Programs

“The enormous transformations to our planet from climate change can have powerful effects on our emotions, making us grieve what is lost.”

– Panu Pihkala, expert in eco-anxiety and adjunct professor of environmental theology at the University Helsinki.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN: Register below today for one of our upcoming Climate Courage Workshops! 

TCI is so excited to partner with the Yellow Tulip Project for our re-launch of Climate Courage. The Yellow Tulip Project (YTP) is an organization focused on smashing the stigma around mental illness. As many of us know, fighting the climate crisis can be tough on our minds and spirits. Together, we can make both our minds and our Earth better homes in which we can live and thrive.

Complex emotional responses come up in response to the climate crisis. Allowing oneself the time to truly feel and work through one’s emotional responses is essential in preventing burnout. Through our Climate Courage Workshops, we seek to provide emotional support, resources, tools, and community support.

The purpose of the Climate Courage Workshops is multifold:

(1) To create a space which supports young climate leaders to lean into their feelings about the climate crisis and to make room for the safe expression of these feelings. Increasing one’s capacity to bear witness to the difficulties we are facing and sharing our experiences with the support of others through community increases emotional resilience. Feelings naturally flow and change, and expressing them supports that natural movement.

(2) To assist young climate leaders in the creation of a self-care plan to sustain them for the long-term. The leaders will identify their strengths and weaknesses in their care for themselves, and create a plan for addressing the areas of self-care which they identify as areas needing focus for long-term sustainability in climate work.

(3) To support young climate leaders in creating a vision for themselves as resilient leaders in their communities. Youth climate leaders will identify specific ways that the principle of standing for a sustainable, just and fulfilling future could operate in their lives as a leader within their community.

1. Feelings about Climate Change and Climate Work

2. Creating a Self-Care Plan

3. Becoming a Climate Leader in Your Community
(1) Welcome and introductions
(2) Establish psychological safety and group norms
(3) Discuss feelings about climate change and climate work		(1) Introduce self-care
(2) Create self-care goals
(3) Discuss self-care challenges and strengths		(1) Celebrate success
(2) Discuss being a climate leader in your community

What workshop participants have to say:

James Mustapha Humper: “I really appreciate being part of the Climate Courage Team workshop. This workshop has enlightened me on how to manage my emotions when performing my environmental impact tasks, and it also serves as an eye-opener for me on some environmental challenges that require solutions.”

Nadia Paleari: “Climate Change has a deep impact on our society and each one of us, so it is essential to talk about it and address the difficulties we go through when dealing with it in order to understand how to cope with it and find proper solutions!”

Silvia Cantu Bautista: “The Climate Courage workshops were an amazing opportunity for me to open up about my own difficult experiences as an environmental leader while learning from others and the ways that they have dealt with emotional exhaustion as part of their activism. We also learned a lot of valuable and useful skills and strategies for better taking care of ourselves and others, always prioritizing our mental well-being and overall safety.”

MD Palash Mahmud: “Together we can make this planet better. YCC creates the “Climate Courage” learning platform for you to get more knowledge on protecting our planet while also providing a reminder that you are not alone in your support for environmental protection. They are well-planned, well-executed, and provide the perfect opportunity to meet interesting people. Thank you!”

Rakshinda Akhtar: “Great interactive workshop. Left with concrete strategies –Very enjoyable, good information and tools. And I would love to sign up for the meditation again which is one of the best parts of the workshop.”

Register for an upcoming workshop:

Climate Courage Word Glossary!

With the help of our workshop participants and our TCI community, we are developing a Climate Courage Word Glossary to equip everyone with words to express their feelings related to climate change. Do you know any words you would like to add? Submit your words and definitions during workshops. All languages welcome!

Examples:
Language, Swahili: baa la njaa Kwa ukame
Language, English: famine for drought
Country: Kenya

Language, Swahili: Wimbi kubwa la ukosefu wa chakula na maji likisababishwa na ukosefu wa mvua Kwa muda mrefu
Language, English: The huge wave of widespread hunger due to prolonged scarcity of rainfall.
Country: Kenya

Language, British English: Green Defilement
Meaning: Cutting of smaller trees
Country: Zambia

Resources:

(1) Climate Change and Mental Health: How Social Workers Can Make an Impact

  • Link: onlinesocialwork
  • Summary: We can all play a role in addressing climate change by educating individuals and communities, advocating for policies that promote sustainable practices, and collaborating with other peers and professionals. This guide provides detailed insights and resources on the following topics: (1) a look into the impact of climate change on mental health; (2) the psychological impacts of climate change on anxiety, depression, and trauma; (3) the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, and more!
(2) Overview: Climate Change and Health Equity
  • Link: samhsa
  • Summary: This important resource outlines major effects of climate change, their health impacts, and strategies for disaster preparedness and resilience, both in terms of physical health and mental health.
(3) Climate Changes Health: Mental Wellness
  • Link: apha.org
  • Summary: This article, and its many important linked resources, from the American Public Health Association, draws direct connections between climate impacts and mental health burdens. There is also extensive information around broader health impacts of climate change on this site!

Additional Resources: