Parenting is hard; parenting in a changing climate is harder.
When I first “woke up” to climate change several years ago, when my twins were two years old, I panicked. Every time I’d see another frightening climate headline in the news – another devastating flood, another unprecedented forest fire, another dire prediction for the future – I felt anxious and overwhelmed. I wanted to do something, but I didn’t know what to do. (And even if I did figure out what to do, I wondered when on earth I’d have the time or energy to do it – working full-time while parenting young children was exhausting enough on its own, without the added burden of feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders.)
And what made matters worse was that few people in my daily life seemed to want to talk about what was happening to the climate. I felt lonely, isolated, and worried about the future on a daily basis.
What changed everything for me was finding my place in the climate community: connecting with others who shared my concerns and were willing to talk about the hard truths we’re collectively facing was a balm for my soul. Rather than trying to figure out how to save the world on my own, I realized there were ways I could plug into collective action, hold space for my painful emotions, and practice envisioning a future where we might be able to thrive.
Parenting in a changing climate is too heavy a burden to bear alone. And you don’t have to.
I’m so excited to offer an 8-week group coaching experience this fall for climate-concerned parents who want the support and encouragement of a like-minded community. This group will offer tangible support for cultivating resilience, navigating difficult emotions, practicing hope, and finding your place in the climate movement. Read on to learn more – I’d be thrilled for you to join us.
This group is for you if:
- You’re a parent who’s deeply concerned about the climate crisis – and what it might mean for your child’s future (and all children’s futures)
- You feel anxious every time you see another scary climate headline in the news (and you’ve noticed that they seem to be showing up more and more often)
- You want to do something to help, but you have no idea where to begin – and feel overwhelmed by the daily demands of parenting as it is
- You want the support of a community to process difficult emotions about the climate crisis – and to brainstorm ideas for constructive action
- You’ve recognized you could use some support in building resilience so that you can stay engaged in the climate movement for the long haul
- You understand that social and environmental justice must be central to our collective response to climate change, and believe that none of us are free until all of us are free
- You want to be able to tell your children you did everything you could to protect their right to a safe, healthy livable future
What you’ll receive:
- Eight weekly sessions to explore different dimensions of climate change and parenting with other climate-concerned parents
- Space to process difficult emotions in a supportive community
- Ideas and practices to help you and your family cultivate resilience for a climate-changing future
- Evidence-based coaching strategies to help make healthy climate engagement a habit
- Confidence-building support for engaging in collective climate action, rather than trying to go it alone
- Supplementary resources throughout the group, such as resources for talking to children about climate change; making a family climate adaptation plan; somatic resilience practices; plant-based recipe ideas; and more
- An assigned listening partner within the group to add additional support in between sessions
Details:
- What: Eight weekly Zoom sessions, 90 minutes each
- When: The next cohort will likely run in late spring of 2022 – times and dates are yet to be determined. Stay tuned!
- Sliding scale price:
- Option 1: $200 (if this is a stretch)
- Option 2: $300 (if you’re financially at ease)
- Option 3: $400 (if you’re financially thriving)
- Optional add-on: Option to add on a 1:1 coaching session with me during the program at reduced rate of $100
- Fifteen percent of all proceeds from this group will be donated to the Climate Justice Alliance
Weekly session topics:
- Week 1: Opening & telling our climate change stories
- Week 2: Why parents matter in the climate movement
- Week 3: Holding space for difficult emotions: climate anxiety, climate grief, and more
- Week 4: Envisioning a thriving future
- Week 5: Climate activism for parents
- Week 6: Resilient parenting in a changing climate
- Week 7: Practicing hope: cultivating positive emotions in difficult times
- Week 8: Closing & sending forth
Recommended companion reading:
The next cohort will likely run in late spring 2022, with dates and times yet to be determined. If you’d like to be on the waiting list for the next time this group is offered, please let me know by emailing me at elizabeth@elizabethbechard.com. I look forward to connecting with you!