We all know about the environmental and physical effects of climate change. But what about its impact on our mental health? According to some psychologists, their patients who report trouble

We all know about the environmental and physical effects of climate change. But what about its impact on our mental health? According to some psychologists, their patients who report trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, feelings of dread or hopelessness, could be suffering from climate anxiety. Leslie Davenport is a clinical psychotherapist who practices in San Francisco. “I’m starting to notice in my practice that sometimes people come in with ambient anxiety,” she reports. “They’re just more distressed, even if they haven't always connected the dots about why.” In her book Emotional Resiliency in the Era of Climate Change, Davenport likens her patients’ feelings about climate change to the five stages of grief. “Really what we're talking about is any kind of loss,” she says. “Loss of identity, loss of lifestyle, loss of environment…the degradation we’re talking about can trigger a very similar process. “Denial, anger, sadness, bargaining have [their] versions of what it might look like in the climate world,” Davenport continues. “But the most important part is underneath that -- making room for the emotional landscape that accompanies this experience, so that we can attend to what's happening with more of ourselves instead of investing so much energy at keeping the feelings at bay.” “The whole topic of loss and grief and feelings, it freaks a lot of people out,” agrees climate engagement strategist Renee Lertzman. But avoiding the pain won’t make it go away. Lertzman and Davenport are among the psychologists who recognize that “we’ve got to cut through the confusion and bring in some actual grounded psychological expertise and insight into how we understand this work -- which is that there is a spectrum, that there are strength and power in our ability to stay present with our feelings that we won't get stuck and lost in a hole of despair and gloom.” Mastering those feelings is one thing. What about sharing them with others? Bryant Welch is the author of State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and the Assault on the American Mind. He advocates starting a conversation with those who may not necessarily agree with you about the reality of climate change. And don’t just talk, says Bryant – be sure to listen as well. “When people are listened to it is a very unusual experience for them, and a very powerful experience for them,” he says. “And when you connect with someone in these kinds of conversations that environmentalists are now talking about…it is stunning the impact it has on the person being listened to.” The more we bring our anxieties out of the shadows, Bryant maintains, the more we can harness hope for the future. “There's a saying, if you can name it you can tame it,” he says. “Now there’s a lot of optimism in that. And it really does produce health, mental health in and of itself. “And so I've never been more optimistic. I don't know if we’re gonna survive,” he adds with a laugh, “But I’ve never been more optimistic.” #letstalkclimate https://climateone.org/ How to talk about Climate Change 1:51 Talking to another mind 5:34 People have a "worry budget" 11:46 Climate Denial 16:39 Correlation between heat and human aggression 25:25

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Before Fiona Hill became a celebrated foreign policy expert and key witness in the 2019 impeachment trial of then-President Donald Trump, she was a coal-miner's daughter from northern England in a

Before Fiona Hill became a celebrated foreign policy expert and key witness in the 2019 impeachment trial of then-President Donald Trump, she was a coal-miner's daughter from northern England in a town where the last of the coal mines had closed. Her father urged her to get out, saying “There is nothing for you here, pet.” Hill went on to study in Moscow and at Harvard and served under three United States presidents. But in both Russia and the United States, she saw troubling reflections of her hometown and similar populist impulses. Her new book, There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century, draws on her own journey out of poverty and her unique perspective as a policymaker to warn that America is on the brink of socioeconomic collapse and an authoritarian swing that could rival modern Russia. In her powerful and deeply personal account, Hill reveals why expanding opportunity for desperate and forgotten Americans is the only long-term hope for our democracy. Join us as she reflects on her own experience and expertise to analyze the future of American democracy. NOTES This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. Hill photo by Associated Press. OCTOBER 12, 2021 SPEAKERS Fiona Hill Former Senior Director for Europe and Russia, National Security Council; Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Author, There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the Twenty-First Century In Conversation with Ellen Nakashima National Security Reporter, The Washington Post 💯SUBSCRIBE for more VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/user/commonwealthclub 📆 UPCOMING EVENTS: https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events 🎉 BECOME a MEMBER: https://www.commonwealthclub.org/membership 💰 DONATE NOW: https://support.commonwealthclub.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=298 📺➕📻 Watch & Listen https://www.commonwealthclub.org/watch-listen CWC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecommonwealthclub/ CWC Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cwclub/ CWC Twitter https://twitter.com/cwclub The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum 📣, bringing together its 20,000 members for more than 400 annual events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy. Founded in 1903 in San Francisco California 🌉, The Commonwealth Club has played host to a diverse and distinctive array of speakers, from Teddy Roosevelt in 1911 to Hillary Clinton in 2010. Along the way, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton have all given landmark speeches at the Club.

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Mary Roach wants to let us in on a secret: The greatest number of repeat criminal offenders are outside, all around us, and you’ve probably even seen some today—animals. It has only been three

Mary Roach wants to let us in on a secret: The greatest number of repeat criminal offenders are outside, all around us, and you’ve probably even seen some today—animals. It has only been three centuries since animals had to stand trial for their misconduct, in a court of law, with legal representation. Yes, really. In her newest book, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, the science enthusiast turned writer deep-dives into human-animal conflict. As human land consumption creeps further into the natural habitats of these so-called troublemakers, it becomes more pressing to realize a symbiotic coexistence. The question becomes: Who is in the wrong, animals living according to their instincts or the humans that increasingly police them? To answer this question, Roach trots the globe from the Himalayas to Vatican City making friends with rats and foes with a macaque. Ultimately she reaches the conclusion that there is true, untamed hope for working with rather than against our critter counterparts. At INFORUM Roach will regale us with stories as wild as they are true, such as her foray into rat-bait taste testing. Further she will serve as our safari-guide in the conversation of how to bring outdoor and indoor worlds together safely and justly at a time when this work is needed most. This conversation is moderated by Kara Platoni, Wired's science editor NOTES Roach photo by Jen Siska. SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 SPEAKERS Mary Roach Author, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law Kara Platoni Science Editor, Wired—Moderator 💯SUBSCRIBE for more VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/user/commonwealthclub 📆 UPCOMING EVENTS: https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events 🎉 BECOME a MEMBER: https://www.commonwealthclub.org/membership 💰 DONATE NOW: https://support.commonwealthclub.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=298 📺➕📻 Watch & Listen https://www.commonwealthclub.org/watch-listen CWC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecommonwealthclub/ CWC Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cwclub/ CWC Twitter https://twitter.com/cwclub The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum 📣, bringing together its 20,000 members for more than 400 annual events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy. Founded in 1903 in San Francisco California 🌉, The Commonwealth Club has played host to a diverse and distinctive array of speakers, from Teddy Roosevelt in 1911 to Hillary Clinton in 2010. Along the way, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton have all given landmark speeches at the Club.

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It seems ironic to Aryan Ranjan that we live in a country where more people would rather get weather predictions from a groundhog than actually listen to climate change evidence from scientists. Yet,

It seems ironic to Aryan Ranjan that we live in a country where more people would rather get weather predictions from a groundhog than actually listen to climate change evidence from scientists. Yet, when we see our sea levels rising, when we see our hurricanes getting stronger, and when we see places getting flooded that have never been flooded before, we turn a blind eye. We turn a blind eye to the very problem that we have created - not as Democrats, not as Republicans, but as human beings. Unfortunately, the phrase “climate change” in and of itself has taken on a very negative connotation over the years. In fact, if you even mention the words “climate change” to anybody, it will almost always result in a heated debate. Aryan has tried. He says, "The cold hard truth is that the phrase 'climate change' has become a trigger word for both sides of the political spectrum to a point that people don’t even feel comfortable talking about it anymore." But that begs the question: Why? Why is it that we always have to take politics into account for everything? Does the thermometer give us a different temperature depending on whether we are Democrats or Republicans? Of course not! One hundred degrees is going to be 100 degrees across the board. Yet, that’s how we view things in modern society. But the real question is: Will we ever find a solution to climate change? At the rate we’re going, the simple answer is no. Because every time we take a step toward coming up with a solution for climate change, we actually end up taking four steps backward. And the media doesn’t make it any better. Based on the media, it seems as if there is no hope left. But, in Aryan's talk, he will tell you that climate change breakthroughs exist, and even more importantly, he says we have a decent shot to end this climate crisis. Aryan believes through education and adherence to climate commitments, we can make the necessary changes to protect our planet. He is a member of Citizens Climate Lobby, a non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to lobbying for national legislation for climate solutions. Through this organization, Aryan has been able to meet with local elected officials to discuss climate solutions. He is also Founder and President of the Climate Change club at American Heritage, which empowers other high schoolers at AHS by giving them the chance to discuss concerns and solutions regarding climate change. Additionally, Aryan is Captain of the Junior High Congressional Debate team, Treasurer of the Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society, Officer of Model United Nations, and a member of Congressman Ted Deutch’s Congressional Youth Cabinet. Aryan is honored to give a TED Talk and hopes he is able to influence more youth to get involved with climate action. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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Ever thought about starting a Creation Care Team (CCT)? Steve Coleman and Roger Ingersoll from CCL’s Catholic Action Team will discuss challenges starting a new team as well as some examples of

Ever thought about starting a Creation Care Team (CCT)? Steve Coleman and Roger Ingersoll from CCL’s Catholic Action Team will discuss challenges starting a new team as well as some examples of successful CCT projects and programs. Paz Artaza-Regan will then discuss the many CCT resources available from Catholic Climate Covenant to help get a team started, including meeting materials and sustainable facility suggestions, as well a how to advocate for faith-informed climate policies. Presenters Steven Coleman, Paz Artaza-Regan and Roger Ingersoll lead the discussion. Speaker Bios: Paz Artaza-Regan has worked as the Program Manager at Catholic Climate Covenant where she oversees the work of the Creation Care Teams network, the development of educational materials such as the Earth Day and Feast of St. Francis programs, and the monthly webinars. She began her career in the Environmental Justice office of the United Methodist Church, and has worked for Physicians for Social Responsibility and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.She has a BA in international relations from George Washington University, a master's degree in international development from American University, and completed the course of work for a master's degree in community and regional planning from the University of British Columbia. She is originally from Santiago, Chile. Steve Coleman is a retired engineer and businessman. He has been involved with CCL and Catholic outreach for 6 years. Steve has given presentations, help start a care for creation group in is church and written a booklet to lead Catholics from our moral call to care for creation to supporting EDCIA. http://bit.ly/catholic-ccl He has worked at the local, state and national levels on helping Catholics care for our common home. Roger Ingersoll retired from ExxonMobil after 33 years where he worked on arctic, coastal, and offshore projects worldwide. During his career witnessed significant arctic changes since the 1980’s. Roger's been a member of Citizens Climate Lobby since 2016, is Co-group Leader and Grasstops Lead of TX08 Woodlands-Huntsville Chapter, and is also active in CCL’s Conservative Caucus, and Catholic Action Teams. Roger has five beautiful grandchildren, so his hope is that Congress enacts meaningful climate legislation as soon as possible to preserve their future.

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