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June 11 @ 3PM EDT (4PM ADT / 1PM MDT / NOON PDT)

Climate Despair: Harnessing Grief as an Agent of Transformation

Speaker: Jennifer Atkinson

50 minutes

The age of climate crisis is upon us and emerging research is linking ecological loss to immense emotional and psychological distress. Terms like “eco-grief,” “climate anxiety” and “pre-traumatic stress” have become part of our vocabulary and mental health experts report on the number of people struggling from the dread of anticipated loss or trauma from directly experiencing climate disasters. Meanwhile, frontline communities (i.e. those who experience the “first and worst” consequences of climate change, particularly low-income communities, people of color, and other historically-disadvantaged groups) are shouldering the brunt of climate disruption and suffering significant impacts on their mental health.

In this talk, Dr. Jennifer Atkinson discusses the emotional dimensions of our climate crisis and shares strategies for confronting grief and anxiety over loss without retreating into despair. Having taught one of the first college seminars on eco-grief in the U.S., Atkinson draws on her experience helping students and activists build the resilience needed to stay engaged in climate solutions over the long run.

The Green Rooms is produced by English Theatre at the National Arts Centre and presented by FOLDA, in collaboration with the Canada Council for the Arts, The City of Kingston, The National Theatre School, and HowlRound Theatre Commons.

A Guide to the Green Rooms can be found here.