Transforming Ecological Anxiety Pod: Being with Changes

As the increase of emissions causes an increase in ecological anxiety, larger and larger proportions of the global population seek ways to adapt. One way  can be found by looking at the ideas of existential therapy which have been offered by Pierre-Eric Sutter and Loic Steffan in Don’t Be Afraid of Collapse (2020). Their simple framing of the planetary crisis and the “eco-gestures” required to discover happiness in the mid-21st century can be learned by both adults and young people. There is a way to first examine and then to change one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This results in a different worldview. 

Pierre-Eric Sutter spent several years conducting thousands of interviews with people who had become completely demoralized after learning about collapsology by reading How Everything Can Collapse (P. Servigne) in 2015. It was a best seller in France that year. Sutter is an existential therapist and he noticed that many of the demoralized people were able to transform their state of being and generate positivity and happy living despite the collapses that they witnessed around them (climate, diversity, democracy, politics, supply chains, etc.), collapses which continue today. On March 17th in the CCA Fringe Festival, these ideas were presented (https://www.climatecoachingalliance.org/event/transforming-ecological-anxiety-pod/). There are four main concepts. In this meeting, after a brief overview description, the first concept about “being with changes” will be examined in detail. There will be two breakout-room opportunities as well as a general discussion. Further monthly Zoom meetings on the first Tuesday of the month will cover discussions of the three other topics: making (eco-)meanings, making (eco-)choices, and engaging.