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Emotions, Reflexivity and the Long Haul: What We Do About How We Feel About Climate Change

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Climate Psychology

Part of the book series: Studies in the Psychosocial ((STIP))

Abstract

A range of group work methodologies exist to acknowledge, explore and encourage the processing of the complex, and sometimes contradictory emotions aroused by issues of social and environmental concerns. These reflexive methodologies vary in intensity and accessibility and lie at the interface of psychological and social approaches to climate change. This chapter will give an overview of methodologies used in the UK by civil society organisations. It will summarise existing research, and present initial findings from interviews with facilitators about what they feel their methods can achieve. It will conclude by reflecting on the role of these methodologies for engaging with, and sustaining action on, climate change.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    I am using emotions as the main descriptor for emotions, affects and feelings, and will distinguish between them where necessary.

  2. 2.

    See references for details of these groups.

  3. 3.

    Practices that facilitators have mentioned grief tending which draws on Dagara traditions from Burkina Faso as taught by Malidoma Somé (http://malidoma.com/main/) and the late Sobonfu Somé (http://www.sobonfu.com/).

  4. 4.

    Key words included names of methodologies such as ‘Inner Transition’, ‘The Work that Reconnects’ and related practices. Searches were also conducted in online groups, such as ‘The Work that Reconnects UK’ facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/111468605594102/), and Ecopsychology online group (http://ecopsychologyuk.ning.com/).

  5. 5.

    Framing in its simplest form means how an issue is contextualised, and the concepts and issues it links to. There is much research and discussion on framing climate change and action, see Lertzman (2015).

  6. 6.

    ‘Burn’ in this case is a stream in Scotland.

  7. 7.

    The ‘Truth Mandala’ is a specific exercise in The Work that Reconnects, which enables participants to explore and express pain for the world (Macy and Brown 2015, p. 121).

  8. 8.

    Work that Reconnects Facilitator Competency Framework [online]. Available from: https://workthatreconnects.org/wtr-facilitator-competency-framework/ [accessed 20 June 2018].

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all the facilitators who were interviewed, for their contribution of time and expertise, and to my supervisors Hilary Geoghegan and Giuseppe Feola. I would also like to thank those who commented on earlier drafts: Paul Hoggett, Rosie Robison and Joe Butler.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Environmental Science, School of Geology, Archeology and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading, UK

    Jo Hamilton

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  1. Jo Hamilton
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  1. University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol, UK

    Paul Hoggett

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Hamilton, J. (2019). Emotions, Reflexivity and the Long Haul: What We Do About How We Feel About Climate Change. In: Hoggett, P. (eds) Climate Psychology. Studies in the Psychosocial. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11741-2_8

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