SPEAKER

Dr. Charles Le Feuvre, Vice President, Psychology for a safe climate

Topic

This presentation will look at the tremendous distress caused by the recent bushfires, both by the fires themselves and as signifying climate change in the here and now.

Background issues will be discussed including ways of seeing the natural environment from psychological and other perspectives including transcultural, the current and future climate, and how we process climate change emotionally. We will also discuss the use of denial (including denial of our dependence on nature) and climate change related mental health issues, focussing particularly on ecological grief and eco-anxiety.

How can we respond to climate/ ecological grief and anxiety in ourselves and others? How can we respond as individuals and groups to climate change? These issues will be explored, including the work of Psychology for a Safe Climate (PSC). The need for strong compassionate leadership, urgent political action, and a cultural shift will be emphasised.

About the speaker

Dr Charles Le Feuvre is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist and has been involved with Psychology for a Safe Climate (PSC) for ten years. He is currently PSC’s Vice President.

PSC’s purpose is to contribute psychological understanding and support within the community, helping people face the difficult climate reality.

In response to the bushfires, PSC wrote a booklet ‘Staying engaged in the climate and bushfire crisis’.