work with organizations and individuals to help them to develop cultures that care for a rapidly changing world. And I'm also a board member of the Climate Psychology Alliance.
216 00:23:39.520 --> 00:23:56.010 linda aspey: and I'm responsible for the growth and the delivery of climate cafe listening circles. Amongst other things, I'm involved in several projects. So that's a volunteer role. So we'll talk about strategies and emotional anxiety.
217 00:23:56.080 --> 00:23:59.930 linda aspey: So that's what we're going to cover. We're going to cover what it is and what it's not.
218 00:24:00.250 --> 00:24:08.449 linda aspey: I'm going to give a very brief introduction to climate psychology, because that's, I think, important to know as to how we are here in a way.
219 00:24:08.560 --> 00:24:12.359 linda aspey: and some strategies. I take a head, heart, and hands approach.
220 00:24:13.990 --> 00:24:28.170 linda aspey: and this talk may not be easy for everybody. I do aim to leave you feeling informed and equipped, but I'm going to take it slowly in parts, because there is some new information that people can find hard. We're dealing with difficult times.
221 00:24:28.520 --> 00:24:34.130 linda aspey: So my 1st question really is, are we living in an as if world a lot of the time.
222 00:24:34.140 --> 00:24:40.950 linda aspey: Here you can see some artificial grass cleaner that smells like freshly grown grass.
223 00:24:41.320 --> 00:24:56.540 linda aspey: So not only are we creating a world where we've got fake grass. We're creating cleaner. That smells like the real thing in a company bottle called Ecofective. So I want just to leave that with you. That idea that we're living in a world full of. As if
224 00:24:59.110 --> 00:25:17.360 linda aspey: so, behind the phrase climate change, because we talk about climate change quite glibly, often behind the phrase is quite a lot of stuff going on. It's a catch-all term, often for global heating and extreme weather events, ecological and biodiversity, damage and loss and systemic pollution, and much more.
225 00:25:17.990 --> 00:25:22.089 linda aspey: it does impact those who are most disadvantaged and vulnerable already.
226 00:25:22.150 --> 00:25:26.760 linda aspey: by whatever means, that is, race, class, age, sex, education.
227 00:25:26.840 --> 00:25:30.060 linda aspey: social socioeconomic status, mental health.
228 00:25:31.120 --> 00:25:38.759 linda aspey: It is a social justice issue. It's rooted in and is symptomatic of deep and wide systemic malaise. Inequality
229 00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:48.320 linda aspey: are rooted in this particular era and colonialism, and some would say neoliberal entitlement. And it impacts those who've done the least to cause it.
230 00:25:49.360 --> 00:25:53.509 linda aspey: And it impacts all species, human and non-human life forms.
231 00:25:53.890 --> 00:26:03.560 linda aspey: And some people are now saying, climate change isn't really a great term. It's metacrisis omni crisis. Polycrisis. This morning we've got trump crisis. So
232 00:26:03.810 --> 00:26:13.220 linda aspey: you know there's lots of different ways to describe it. But I want to just put that there in terms of the context, because I think that helps us to understand some of the anxiety that we're seeing.
233 00:26:13.860 --> 00:26:22.509 linda aspey: So of course, the reality behind this, as if world of everything's fine is actually, we've got increasing forest fires around the world.
234 00:26:24.310 --> 00:26:28.540 linda aspey: We've got floods around the world. They've been happening for years.
235 00:26:28.710 --> 00:26:40.590 linda aspey: and now we're hearing much more. This was from Cop 26 in Glasgow. This was the paper on the day climate crisis on your doorstep. So it's coming closer, and we're not able to look away so much anymore.
236 00:26:40.860 --> 00:26:44.890 linda aspey: And this was Vauxhall Elms a couple of years ago.
237 00:26:45.120 --> 00:26:53.469 linda aspey: And of course we've seen much worse flooding. So this is the context of what we're seeing. And we're also hearing more and more reports about biodiversity loss.
238 00:26:53.940 --> 00:27:00.669 linda aspey: So 73% is a stark figure. And this was a living planet. Report out last month
239 00:27:01.300 --> 00:27:11.860 linda aspey: that it took 76 million years to build our biodiversity. And yet wildlife populations are globally down by an average of 73% in the last 50 years.
240 00:27:13.850 --> 00:27:17.049 linda aspey: If we think of that timeframe as 24 h.
241 00:27:17.280 --> 00:27:20.069 linda aspey: we destroyed 3 quarters of the rest of life
242 00:27:20.190 --> 00:27:22.790 linda aspey: in the last 0 point 0 6 seconds.
243 00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:30.669 linda aspey: So you can see from these kind of figures where that there are some serious things happening in the world.
244 00:27:31.810 --> 00:27:35.220 linda aspey: And of course we're way off track. Addressing it.
245 00:27:35.260 --> 00:27:48.180 linda aspey: we passed a safe level of Co. 2 in the in the late nineties, and Banks are still financing fossil fuels. At the time of this chart to the tune of 3.8 trillion dollars.
246 00:27:49.050 --> 00:27:55.590 linda aspey: despite all lots of global agreements. So this is the context for why people are anxious.
247 00:27:56.530 --> 00:27:59.669 linda aspey: So what is this term Eco-anxiety.
248 00:28:00.970 --> 00:28:06.729 linda aspey: Well, briefly, one could say, it's just being deeply affected by feelings of loss and helplessness
249 00:28:06.820 --> 00:28:11.150 linda aspey: and frustration, linked to a sense of inability to make a difference.
250 00:28:11.280 --> 00:28:18.539 linda aspey: and my sense is a lot of people this morning will be feeling that about world events with trump and and other world events, of course.
251 00:28:18.950 --> 00:28:23.570 linda aspey: So it's been deeply affected by these feelings of loss and helplessness
252 00:28:23.670 --> 00:28:26.060 linda aspey: and that sort of powerlessness
253 00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:28.519 linda aspey: around what's happening in the world.
254 00:28:30.830 --> 00:28:51.609 linda aspey: practitioners and scholars are now moving really to the word distress, because anxiety can slightly pathologise something, and it's like an anxiety syndrome. Or I've got anxiety. It's a normal response. And that's it's a heightened emotional, mental or bodily response into dangerous changes in our climate system.
255 00:28:53.140 --> 00:29:00.249 linda aspey: It's actually an inevitable and even healthy response to the ecological threats we're facing. If we weren't having these responses
256 00:29:00.320 --> 00:29:06.699 linda aspey: we would be ignoring the reality of what's going on and ignoring that reality isn't very good for anybody.
257 00:29:07.840 --> 00:29:13.729 linda aspey: And, in fact, in the climate, psychology, alliance handbook, we say, paying heed to what is happening in our communities
258 00:29:13.820 --> 00:29:20.189 linda aspey: and across the globe is actually a healthier response than turning away in denial or disavowal.
259 00:29:20.770 --> 00:29:31.599 linda aspey: Denial, by the way, is just and disavow. Slightly different denial is a way of saying, No, it's not absolutely not happening. It's not real, it's not true. And here's the evidence that it's not
260 00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:45.009 linda aspey: disavowal is knowing it's true, but pretending it's not sort of knowing and unknowing, not knowing at the same time, and trying to hold both of those in your mind. And it's a regular state that I go into. I like to be in disavow some days. I'd rather not know what's going on.
261 00:29:47.550 --> 00:29:51.110 linda aspey: So some key points about climate and eco distress.
262 00:29:51.310 --> 00:29:58.390 linda aspey: It's not an illness. It's really so important that we stop any newspapers from scaremongering headlines, saying.
263 00:29:58.420 --> 00:30:04.210 linda aspey: You know, the climate activists are making all these people ill. No, we're just waking them up to reality.
264 00:30:05.250 --> 00:30:25.779 linda aspey: So it's understandable. It's healthy. It's not yet fully understood. I've been a counselor for over 30 years. We're still learning about how it's showing up what triggers it, which kind of people tend to get it, which kind of people don't, and what phases in our life we get it. So we're not. We're not on it at all by these at all.
265 00:30:26.290 --> 00:30:36.910 linda aspey: It's experienced, of course, very differently in different countries and cultures. For some, you know, there's some kickback that say, well, what are you white people doing? Having anxiety? We've lived with this for years.
266 00:30:36.940 --> 00:30:39.480 linda aspey: It's been known by us
267 00:30:40.310 --> 00:30:46.050 linda aspey: also, I should say, about culture. Some cultures don't actually have that term anxiety in the same way, because
268 00:30:46.100 --> 00:31:07.990 linda aspey: their loss is not, is often much more deeply entwined with the community and the spirits that live in their community. For example, in the South Pacific, people will regularly speak to their ancestors, and they'll have visions of ancestors. So if they're losing the land. They're losing the place where they're connected with their ancestors. So it's much deeper than just. I'm a bit worried about my future.
269 00:31:09.530 --> 00:31:15.229 linda aspey: But it's particular experience for those working in Earth sciences and conservation in young people and children.
270 00:31:15.270 --> 00:31:33.160 linda aspey: I do a lot of work with Earth scientist people. I've done talks at all sorts of institutions around the world and in London around people who are conserving, trying to conserve nature and their life's work is kind of crumbling sometimes, so it's very hard for them and in young people and children.
271 00:31:33.270 --> 00:31:35.380 linda aspey: because of their fears for the future.
272 00:31:35.450 --> 00:31:40.720 linda aspey: so it can range from mild to severe this level of anxiety, and it can fluctuate on a daily basis.
273 00:31:41.560 --> 00:31:43.299 linda aspey: It can be generalized.
274 00:31:43.410 --> 00:31:52.589 linda aspey: It can be just a general feeling of dread, or it can be a general feeling on one day, and if you've got pre-existing anxiety, it can, of course, be heightened.
275 00:31:53.140 --> 00:31:56.460 linda aspey: It is a dread or fear for the future for yourself or others.
276 00:31:56.720 --> 00:32:18.630 linda aspey: I meet grandparents who've got into things like activism because they have a fear for their children's and grandchildren's future. It can lead to a sense of pointlessness and a desire to give up. I've met young people who've stopped university as a result and think well, there's no point in me getting a degree or no point in me, carrying on with Med School, met a couple of people from Med school who've left
277 00:32:19.120 --> 00:32:24.999 linda aspey: it can lead to a lot of isolation, alienation, isolation, frustration with people who don't get it.
278 00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:41.870 linda aspey: And I think isolation is the thing that I hear most of all from people who are living in 2 worlds. There's 1 world that gets it. And that's often the world of activism, or they're working in sustainability. And then there's another whole world out there where family and friends aren't getting it and not talking about it.
279 00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:57.219 linda aspey: and it can lead to disturbed sleep, distressing dreams, loss of appetite. So if you know anything about anxiety or distress, you'll know that these are fairly common things that happen anyway. But this is triggered specifically by climate.
280 00:32:58.150 --> 00:33:10.800 linda aspey: and it can also get a bit manic. You can get really busy. You can get defensive. It's called a manic defence, where you just get busy to distract yourself. You can get into doom scrolling, and only looking for bad news quite intrusive thoughts.
281 00:33:11.410 --> 00:33:14.309 linda aspey: It can, however, fuel really meaningful action
282 00:33:14.520 --> 00:33:25.290 linda aspey: it certainly has done for me. And it helps to build support networks because you find like-minded people. It can make you change your behaviors, and it can lead to activism. And that can all be good stuff.
283 00:33:25.410 --> 00:33:31.049 linda aspey: but without moderation and resilience building this, can you can actually burn out from that, too.
284 00:33:32.770 --> 00:33:39.569 linda aspey: and freeze and denial, saying it's not happening, and not being able to do anything is also can actually be suppressed anxiety.
285 00:33:39.790 --> 00:33:45.370 linda aspey: So that's a sort of whistle. Stop, tour of of climate. And eco, let's look at some of the statistics.
286 00:33:45.580 --> 00:34:00.170 linda aspey: This is a recent survey done by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, of which I'm an accredited member, and fellow, and they did a survey earlier this year, and 57% of Uk adults say their mental health is affected.
287 00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:04.809 linda aspey: and it rises for those who are younger to 63%.
288 00:34:05.580 --> 00:34:18.250 linda aspey: And it goes to 73% up to 73% for people who've experienced a mental health issue in the last 5 years. Given that one in 4 people have a mental health issue. That's a lot of quite worried people walking around.
289 00:34:19.310 --> 00:34:32.189 linda aspey: And we go through various phases, and there is a you might have known the Change Curve, if you've done any management training from Fisher. So this is done by a colleague of mine, Caroline Hickman, who did some groundbreaking piece of research.
290 00:34:32.260 --> 00:34:38.889 linda aspey: and people become less aware, and then they have the kind of awakening, and then they can feel some anxiety.
291 00:34:38.920 --> 00:34:43.059 linda aspey: and they can have all sorts of feelings like I've been abandoned, and there's no hope
292 00:34:43.090 --> 00:34:48.560 linda aspey: and feel terrified. And and those kind of things, and it can take people into quite a dark place.
293 00:34:48.870 --> 00:34:59.840 linda aspey: and then they find turning points. They find turning points of meeting people, finding others who feel the same way they feel connected back to nature.
294 00:35:00.060 --> 00:35:07.000 linda aspey: So it's a journey. It's not. It's not just that. It's all one slope. You can come back and up it can slide up and down this curve and start back again.
295 00:35:07.110 --> 00:35:10.439 linda aspey: But these are some of the typical things that people describe.
296 00:35:12.250 --> 00:35:22.860 linda aspey: and we can have all sorts of feelings that suddenly feel really really much more alive. So feeling of love for the planet, feeling of hope and connection, and get inspired and
297 00:35:23.010 --> 00:35:30.530 linda aspey: and feel determined and courageous and joyful, and this can be really wonderful, and then it can be overshadowed at times by overwhelm
298 00:35:30.770 --> 00:35:33.210 linda aspey: and fear and guilt.
299 00:35:33.900 --> 00:35:38.179 linda aspey: and shut down. Don't want to know about it, and and anxiety.
300 00:35:38.220 --> 00:35:39.630 linda aspey: I'm a dom.
301 00:35:40.430 --> 00:35:46.610 linda aspey: and and so we can have this kind of strange mishmash of feelings all going on at the same time.
302 00:35:47.460 --> 00:35:52.219 linda aspey: and the isolation. One, I think, is the one that I hear most of all, as I mentioned earlier on.
303 00:35:52.770 --> 00:36:03.879 linda aspey: So in Young People, I'll just very briefly touch on a couple of things. I will share share this data with you afterwards. By the way, a 2021 survey done by my colleague, Caroline Hickman
304 00:36:03.950 --> 00:36:06.630 linda aspey: looked at 10,000 young people.
305 00:36:06.910 --> 00:36:14.039 linda aspey: and 75% believe the future is frightening, and that rises where there are climate events already happening. A lot
306 00:36:14.190 --> 00:36:17.020 linda aspey: more than 50% felt afraid
307 00:36:17.510 --> 00:36:18.740 linda aspey: and anxious.
308 00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:24.929 linda aspey: Betrayal is a theme that comes through a lot. Nearly 60% said governments were betraying me
309 00:36:25.270 --> 00:36:28.440 linda aspey: and not and 64 said governments weren't doing enough.
310 00:36:29.740 --> 00:36:39.970 linda aspey: nearly half feel ignored or dismissed when they try to talk about it. Now this is really important. I think a really important point. Here. Young people are feeling ignored or dismissed when they try and talk.
311 00:36:40.540 --> 00:36:48.590 linda aspey: and 56% think humanity is doomed. And 39% hesitant to have children. That's 1 in 4 young people hesitant to have children.
312 00:36:48.780 --> 00:36:56.529 linda aspey: I don't remember growing up with this, even though I was born at the time, a sort of campaign for nuclear disarmament. It didn't occur to me.
313 00:36:57.040 --> 00:37:10.700 linda aspey: and anxiety is significantly related to perceived government inaction at local government and national government level, international government feelings of betrayal being dismissed and living in fear for the future. And there's a term for it called moral injury.
314 00:37:11.590 --> 00:37:23.150 linda aspey: It's your job to look after me, and you've let me down. You're the grown-ups. You're not letting you're not looking after me, so you can feel, you know, as I say, these things, these are quite powerful words. This is how young people are feeling.
315 00:37:26.450 --> 00:37:35.299 linda aspey: and for those that may not see the screen, it says, so did the grown ups. All fix climate change in Glasgow. No, not really have a good sleep. Click the light off. Sorry.
316 00:37:35.860 --> 00:37:39.280 linda aspey: and there's the child left in the dark with their feelings.
317 00:37:41.620 --> 00:37:54.779 linda aspey: So some wider impacts on mental health. If you are looking after mental health in your area, or you're interested in that field. I think it's useful to know that there are some far reaching impacts. I'm just going to see. Someone sent me a message.
318 00:37:54.950 --> 00:38:03.679 linda aspey: Yeah, okay, I'll come back to messages at the end. Thanks far reaching impacts of climate change. They include
319 00:38:04.930 --> 00:38:06.739 linda aspey: increased rates of suicide.
320 00:38:07.390 --> 00:38:13.340 linda aspey: risk of dying during a heatwave, particularly if you've got a pre-existing mental illness, and you can't get yourself to a place of safety
321 00:38:13.550 --> 00:38:24.860 linda aspey: or you can't. You don't realise, for example, people, elderly people, or anybody actually, with Alzheimer's dementia often don't realise they're thirsty, so they don't hydrate themselves enough. So they're much more at risk.
322 00:38:25.510 --> 00:38:38.810 linda aspey: There's also there's wider impacts of psychological trauma much more than physical injury. At the moment. People are psychologically traumatised by what they see on the news and what they hear currently more than from physical injury. Climate impacts.
323 00:38:39.250 --> 00:38:43.819 linda aspey: it can impact. It can cause Ptsd depression, anxiety and extreme distress.
324 00:38:43.860 --> 00:38:59.830 linda aspey: and it can disrupt care. Provision for those with a mental health diagnosis. If you can't physically get to the clinic or your place where you meet your community for your social care needs to be met, then you're going to really struggle at home.
325 00:39:00.210 --> 00:39:13.799 linda aspey: as well as getting all sorts of things, medicines delivered, and those kind of things, and so it can cause an exacerbation of existing mental distress. So this was the Grantham Institute.
326 00:39:14.110 --> 00:39:24.870 linda aspey: and they actually use words like, there's a tsunami of mental health coming our way, and we've neither budgeted for it, nor are we equipped for it. So at national and local governmental level.
327 00:39:25.720 --> 00:39:29.779 linda aspey: So I'm just going to invite you to take a moment. It's a lot to take in. I'm being quite
328 00:39:30.310 --> 00:39:35.479 linda aspey: real here. I'm sharing quite a lot of information that is all in one go. So
329 00:39:35.510 --> 00:39:36.770 linda aspey: you might just want to
330 00:39:36.810 --> 00:39:43.789 linda aspey: you might find this challenging, you might find it distressing, or you might actually feel nothing, and that's as valid as a response as anything.
331 00:39:44.740 --> 00:39:49.430 linda aspey: But take a moment, just to pause and reflect, and have a look at that lovely lake there.
332 00:39:49.740 --> 00:39:55.039 linda aspey: and if you wish to take some slow, deep breaths in, and write down or name your feelings if you wish.
333 00:40:04.850 --> 00:40:11.279 linda aspey: So, Joanna Macy, scholar and active hope, philosopher and work that reconnects inventor.
334 00:40:11.460 --> 00:40:14.620 linda aspey: says something very, very important 50 years ago.
335 00:40:15.060 --> 00:40:19.669 linda aspey: from all of all the dangers we face from climate crisis to nuclear warfare.
336 00:40:20.270 --> 00:40:24.329 linda aspey: none is so great as the deadening of our response.
337 00:40:27.590 --> 00:40:35.709 linda aspey: So why? Why have we not been responding? Why are we not all talking about it? Why are we not all walking around in a state of shock.
338 00:40:36.300 --> 00:40:39.789 linda aspey: and why I learned young people were being ignored and dismissed.
339 00:40:40.750 --> 00:40:43.759 linda aspey: So let's look at what's going on behind the scenes. Maybe
340 00:40:44.390 --> 00:40:51.610 linda aspey: so, climate change and everything that goes with it presents us with profound psychological threats, existential threats.
341 00:40:51.880 --> 00:40:55.509 linda aspey: threats to our integrity, our self identity
342 00:40:55.610 --> 00:40:58.720 linda aspey: to our self esteem. You know, we think we're good people
343 00:40:58.730 --> 00:41:14.820 linda aspey: to our life plans, what we hope for the future and what we expected and things we don't even really talk about. But we just assume are going to happen as we get older, and that our life is going to work out in a particular way. These are all massive threats at huge huge levels that are very hard to bear.
344 00:41:15.070 --> 00:41:32.759 linda aspey: and it can lead us to have some quite unbearable feelings. If you've ever tried infant psychology or child psychology, you'll know that children go through developmental phases, and there's quite a lot of terror in their early development, and it can take us back. The threats of climate change can take us back to quite primitive states.
345 00:41:32.960 --> 00:41:52.179 linda aspey: so we can feel loss and grief and guilt, and shame and helplessness, and really quite some, some really quite difficult feelings. And so what do you do with those? You can't get to work? If you've got those with you every day, you can't feed the kids. So these are quite powerful feelings, so they have to go somewhere.
346 00:41:53.160 --> 00:42:04.350 linda aspey: and the awakening to these feelings can be gradual, or it can be traumatic, and I meet people with both. My awakening happened to be traumatic, where I went into deep depression for about a month.
347 00:42:04.550 --> 00:42:06.810 linda aspey: when I realised how bad things were.
348 00:42:07.030 --> 00:42:15.430 linda aspey: but it can be gradual. But all the same, these feelings have to go somewhere. We have to do something with them, but sometimes we can't speak them.
349 00:42:15.960 --> 00:42:18.810 linda aspey: so we unconsciously defend ourselves against it.
350 00:42:19.600 --> 00:42:22.559 linda aspey: So we can create that as if world.
351 00:42:23.370 --> 00:42:25.650 linda aspey: And so we use defences.
352 00:42:25.760 --> 00:42:41.840 linda aspey: They're like little shock absorbers for the truth. They're like rough exteriors to protect the soft interior denial. It's not happening, disavow. Well, I think it's happening, but I'm going to pretend it's not distancing. Oh, it's not me. It's over there. It's 50 years away. It's 200 years away.
353 00:42:42.120 --> 00:42:45.169 linda aspey: Blame! It's well, it's not my fault. It's to blame the Chinese
354 00:42:45.950 --> 00:42:50.130 linda aspey: entitlement. Well, I work hard, so I deserve my little luxuries.
355 00:42:50.300 --> 00:42:56.069 linda aspey: I'm special. It won't happen to me. I'll be fine. I can drive through the floods, I can weather the storms.
356 00:42:56.360 --> 00:43:01.209 linda aspey: This is just all too much. So I'm going to do something else instead and keep busy.
357 00:43:01.290 --> 00:43:08.509 linda aspey: And it's not that bad people are saying it's really bad. But no, it's not that bad tech will solve it. There are loads and loads more defences.
358 00:43:08.870 --> 00:43:12.009 linda aspey: Oh, my light's been playing up. Excuse me, I'm just going to turn it off.
359 00:43:12.610 --> 00:43:14.060 linda aspey: put the other one on.
360 00:43:16.990 --> 00:43:19.900 linda aspey: So it's not climate crisis causing this.
361 00:43:20.670 --> 00:43:25.569 linda aspey: So these are fairly standard psychological defences that are probably at play.
362 00:43:26.410 --> 00:43:50.309 linda aspey: and something I think, is really important for you to know about. I'm just aware of the time we started 10 min late, so I might be going on a little longer over that period. So socially constructed. Science is something very important, I think, for us to be potentially aware of. It's a collective defence. Something's difficult to think about. It's not talked about. So we and we can't cope with it. So we don't talk about it.
363 00:43:50.530 --> 00:43:56.769 linda aspey: So there's an unspoken agreement. You don't walk in the office and say, Hi, how's people feeling about climate change today?
364 00:43:56.860 --> 00:43:59.219 linda aspey: Much as with any other social taboo?
365 00:44:00.010 --> 00:44:02.700 linda aspey: But even thinking about it becomes normal.
366 00:44:03.140 --> 00:44:06.099 linda aspey: so we can continue avoiding it indefinitely.
367 00:44:07.160 --> 00:44:17.530 linda aspey: People are afraid to violate that silence. You'd get frowned on if you walked into a pub or your workplace, and said, God and the climate change awful. Someone's going to change the subject really quickly.
368 00:44:18.390 --> 00:44:39.840 linda aspey: and it's more than a taboo, though, because it's potentially harmful. It can lead to a false reality. To this, as if world, and particularly for those who are really struggling with the idea of their future, it can lead them to feel really isolated. You know. I keep hearing young people say, why aren't you all talking about it? And it's by the way, it's not just young people saying this. It's older people, too. Why aren't we all talking about it? Why aren't we doing something
369 00:44:40.370 --> 00:44:49.660 linda aspey: so, Sally weintrobe a psychoanalyst who's worked on the psychological roots of the climate crisis, says the climate bubble of denial is now bursting.
370 00:44:50.120 --> 00:44:56.289 linda aspey: It served to maintain white privilege and exceptionalism, and it's been promoting a culture of uncaring.
371 00:44:56.430 --> 00:45:16.989 linda aspey: We've got caring and uncaring parts in all of us, but it's really allowed that uncaring part to to show up and and kind of ignore things and carry on. And it's boosted, omnipotent, wishful thinking and attacking, reality-based thinking so wonderful book, even though she's a psychoanalyst. And you don't need to be one to read the psychological reach of the climate crisis.
372 00:45:17.960 --> 00:45:31.509 linda aspey: So anxiety and distress are often responses to emerging from this bubble of defensive states. Whether you're older or you're younger. You're emerging in some way from defensive states, or you may well have grown up with this knowledge.
373 00:45:31.930 --> 00:45:35.189 linda aspey: and you can see some quite young children here in this picture
374 00:45:35.660 --> 00:45:48.999 linda aspey: growing up with the knowledge. When you see what's on their posters. It's quite shocking, really, that young people are having to say this, the earth is dying. So let's keep trying. It's the end of the world, as we know, and I'm not fine. It's just
375 00:45:49.230 --> 00:45:52.409 linda aspey: staggering, really, when you think about it.
376 00:45:53.570 --> 00:46:02.090 linda aspey: So what about you? Are you anxious and distressed, or do you try not to think about it? Many of us. Do try not to think about it. It's completely understandable.
377 00:46:02.170 --> 00:46:04.039 linda aspey: But do you have someone to talk to?
378 00:46:04.210 --> 00:46:08.919 linda aspey: Can you do you have colleagues or close friends, or do you go somewhere to talk?
379 00:46:09.740 --> 00:46:25.610 linda aspey: And are you able to really listen to your children about their feelings? Can be really hard to know how to respond to them what to say, and yet we know that it makes anxiety much worse if they feel dismissed or ridiculed or diminished in some way.
380 00:46:26.580 --> 00:46:34.180 linda aspey: Are you seeing colleagues about it at work, or hearing colleagues expressing concern? Do you get data through things like Eaps occupational health?
381 00:46:34.210 --> 00:46:39.950 linda aspey: And if you're not hearing people express concern. Why might that be?
382 00:46:40.040 --> 00:46:41.464 linda aspey: What's going on there?
383 00:46:42.630 --> 00:46:46.890 linda aspey: And where does mental well-being sit within your current organizational priorities?
384 00:46:47.330 --> 00:47:04.090 linda aspey: And how equipped is your organization to help Staff to deal with their own and others anxieties around this because this ain't going away. This isn't a covid that has been and gone. This is not going away. So how can your organization actually put in place things that can help?
385 00:47:05.080 --> 00:47:15.569 linda aspey: So now I'm just going to take you. Just mention of the spiral journey of the work that reconnects. This is my own language. The work that reconnects uses slightly different words, such as coming from gratitude.
386 00:47:16.350 --> 00:47:26.710 linda aspey: I use appreciation, so we can go take ourselves and others on a journey, on a regular journey that helps us to build our own capacity to to rise to these challenges
387 00:47:27.270 --> 00:47:29.520 linda aspey: and the research all shows that when you can.
388 00:47:29.710 --> 00:47:38.010 linda aspey: when you can build yourself a foundation of appreciating what's good and what's already working. And what's there, we're much more likely to be able to rise to challenges.
389 00:47:38.590 --> 00:47:47.610 linda aspey: When we can do that, we see new perspectives. We begin to see the world as it really is. We are much prepared to see the fallacy of business as usual.
390 00:47:47.730 --> 00:47:49.530 linda aspey: and then we can take action.
391 00:47:49.610 --> 00:48:10.519 linda aspey: And this is a regular spiral. You can keep going. You can go round and round. You don't go downwards in this spiral, but you can start with different places, but always starting with appreciation. You can come back, and even a daily practice of saying, What am I happy for today? What's making me what's going well today? What are the challenges the world is facing what's going on here.
392 00:48:12.080 --> 00:48:17.209 linda aspey: And so there's some strategies. The 1st strategy is to find ways to talk about feelings
393 00:48:17.320 --> 00:48:19.980 linda aspey: that's whether individual or collective.
394 00:48:20.570 --> 00:48:23.809 linda aspey: Start from gratitude, find ways to share feelings.
395 00:48:24.000 --> 00:48:27.739 linda aspey: listen, listen, listen to others, and not diminish them.
396 00:48:28.190 --> 00:48:38.480 linda aspey: accept and value all emotions and responses, whether that's indifference, because that's just a defence at play, whether that's even bloody mindedness, it's probably still a defence.
397 00:48:38.490 --> 00:48:46.219 linda aspey: and see that people take take things differently and they respond differently in different ways. Different days
398 00:48:46.350 --> 00:48:51.680 linda aspey: acknowledge and grieve for losses. We need to find ways to make it possible to acknowledge and grieve.
399 00:48:52.190 --> 00:48:59.449 linda aspey: and we need also to accept. There is uncertainty here and complexity in our journey. There is no quick magic techno fix.
400 00:48:59.490 --> 00:49:03.600 linda aspey: and we need to accept that. We're all on a journey, and it's not always going to go well.
401 00:49:04.240 --> 00:49:10.099 linda aspey: and really, importantly is, if you have young people in your life is, learn how to talk and listen to them
402 00:49:10.280 --> 00:49:12.070 linda aspey: about climate change.
403 00:49:12.660 --> 00:49:33.049 linda aspey: So that's our 1st resilience. Strategy is find ways to talk about feelings. Because if you said to a group of people, you know, no one's talking about climate change. They're going to say, Yeah, we are. We're talking about it. They're not really talking about it. They're talking about solutions and fixes. They're not talking about the lack of connection with our world. They're not talking about what's being lost. They're not talking about feelings.
404 00:49:33.410 --> 00:49:37.229 linda aspey: Second strategy is cultivate new thinking in yourself.
405 00:49:37.230 --> 00:49:37.740 Garry Ford - Corsham Wiltshire: And so.
406 00:49:37.740 --> 00:49:40.409 linda aspey: Balance that ratio of being informed and doing, scrolling.
407 00:49:40.410 --> 00:49:41.240 Garry Ford - Corsham Wiltshire: Every history.
408 00:49:41.240 --> 00:49:50.409 linda aspey: Get too much into doom scrolling, but try not to get to use avoidant, and it's a hard one to follow. I can easily sometimes get into doom scrolling.
409 00:49:51.600 --> 00:49:57.200 linda aspey: create times for climate engagement and time for rest. We need to find ways to manage our energy.
410 00:49:57.290 --> 00:50:03.680 linda aspey: So make sure that you've put aside time to go and enjoy something, and and then to get engaged
411 00:50:04.230 --> 00:50:12.629 linda aspey: and look out. Who else is making changes? Who's doing inspiring things that will give you new thinking to learn from others new thinking
412 00:50:13.130 --> 00:50:33.110 linda aspey: pace your own changes. You don't have to do it all overnight. It's not going to be possible. So build bridges to new ways. If I said to you, now you've got to stop driving. You've got to stop this. Stop that! Stop that! Stop that! You're going to go. No, no, no, I don't even know where to start, so pace your changes. But take them seriously, doesn't mean letting yourself off. The hook is again that balance.
413 00:50:34.340 --> 00:51:02.790 linda aspey: See things as they really are. Start noticing as if it's everywhere. It's on the news. It's where there's an advert for something that's luxurious, and carbon consumption is off the roof next to some kind of other luxury of life. I saw one the other day, which was a weather thing, talking about extreme weather on, and floods and famines and stuff. And then on the right hand side of the page online was a flight to Dubai for 9 pounds from London.
414 00:51:03.310 --> 00:51:08.470 linda aspey: start seeing the push and the pulls start, seeing the greenwashing
415 00:51:08.860 --> 00:51:19.149 linda aspey: and find meaning and purpose through deeper understanding of what needs to change. I've fallen back in love with nature. I've been reading books about plant intelligence and those kind of things.
416 00:51:19.270 --> 00:51:22.140 linda aspey: So that's the second strategy is, cultivate new thinking.
417 00:51:23.030 --> 00:51:32.479 linda aspey: And these are personal strategies, by the way, that can be applied to organizations. And I'll come on to organizations in a moment. 3rd strategy for resilience is, connect and reconnect.
418 00:51:33.570 --> 00:51:37.970 linda aspey: really, importantly, create communities and what we call cultures of care.
419 00:51:38.550 --> 00:51:58.849 linda aspey: cultures of care, where people are cared for, where you can sit together and eat together and build community together, both at work and at home. And one way that lots of organizations are doing this with the climate. Psychology. Alliance is through things like listening circles. So we provide listening circle training in house to people
420 00:51:59.070 --> 00:52:05.740 linda aspey: create these communities where people do care and make the normalisation of emotions, feelings, normal
421 00:52:06.320 --> 00:52:15.310 linda aspey: spend time with people who are engaged with it. It's massively inspiring to be around people who are putting energy into this rather than people who are just avoiding it.
422 00:52:16.330 --> 00:52:35.400 linda aspey: Nurture personal practices of self-care. Whatever those things are you normally do, don't drop them now. Keep them going. Whether it's being out in the rest of nature, whether it's yoga, those kind of things because you need to be resilient. That doesn't mean it's indulgent. It's just a way of making sure that you're able to do the work that needs to be done.
423 00:52:36.170 --> 00:53:00.530 linda aspey: So part of that connect regularly with nature and people around the world find out what's going on around the world. We are all connected. We're all on the same planet. Find out about them that when you find out about happening in other places it can spur you on. You can choose to be helpless, or you can choose to be overwhelmed. Or you can choose to say, actually, this is happening over there. I'm going to do what I can over here to make a difference.
424 00:53:01.570 --> 00:53:29.930 linda aspey: participate in any kind of action, whether it is taking part in marches doing local community events. Whether it's gluing yourself to the street or going to jail doesn't really matter. Any kind of activism is a massive help for people. And if you've got young people in your life who want to get involved in activism, I would encourage you to listen to why they want to do that rather than saying, You know, don't do that. Just mad people do that. It's been a lifesaver for many, many young people I've encountered
425 00:53:30.110 --> 00:53:33.699 linda aspey: exercise your body. You need to be fit and strong.
426 00:53:33.770 --> 00:53:35.500 linda aspey: and it'll keep you resilient.
427 00:53:35.680 --> 00:53:49.300 linda aspey: And also, if you've got some hobbies that you stopped doing years ago, art, painting, music. It's really important to nurture those aspects of ourselves that we might have lost touch with in the rush of business. As usual, I'm nearly at the end.
428 00:53:50.190 --> 00:53:52.150 linda aspey: Organizational strategies
429 00:53:52.660 --> 00:53:55.540 linda aspey: talk about climate feelings as well as climate actions.
430 00:53:56.800 --> 00:54:03.810 linda aspey: create spaces to share and listen like climate, cafe listening circles, work that reconnects workshops. Those kind of things
431 00:54:04.000 --> 00:54:10.329 linda aspey: ensure your leaders themselves are engaged and supported. They're carrying a lot of burden. A lot of expectations.
432 00:54:11.650 --> 00:54:21.269 linda aspey: Talk with Staff about what the organization's doing and how they can get involved. Get people involved understanding that if they're indifferent, it's because they're in a state of fear.
433 00:54:21.350 --> 00:54:22.460 linda aspey: Often
434 00:54:22.540 --> 00:54:34.790 linda aspey: champion initiatives in your community. Get behind them. Don't do everything you can to oil the wheels. If you've got a local group that wants to do something, and you're in a position in a council, you can make it happen, oil the wheels where you can.
435 00:54:35.490 --> 00:54:41.399 linda aspey: and be massively aware of the seductive law of business, as usual. Call it out. No, we're not doing that anymore.
436 00:54:42.480 --> 00:54:47.000 linda aspey: And consider the resilience strategies, I suggested. Can you do more in your organization?
437 00:54:47.930 --> 00:54:49.270 linda aspey: There's some books
438 00:54:49.300 --> 00:55:02.050 linda aspey: mine's in the middle I wrote a book where I edited a book called Holding the Hope, Reviving Psychological and Spiritual Agency, and there's a book there, particularly for young people called Generation Dread by Britt Ray, which is fabulous. So I'll share this with you.
439 00:55:03.200 --> 00:55:05.960 linda aspey: And there's some information. Go to my website.
440 00:55:06.700 --> 00:55:17.819 linda aspey: You can contact me at the Climate Psychology Alliance. We do listening circle facilitator training. We have a therapeutic support Directory, and we hold spaces for youth and parents.
441 00:55:17.940 --> 00:55:22.870 linda aspey: So go to the website or contact me to discuss. And I'll put you in touch with the right people.
442 00:55:22.880 --> 00:55:29.749 linda aspey: We're a volunteer organization. There's only really 5 of us at the heart of it, and the rest are different different groups.
443 00:55:29.760 --> 00:55:35.249 linda aspey: And then you can find lots of resources for climate education. Have a look at thoughtbox education.
444 00:55:36.390 --> 00:55:39.520 linda aspey: and then there's resources for talking to young people
445 00:55:40.000 --> 00:55:41.680 linda aspey: and connect with me.
446 00:55:43.620 --> 00:55:46.480 linda aspey: And so we've got time for questions.
447 00:55:47.942 --> 00:55:49.810 linda aspey: I'll stop, share.
448 00:55:51.030 --> 00:56:00.500 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Linda, thank you very much for that petrifying, horrifying, frightening sort of presentation, because the numbers that you were mentioning were
449 00:56:00.630 --> 00:56:07.539 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: rather alien to me. But the one question that I came up with was an earlier comment of yours, which said that
450 00:56:07.660 --> 00:56:12.690 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: there are people who really get upset by those who don't get it.
451 00:56:12.970 --> 00:56:20.879 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: So could you tell me what sort of proportion of people don't get it? How many as a world sort of percentage are not
452 00:56:20.990 --> 00:56:24.159 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: paying any attention to climate change, not even believing in it.
453 00:56:25.050 --> 00:56:33.570 linda aspey: It's going down. I don't know the proportions, and it's different across the world, because if you've lived in a flooded community in the Philippines, you get it.
454 00:56:35.750 --> 00:56:36.480 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Yes.
455 00:56:36.480 --> 00:56:50.240 linda aspey: It's also, interestingly, in the U.S.A. There's been a political division for many years. It's been used as a political tool. It's very hard to say who gets it because of the unconscious processes that stop people looking at it
456 00:56:50.580 --> 00:56:59.069 linda aspey: very hard indeed. So someone might say, I don't believe in climate change. But actually say, what do you mean? Which bit of climate change do you not believe in?
457 00:57:00.430 --> 00:57:03.799 linda aspey: So that feeling of getting it is when someone says
458 00:57:04.250 --> 00:57:09.509 linda aspey: I don't understand it, but I can see how you feel about it. I can understand that you feel petrified.
459 00:57:11.000 --> 00:57:11.700 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Right.
460 00:57:12.490 --> 00:57:18.469 linda aspey: Thank you. Is that is that? Yeah, so not not specific. But it's helpful. Kara. Did you have a question.
461 00:57:18.470 --> 00:57:39.280 Cara Naden: So many, but I'm afraid I have to go into another meeting. But just about the young people always really knocks me off, because what? What is the age of being young? There's lots of people in my age, mid forties who feel very similar. And it's about environmentalists we're not listened to. So why is that? I think there is an inherent
462 00:57:40.145 --> 00:57:43.540 Cara Naden: I suppose, in in depth, deep
463 00:57:43.940 --> 00:58:02.099 Cara Naden: response to climate change. In fact, the fear just makes people not want to deal with it, because it's so huge it's better to deny than deal with it. And it's just very frightening that we're at this point. And we're seeing whether it's political or financial changes. The climate environment always gets kind of ditched. So
464 00:58:02.330 --> 00:58:09.780 Cara Naden: I really don't know how we're going to be able to change that. It's interesting in the community that has been frequently flooded. It still hasn't really
465 00:58:09.950 --> 00:58:13.319 Cara Naden: embedded enough to realize that we need to do something urgent
466 00:58:13.330 --> 00:58:17.289 Cara Naden: and to adapt to it as much as also reduce our impact.
467 00:58:17.668 --> 00:58:22.130 Cara Naden: So I'm fairly not very helpful. Really, I think the listening bit's really important. I think
468 00:58:22.330 --> 00:58:52.179 Cara Naden: we need to spend more time engaging with all kinds of different people to understand what their fears are and how we can help kind of link that, but also the positives. There's a lot more discussion around. How do we look at more creative ways of thinking and aspire to a healthy future. That, of course, inherently, is going to be more sustainable, more green, decarbonized, but without using any of those words. It's interesting when you do that kind of future visioning workshops with people, what they bring out along those lines that meets that that's another way of approaching it.
469 00:58:52.798 --> 00:58:55.230 Cara Naden: But thanks for your
470 00:58:56.020 --> 00:59:00.229 Cara Naden: information, and I shall look at some of that links that you'll send around.
471 00:59:00.490 --> 00:59:15.089 linda aspey: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. There's so much work. There's lots and lots of models I could share as well around. That. One thing I would say is that there is a it's understandable to have the kind of fantasy that now, when the weather gets worse, and when the when more people get flooded, they will get it.
472 00:59:15.260 --> 00:59:27.960 linda aspey: Actually, it's probably not that likely, because there will be more defences at play. So the more we see reality unfolding, the more and the more people will build up defences.
473 00:59:27.980 --> 00:59:42.690 linda aspey: But we don't have that many. We don't have massive numbers of massive climate deniers, but we still do have people who use defences to say, Well, you know, for example, people who've had their homes burnt in fires
474 00:59:42.720 --> 00:59:45.490 linda aspey: and have rebuilt their homes
475 00:59:46.028 --> 00:59:48.420 linda aspey: or have escaped near death
476 00:59:48.460 --> 00:59:59.279 linda aspey: are much harder to get evacuated by by local officers who are trying to evacuate areas because people believe that there is a defence that kicks in called exceptionalism.
477 00:59:59.700 --> 01:00:05.170 linda aspey: And that's well. I survived the last time. So we'll survive this one as well, because it won't happen to me because I'm special.
478 01:00:08.740 --> 01:00:11.359 linda aspey: Any other questions or thoughts.
479 01:00:13.400 --> 01:00:14.440 linda aspey: Rick.
480 01:00:16.082 --> 01:00:17.940 Rick Bowers: So can you hear me? All right.
481 01:00:17.940 --> 01:00:18.860 linda aspey: Yes, I can.
482 01:00:19.060 --> 01:00:31.720 Rick Bowers: Thank you. I was going to challenge that thing, and it leads a bit from what you said about the more people who get flooded. The more people will believe this, because my understanding was that actually, people have been affected
483 01:00:31.760 --> 01:00:36.300 Rick Bowers: by floods or affected by fires, are actually less likely
484 01:00:36.630 --> 01:00:37.540 Rick Bowers: to
485 01:00:38.750 --> 01:00:46.400 Rick Bowers: Well, they're more likely to deny the climate things. They're more likely to focus on what the community response was. And
486 01:00:48.310 --> 01:00:53.989 Rick Bowers: that you know. The next, I gather, when people get. If they get insurance for
487 01:00:54.630 --> 01:01:03.999 Rick Bowers: payouts for flood damage, they're likely to spend it on new refrigerators rather than trying to protect their home from floods because they believe it won't happen to them again, and.
488 01:01:04.000 --> 01:01:10.870 linda aspey: That's what I said, yeah, that's exactly what I said, yeah, they're more likely to believe because they survived it. They'll be okay.
489 01:01:11.840 --> 01:01:18.550 Rick Bowers: So as the climate crisis worsens, it worries me that people will actually
490 01:01:18.610 --> 01:01:23.710 Rick Bowers: that climate denialism will actually paradoxically increase rather than decrease.
491 01:01:24.050 --> 01:01:52.489 linda aspey: Yeah, that's that's I'm sorry if I didn't know that that's exactly what I'm kind of hinting at, is there's a chance that it will get more the number of people that go on flights. That book more, I'm not saying flying is completely evil, but we know it's 1 of the things that could have a very big impact, for in each individual's life, you know, it takes up so much of our annual sort of carbon budget. And so when people see these extreme weather events, I've just had lots of messages in the last month from people saying, Oh, I can't stand this rain over here. I'm getting on a plane.
492 01:01:52.530 --> 01:02:03.230 linda aspey: and they're not adding those dots. They're not. They're not seeing that perspective. So that that's a form of denialism, because it's a natural retreat to somewhat a place of comfort.
493 01:02:04.550 --> 01:02:08.870 linda aspey: You know I'm not saying people are evil. By the way, this is a place of comfort that people go into.
494 01:02:09.940 --> 01:02:17.510 Rick Bowers: And can I just ask about that flight thing? I've announced to everybody that I'm never going to fly again unless it's an emergency.
495 01:02:17.950 --> 01:02:40.759 Rick Bowers: and that just seems to create a certain amount of resentment. It's like me saying how good I am and how bad everybody else is. And they sort of family people actually avoid telling me about their holidays, because they know how much I disapprove of them having flown to Crete, for example, and that's actually another area where I find it very difficult to talk about climate issues.
496 01:02:40.760 --> 01:02:59.609 linda aspey: Yeah, absolutely. You're so, not alone there. So not alone. And that flying seems to be something that really distresses. Certainly. Yeah. I'm with you on flight free. But yeah, it does distress a lot of people, Michelle. You have a thought or an observation, or a question.
497 01:02:59.860 --> 01:03:01.260 linda aspey: and then Stuart.
498 01:03:02.700 --> 01:03:03.519 Michelle Golder: Yeah, I'm
499 01:03:04.890 --> 01:03:09.817 Michelle Golder: I've been sort of working in my local community for about 10 years, and
500 01:03:11.080 --> 01:03:15.120 Michelle Golder: have taken the work that reconnects courses, and have had
501 01:03:15.140 --> 01:03:18.259 Michelle Golder: been been a member of many listening groups.
502 01:03:19.570 --> 01:03:21.560 Michelle Golder: And I am really struggling.
503 01:03:22.550 --> 01:03:28.710 Michelle Golder: I have been struggling anyway, but the news this morning has just completely poleaxed me
504 01:03:29.870 --> 01:03:33.430 Michelle Golder: to find any hope or comfort, and
505 01:03:33.910 --> 01:03:35.830 Michelle Golder: your presentation.
506 01:03:36.060 --> 01:03:46.809 Michelle Golder: of course I related to it, and what Stuart said, and what the other gentleman, whose name I didn't catch, has just said, I relate to all these things so intensely, Rick. Sorry you're still on my screen. So what? Rick said?
507 01:03:47.280 --> 01:03:50.350 Michelle Golder: Oh, my goodness, yeah, I feel exactly the same way. But
508 01:03:50.860 --> 01:03:54.040 Michelle Golder: do I pick myself up again? I just I literally
509 01:03:54.270 --> 01:03:55.659 Michelle Golder: I don't know what to do.
510 01:03:56.370 --> 01:03:58.690 Michelle Golder: I don't know what to do. I'm in despair.
511 01:03:58.790 --> 01:04:00.070 Michelle Golder: and
512 01:04:01.630 --> 01:04:11.219 Michelle Golder: all the things that I would like to do in my community. It's still only the same people that are coming along, and believe me, I talk to everyone. I'm super friendly.
513 01:04:11.560 --> 01:04:13.970 Michelle Golder: Everyone, you know. It's not like they
514 01:04:14.230 --> 01:04:30.170 Michelle Golder: don't want to talk to me, but they don't want to do anything, and people have said to me, I don't want to talk about climate change because it's too depressing. But thank you for what you're doing well, I can't do it anymore. I'm under the heel now. So somebody else is going to have to. And they're not.
515 01:04:31.140 --> 01:04:33.950 Michelle Golder: So I just yeah, sorry. I just really.
516 01:04:33.950 --> 01:04:43.229 linda aspey: Oh, please don't apologise. I'm absolutely hearing every word. Jennifer. Was there anything you wanted to say about Trump? I think you popped something in the chat. I wonder if there's anything
517 01:04:43.380 --> 01:04:44.659 linda aspey: you want to say.
518 01:04:46.147 --> 01:04:50.532 Jennifer Lanham: I don't know really what I can say, but I'm definitely grieving and
519 01:04:51.430 --> 01:04:54.499 Jennifer Lanham: I really feel for you, Michelle. I
520 01:04:55.210 --> 01:05:11.141 Jennifer Lanham: I don't know what to say. I've kind of hit the bottom. And but actually, you know, sometimes we have to go through these things, and I think that it just means we have to try harder. We have to fight harder. We have to, Maya Angelou said that.
521 01:05:11.500 --> 01:05:13.739 Jennifer Lanham: basically, there isn't enough space
522 01:05:13.780 --> 01:05:17.859 Jennifer Lanham: for both fear and hope so. Invite one to stay.
523 01:05:17.940 --> 01:05:22.369 Jennifer Lanham: And so I'm inviting hope to stay today and forever, because.
524 01:05:22.693 --> 01:05:32.720 Jennifer Lanham: I can't change some of these things that have happened. I did vote. I had my son vote, but it's been taken out of my hands, so I can only change what
525 01:05:32.840 --> 01:05:36.790 Jennifer Lanham: what I can influence immediately around me, and that's what I'm going to carry on doing. And
526 01:05:36.930 --> 01:05:41.300 Jennifer Lanham: I totally get what you're saying about people not coming forward because.
527 01:05:41.936 --> 01:05:43.469 Jennifer Lanham: you know, I work in
528 01:05:43.600 --> 01:05:49.351 Jennifer Lanham: in water quality things, and I went down to the march for clean water on Sunday. And
529 01:05:50.010 --> 01:06:13.350 Jennifer Lanham: you know, there was a lot of people that I wish you know had have been there. That weren't. But I did the best that I could. I ran around as a giant Turd and blew kisses to people, and kept it lighthearted because it was so full of people that were passionate. And you know there were loads of people that couldn't be there for various reasons, but I think that there were many more there in spirit, and we can make that change. So I think we just have to.
530 01:06:13.660 --> 01:06:17.370 Jennifer Lanham: you know. Try and rise up again and harder.
531 01:06:17.990 --> 01:06:21.109 linda aspey: Absolutely. And still I rise. Yeah.
532 01:06:21.572 --> 01:06:27.499 linda aspey: I'll I'll come to you in a second. Stuart. Just want to really just also address both of
533 01:06:27.520 --> 01:06:51.470 linda aspey: and Michelle's Point. I got up a few weeks a couple of weeks ago, just feeling one of those days of dread, absolute dread. You know what is the point? It's going to be really tough. What is the point? Who am I? Little, me doing nothing, and all of that. And then I was quite tearful, and I walked into the kitchen, and I've got glass doors at the back, and I could see that the bird feeder was empty.
534 01:06:51.880 --> 01:06:55.929 linda aspey: and I thought, well, the birds still need feeding today.
535 01:06:56.230 --> 01:07:03.200 linda aspey: and I kind of kept thinking that all the day. What can I do? It's only my backyard, but the birds still need feeding.
536 01:07:04.980 --> 01:07:06.890 linda aspey: Stuart. How about you.
537 01:07:07.610 --> 01:07:09.420 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: I'd just like to say
538 01:07:09.760 --> 01:07:12.729 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Thank you for a fantastic presentation.
539 01:07:15.080 --> 01:07:23.620 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: 2, 2 books that I've personally found helpful. One was not the end of the world by Hannah Ritchie.
540 01:07:23.860 --> 01:07:25.720 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: and she
541 01:07:25.960 --> 01:07:34.849 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: puts a different slant onto all the evil things that are happening. One of the things she points to is palm oil.
542 01:07:35.120 --> 01:07:38.469 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: and I think Chester is the 1st
543 01:07:39.060 --> 01:07:44.970 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: town or city in this country to completely ban palm oil.
544 01:07:45.360 --> 01:07:53.450 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Yet Hannah says, actually, palm oil is not that bad. It's very good at what it does. The trees are very productive.
545 01:07:53.500 --> 01:08:04.731 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: We've just got to manage them better, so don't have acres and acres of monoculture, intersperse the trees with this, that, and the other
546 01:08:05.390 --> 01:08:10.890 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: but certainly don't give up palm oil, which I thought was a nice way of looking at things.
547 01:08:10.910 --> 01:08:15.759 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: and the the other book I found helpful was how to talk about climate Change.
548 01:08:15.990 --> 01:08:18.049 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: by Rebecca Huntley.
549 01:08:18.460 --> 01:08:23.890 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: And again she puts the emphasis on.
550 01:08:24.340 --> 01:08:30.360 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: If we do tackle climate change, all the co-benefits that go with it.
551 01:08:30.439 --> 01:08:42.140 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: so fewer people dying from lung disease, fewer people dying from hypothermia, less crop damage from floods, etc. Etc.
552 01:08:42.160 --> 01:08:45.930 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: So emphasize the positives of doing something rather than
553 01:08:45.950 --> 01:08:49.089 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: the doom and gloom sort of negatives.
554 01:08:49.109 --> 01:08:57.630 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: But at the end of the day it is a worldwide problem. It's affecting every living thing on the planet.
555 01:08:57.689 --> 01:09:01.209 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: and we know it is going to get worse. It's
556 01:09:02.490 --> 01:09:06.179 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: difficult to adjust to the psychology of that. I find.
557 01:09:07.010 --> 01:09:08.350 linda aspey: It is, it is.
558 01:09:08.439 --> 01:09:13.309 linda aspey: and we go in and out, don't we? In and out, feeling differently about it? And
559 01:09:13.529 --> 01:09:19.130 linda aspey: and yes, and there's a there's a balance to be struck between Hopium.
560 01:09:19.380 --> 01:09:26.140 linda aspey: which is this passive kind of oh, it'll all turn out fine. I'll just take another little dose of hope
561 01:09:26.160 --> 01:09:55.109 linda aspey: versus actively doing something and getting actively engaged and using your body physically is also so important to use. Your mind is one thing, but to use your body to get out there to clean the rivers, to go on the Marches. All those kind of things. We are embodied creatures, and we've forgotten that. Really, you know, we're the only animals that have forgotten we're animals, really. So we sit at desks all day long and use our brains. But actually, it's so important to connect with all of us.
562 01:09:55.960 --> 01:09:57.250 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: We'll just have
563 01:09:57.300 --> 01:10:00.370 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: that. I did feel like the bird feeder outside my window.
564 01:10:00.370 --> 01:10:00.860 linda aspey: Well.
565 01:10:00.860 --> 01:10:01.920 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: And there are
566 01:10:02.470 --> 01:10:04.560 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: 5 blue tits on it now.
567 01:10:04.830 --> 01:10:05.590 linda aspey: Well, there you go!
568 01:10:05.590 --> 01:10:06.309 Cllr Stuart Withington. Dunmow, Essex: Backup.
569 01:10:07.030 --> 01:10:07.630 linda aspey: Yeah.
570 01:10:09.850 --> 01:10:12.240 linda aspey: Any other thoughts or questions.
571 01:10:17.110 --> 01:10:17.710 linda aspey: Bye, bye.
572 01:10:17.710 --> 01:10:18.260 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Speech.
573 01:10:19.110 --> 01:10:27.550 Rick Bowers: Well, yes, I should have said right at the start. Thank you for a really really interesting talk, and and your presentation. I find it really helpful. So thank you for that.
574 01:10:27.750 --> 01:10:28.780 linda aspey: Oh, you're welcome!
575 01:10:28.780 --> 01:10:30.160 Rick Bowers: 1 point
576 01:10:30.370 --> 01:10:34.868 Rick Bowers: I wondered if you could say a little bit more about his disavow, because
577 01:10:35.400 --> 01:10:37.100 Rick Bowers: I don't fully understand that.
578 01:10:37.290 --> 01:10:56.379 linda aspey: Yeah, surely so disavowal is thought to be a. It's a sort of watered down form of denial. Denial is when you're rock, solid. Convince yourself that this isn't true. This isn't happening, and you will even go as far as paying people lobbyists to prove it's not true.
579 01:10:56.800 --> 01:11:06.059 linda aspey: And so it can be often a manipulation disavow is that state of of the capacity. We've all got different parts of ourselves.
580 01:11:06.180 --> 01:11:20.820 linda aspey: and it's a state of actually living with 2 parts together, and the tension of that. So a bit of me knows and a bit of me doesn't want to know. So I'll give an example. Last year I went into Shipston on a beautiful summer day, and
581 01:11:21.020 --> 01:11:49.439 linda aspey: I was. I'd just come out of a very intense climate emotions meeting with some young people, and I thought I need to go and get some fresh air. And so I was probably in a heightened state, walked around the market square, and there's a shop in the market square, a woman's clothes shop, and I saw a dress in the window, and I thought, Oh, that's really nice. I think I'll go and get that. I think I'll go and try that on. And as I walked in the door I just thought, Linda, you've got 3 linen dresses you don't wear already.
582 01:11:50.430 --> 01:11:53.610 linda aspey: This isn't going to make you feel any better.
583 01:11:54.240 --> 01:12:00.449 linda aspey: Stop business as usual. So it's that knowing that bit and also disavow, is also.
584 01:12:00.960 --> 01:12:04.389 linda aspey: it can also be a fault associated with cognitive dissonance
585 01:12:04.470 --> 01:12:12.810 linda aspey: and cognitive dissonances. Because climate psychology doesn't really use much traditional psychology. We're much more interested in the in the unconscious life
586 01:12:12.980 --> 01:12:30.229 linda aspey: and the psychosocial processes and the arts and all of the spiritual aspects of it. Psychology is much more traditional with measurement, but cognitive dissonance is where you know something isn't quite right, because it's not matching up to how you think you should look or be.
587 01:12:30.390 --> 01:12:37.660 linda aspey: But you're you're kind of doing it, anyway. So big example, somebody might say, well, you know, I feel bad about flying.
588 01:12:37.690 --> 01:12:43.050 linda aspey: so they'll find they'll use one of 3 strategies to manage the dissonance, the uncomfortableness.
589 01:12:43.130 --> 01:12:57.279 linda aspey: so that can also be a sort of manifestation of disavowal. So those 3 strategies tend to be. You change the story. So you say? Well, there's nothing wrong with flying. It's not true, it's all, or you say, well, I will.
590 01:12:57.600 --> 01:13:00.979 linda aspey: I only fly now and then, so you're minimising it
591 01:13:01.100 --> 01:13:04.609 linda aspey: or your. I can't remember the 3rd strategy now, but we use various strategies.
592 01:13:04.680 --> 01:13:08.279 linda aspey: so disavowal is knowing and not knowing at the same time.
593 01:13:09.070 --> 01:13:12.102 Rick Bowers: Could could the 3rd strategy be to actually change?
594 01:13:12.440 --> 01:13:18.460 linda aspey: Yes, that's it. Thank you. That's it. That's the one. Yeah, yeah.
595 01:13:20.480 --> 01:13:23.700 linda aspey: yeah, to change your behavior. So you reduce the dissonance.
596 01:13:23.870 --> 01:13:37.130 linda aspey: Yeah. So, but I would say that, and our work seems to show that you know climate denialism, outright denialism is quite rare, but disavowal is the state that we're living in so disavowal is kind of
597 01:13:37.220 --> 01:13:52.460 linda aspey: everywhere. It's about this socially constructed silence is, don't talk about it. Don't even think about it, because it's just a bit uncomfortable, and we can't do anything anyway. Kind of thing. But it's not. It's it's it's a shared collective silence.
598 01:13:52.770 --> 01:13:59.649 linda aspey: and it is it's a it's a social taboo. We've encountered social taboos before, haven't we?
599 01:14:00.710 --> 01:14:02.450 linda aspey: Hi, Adida? Hi!
600 01:14:02.450 --> 01:14:10.889 Wendy Thomson: I'm really interested in your opening where you said all the different work you're doing so to build my spirits up. Could you just
601 01:14:11.040 --> 01:14:19.399 Wendy Thomson: talk about a couple of good examples of where you've gone in to help organizations, and then that would maybe certainly lift my spirits.
602 01:14:19.400 --> 01:14:32.799 linda aspey: Yeah, absolutely. I think that. Well, there's quite. I do quite a lot of them. One of the things that I do is with the climate. Psychology alliance is, I go in with colleagues, and we run climate cafe listening circles.
603 01:14:32.960 --> 01:14:37.659 linda aspey: And these are often for people who are working in frontline bowls
604 01:14:37.670 --> 01:14:51.709 linda aspey: in the environment. And they aren't. They're not really talking much about it. They're sort of skirting the issue because they're too busy with business, you know, day to day work. So we we create a container.
605 01:14:51.720 --> 01:15:04.769 linda aspey: We have a listening circle where each person has a turn to talk about how they're feeling right now about what's going on about climate, and there's no comment. There's no conversation. It's just a sharing space. Everyone has a turn to speak.
606 01:15:04.780 --> 01:15:08.510 linda aspey: and the word that comes up again and again is relief.
607 01:15:09.860 --> 01:15:19.879 linda aspey: And I've also run these online. And we have people from all over the world who've never met anybody before. And this guy met this guy in Wisconsin
608 01:15:19.930 --> 01:15:40.629 linda aspey: who said, I'm in a village in a little kind of out-of-state place in Wisconsin, he said. I'm the only guy in the whole town that is worried about this, and I'm the kind of nutter in the town, he said. I can't tell you how great it is to come to a group of complete strangers and talk about how I feel and what that seems to do for people
609 01:15:40.940 --> 01:15:46.940 linda aspey: is 1st validate their concerns because nobody likes to be told you're talking nonsense.
610 01:15:47.020 --> 01:16:14.200 linda aspey: Secondly, the expression of their and the release of their feelings. And it's not all gushingly emotional. By the way. It's not overwhelming. It's just a space. You can say what you think. You can talk about. Your worst fears as well. Is that relief then leaves people, and although they're not action oriented spaces at all, there are lots of climate cafes that are. But our listening circles are just feeling spaces. They say I feel better now.
611 01:16:14.440 --> 01:16:26.360 linda aspey: and I'm going to go and feed the birds, or I'm going to go and join that march, or I'm going to do something, and it seems that when you're suppressing how you feel about it, you're also suppressing your creativity and your imagination.
612 01:16:28.570 --> 01:16:29.650 Wendy Thomson: Thank you.
613 01:16:30.630 --> 01:16:31.570 linda aspey: You're welcome.
614 01:16:33.880 --> 01:16:42.120 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Linda, that was fascinating. Thank you so much for coming. Let me inspire everybody by saying that you're coming back
615 01:16:42.140 --> 01:16:43.520 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: in a month's time.
616 01:16:43.580 --> 01:16:56.080 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: and that people should be ready for your next session, whatever that's going to cover, but very, very grateful for your coming today, and such an eye-opening presentation. Thank you.
617 01:16:57.580 --> 01:16:58.080 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: So.
618 01:16:58.080 --> 01:17:16.560 linda aspey: You very much. Thank you very much for inviting me. Thank you for being here, and yeah, for your attention. I'll send some stuff around feel free to connect with me on Linkedin. Or just look@aspi.com. You'll find my website, and I can direct you to various resources as well.
619 01:17:17.830 --> 01:17:19.980 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration - Isle of Wight: Thank you so much. Take care. Goodbye, everybody.
620 01:17:19.980 --> 01:17:21.209 linda aspey: Thank you. Bye-bye.
