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Climate emotions describe the psychological responses to the environmental and climate crisis at hand, as one becomes more aware of its severe impact (through lived experience, witnessing or learning) now and on future generations. These emotions are complex and encompass a very broad range of mental health states. The consequences of the climate crisis affects communities disproportionately and the mental health consequences of it cannot be generalised.
Addressing Climate Emotions (ACE) are a series of sessions that attempt to help people become aware/respond to their emotions about the climate crisis using arts-based techniques.
ADDRESSING CLIMATE EMOTIONS
(ace)
Well-being through Arts:
Grappling with the Climate Crisis
‘Attending Zooreach's presentation on solastalgia with Priya and Bhavna from The Halcyon Experience was eye-opening. We investigated the emotional impact of environmental deterioration alongside other animal enthusiasts. Their ideas and coping mechanisms empowered us, increasing our resilience in the face of environmental problems. I am grateful for the help and solidarity in maintaining our planet's beauty.’
Suraj N
RHATC Batch 3, 2023-24
‘WOW sessions have helped me understand how to identify and deal with difficult emotions whenever it is necessary. The sessions have given me some tools that i use to cope with my mental health.’
P Kritika
RHATC Batch 2, 2022-23
‘The 'Welfare Of Wildlifers' session was a significant part of our course. It provided valuable insights into coping with trauma and mental health mechanisms. Personally, it has been quite helpful. Understanding how to address past traumas and mental health issues has made my life easier in several ways. I am grateful to the team for organizing this session. It has helped me with tools to manage my well-being better, and I feel more prepared to handle challenges moving forward.’
Anonymous
RHATC Batch 2, 2022-23
‘The Welfare of Wildlifers by Bhavna and Priya helped me a lot with coping up with my mental struggles and slowly managing them. When I came to RHATC, there were a lot of thoughts about myself and others that I held and I didn't know how to handle them. But during the counselling session with Bhavna and Priya, I found answers to many of the questions I had in my mind. It felt like I had lost a huge burden. But not just that, during their sessions the different aspects they gave insights into such as conflict management have helped me well in my career. If the Welfare of Wildlifers wasn't done, perhaps I would've found it really difficult to manage my emotions.’
Melito Pinto
RHATC Batch 2, 2022-23
The Halcyon Experience has conducted sessions called "WOW - Welfare of Wildlifers" with The Ram Hattikudur Advanced Training in Conservation (RHATC) since 2021. The sessions aimed at supporting the Fellows in understanding and responding to their mental health challenges.
A word about RHATC -
The Ram Hattikudur Advanced Training in Conservation (RHATC) bridges the gap for graduates and young professionals between academic learning and on-the-ground conservation needs by providing real-time training in different aspects of conservation biology and application gleaned from over 30 years of experience in the field. This course is based on the unique conservation engineering model developed by Sanjay Molur and the late Sally Walker.
The course builds skills to make the leap from being theorists to successful practical conservation applicants in working environments of biodiversity-rich developing countries taught by professionals in the region.
Taught by a team of experienced conservationists, taxonomists, naturalists, educators, scientists, artists, policy makers, social scientists and other experts, this intensive 4-month course of theoretical and practical classes provides the right tools, methods, foundation, and opportunities to build up leaders in conservation.
These sessions are specifically for people involved in ecological/environmental/climate studies (such as researchers, climate scientists, wildlifers, conservationists, sustainability specialists, climate activists and students).
For those working in the frontline of climate change, these emotions can be complex while they continuously engage with and confront the difficult truths of the crisis.
ACE engages its participants through art, using it as a medium through which to express and communicate. Art-based techniques such as visual art, music, movement and drama are used to encourage participants to understand, explore and respond creatively to their emotions.
There is diversity in the experiences, feelings and responses towards the environmental crisis and we hope to be able to address these realities through these sessions.
If you would like to more about the ACE sessions or if you’d like us to conduct sessions with your organisation, we would be happy to hear from you.
We believe that such spaces are needed during these times of crises, to remind us of our shared humanity and to help foster personal and collective responses towards effective action.