sustainable futures australia. “too big to talk about” the importance of voicing direct...

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sustainable futures australia

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Page 1: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Page 2: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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“Too BIG to talk about”

The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change.

By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental PsychologistA presentation in response to Reser, Bradley & Ellul,

2013

Page 3: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Reser, Bradley & Ellul

• Climate change a source of concern for many Australians

• Encounters with climate change produce strong emotions– sadness/grief, fear/concern,

hopelessness; frustration/anger– realisation, motivation

Page 4: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Difficult to talk about

• Geographical distance & slow changes

• Background to our lives• Large complex systems

• STRONG FEELINGS

Page 5: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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• Situated in a polarised debate– happening or not?– human induced or not?

• Healthy discussion– how are you feeling about it?– what can we do about it?

Page 6: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Important to

• Address psychological & social distress

• Motivate action for adaptation & amelioration

• Create appropriate social spaces in which people can adequately make sense of and emotionally process their encounters with climate change

Page 7: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Existing techniques

• Originating in encounter groups• Joanna Macy• Ecopsychology, eco-therapy– ‘eco-anxiety’, ‘stages of awakening’,

‘end of suburbia moment’– healthy but distressing psych.

response to what is currently happening on the planet

Page 8: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Key elements

1 Non-ordinary social space2 Opportunity for expressing

strong thoughts and feelings3 Validated as normal & valuable4 Visioning for positive

alternative5 Action planning (systems)

Page 9: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Examples

Page 10: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Page 11: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Page 12: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Formal evaluations?

• ‘not alone’ & empowered (Bragg 1996)

• success of action plans (SFA)

• direction of university students (Brennan 2011)

• psychotherapeutic analysis (Hollis-Walker 2012)

• positive emotions & self-efficacy (Terrell 2012)

Page 13: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Be the Change (Terrell 2012)

Helpless

Ignorant

Scared

Indifferent

Avoidant

Motivated

Empowered

Optimistic

05101520253035404550

BeforeAfter

Which word best describes your attitude towards the ecological crisis?

Page 14: Sustainable futures australia. “Too BIG to talk about” The importance of voicing direct experiences of climate change. By Dr Eshana Bragg, Environmental

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Groups not individuals

• Making sense• Support each other• Solutions are collective and

systemic

• “How can we best support each other to face and respond to our encounter with climate change?”