My first Climate Cafe
I had been wanting to go to a Climate Café for what seemed like a long time, at least a few months; but every time the Climate Café date rolled around, other obligations and priorities seemed to get in the way. Finally in February 2023 I managed to lever myself out of the family enmeshment of the Sunday whirlwinds and cycle down to the Friends’ Meeting House in Brighton. I hadn’t booked a ticket as I wasn’t clear if that was compulsory. I slid into the room filled with a circle of quiet strangers, sat on hard chairs waiting the facilitators. I was ushered towards some tea and biscuits, and then found my place in the circle. I discovered that many more people than expected had turned up , over 30, and so the hosts, Adele and Mick had split the group into 2 circles in separate rooms. There were even late arrivals sat on the stairs outside, holding their own impromptu ‘fringe climate café’!
The experience was entirely transformational. Whilst it was far from a rousing, inspirational call to action, it allowed deep shift of acceptance within me around my grief and anger that liberated my energies. Adele ensured everyone was clear of the ground rules, outlined by the Climate Psychology Alliance. Feelings, not actions were the focus of the group. She facilitated very ably even though it was her first time – everyone had their turn and she gently reminded people if they veered into actions rather than feelings.
For 90 minutes we formed a close, holding space for listening and accepting everyone’s diverse range of feelings about the unravelling climate crisis. It was such a relief to finally be in a room of people who evidently cared as much as me. Not only had they bothered to all get to the climate café, but also the isolating, constricting and crushing silence created by the social taboo around climate change was temporarily extinguished. I heard myself speak passionately, desperately and darkly about the our future and our children’s future and my exasperation that in general no one seemed to notice or care. And yet, paradoxically I felt validated, released from the grip of desolate thoughts by sharing them and feeling truly heard and understood by a room full of 15 others who ‘got it’.
I left uplifted and fundamentally changed. I now have more energy to act, more resilience and motivation to do what I can in the time I have. My responsibility and awareness does not weigh me down anymore, it energises me. As do attending regular climate cafes. I have trained in climate café facilitation and now co-host in Lewes, and plan to set up others in Brighton. These are the next dates of the Brighton Climate café – Saturday September 9th and Lewes Climate Café Tuesday August 8th. Find out more details on my Facebook and Instagram acocunts or on MeetUp https://www.meetup.com/brighton-climate-c-meetup-group/events/294844014/?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=share-btn_savedevents_share_modal&utm_source=link. There are also regular online climate cafes via the CPA website here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/climate-psychology-alliance-29918075735
Get connected and find others who care. Resilience is not found within people, it is found between people. Now more than ever we need resilience and community to face our uncertain futures.