Dr Sally Gillespie - Climate Crisis and Consciousness

The Lentil Intervention Podcast

Dr Sally Gillespie is a writer, workshop facilitator, lecturer and public speaker with a background in depth psychology and ecopsychology. Sally’s recently published book Climate Crisis and Consciousness: Reimagining Our World and Ourselves, explores the psychological experience of engaging with climate change and related ecological concerns. There is a growing awareness of the climate emergency within our community and more people are acknowledging that the next ten years must bring about radical changes to avoid potentially catastrophic tipping points.
This reality is confronting and can involve a wide range of emotions. Experiences of ecological anxiety and climate grief are burgeoning and coping with these feelings in the face of climate change is extremely important. The fight against climate change is not a sprint, it’s a marathon - one that we will be dealing with for the rest of our lives and here Sally discusses strategies for staying engaged with climate change without burning out or becoming overwhelmed or depressed.
Hot on the heels of the latest IPCC report this is a timely and extremely important conversation.
In this episode we discuss:
• Sally’s background in Jungian psychotherapy and her transition to climate psychology
• Why climate change is still such a taboo subject and how we can start fostering important conversations
• The Importance of peer education and use of language when dealing with climate deniers or down-players
• Strategies for tackling climate grief, feelings of helplessness and eco-anxiety
• Cultivating grounded hope and building psychological resilience in the face of climate uncertainty
• Nature deficit disorder and the importance of nature exposure and nature-based education for children
• The importance of indigenous knowledge and the need for indigenous-led climate action
• The work of Psychology for a Safe Climate
For further resources on climate psychology research and support visit the Psychology for a Safe Climate or the Climate Psychology Alliance websites.
If this story has raised concerns for you or someone you know, you can contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 in Australia or Lifeline Aotearoa on 0800 LIFELINE (0800 54 33 54) or free text HELP (4357) in New Zealand.
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