From crisis to connection: CCL’s resilience trainings

By Amber Powell

I found Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) during the week of COP28, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference. At the time, I was in the second year of my M.S. program, knee-deep in journal articles and assignments on the ecology of natural resources and the politics of managing them. My days were spent sifting through terrifying trend lines and grim projections for my generation’s future. 

In my off time, I watched policy leaders at the UN Climate Conference struggle to establish meaningful steps forward in the climate crisis. Polarization continued to splinter my community and country, while the oceans rose and the forests burned. Everywhere was a relentless cacophony about the world’s end and our inability to resolve the situation. 

This was, as we euphemistically say in the South, a “bit of a downer.” 

On day two of COP28, in a not-so-minor panic about my future, I googled local organizations for climate change involvement. I was tired of reading and writing about my world collapsing; I needed a group, a community, to discuss the issues and propose feasible ways forward. I signed up for CCL, hoping to find someone who shared my concerns. What I found was so much more. 

My chapter was welcoming and kind. With them, I attended a local lecture on climate change in my region (pictured above) and, for the first time, understood what it meant to be part of a community of care. This group cared consistently and authentically about the world, wanted to make things better, and wanted to make themselves better and grow through adversity.  

Training on preventing burnout

Inspired, I explored CCL further and found other ways to get involved. I attended the Preventing Burnout training, hosted by the Education and Resilience Coordinator, Tamara Staton. This training changed my entire CCL trajectory. 

During the training, I discovered a dedicated space within the activism community for discussing the complex psychological effects of climate change. I realized I wasn’t alone in feeling and acknowledging distress about the current state of affairs and wanting to build more skills in managing that distress. This new approach to understanding climate change as a distinctly human experience offered me a unique sense of hope amidst the overwhelming news. 

Tamara’s presentation covered strategies for managing burnout, discussed modern psychological theories on resilience, and closed with opportunities for individuals to become involved with resilience training. The primary idea of the presentation was that we need resilience in ourselves to create resilience in our world. With that, I was hooked.  

Read, watch, or listen to CCL’s “Preventing Burnout as a Climate Advocate” training here.

Circles of Personal Resilience

After the presentation, I spent some time exploring around the Resilience Hub, where I found the Circles of Personal Resilience (CPRs), formerly Mourning and Celebration Circles (MCCs). These circles, based on the Climate Café models used by the Climate Psychology Alliance, provide a structured space to meet virtually with others and speak freely about climate change experiences as often as once a week. Everything said in the space remains confidential, and attendees can share as much or as little as they want. This strategy of community sharing is a valuable method to improve resilience and, consequently, activism. 

I attended my first circle with facilitator Jeff Joslin, who leads the Personal Resilience Action Team. I was continually in awe of the stories shared from around the U.S. and beyond. People everywhere were experiencing climate change in unique ways, contributing to a larger mosaic of ecological change and human narrative. In telling these stories, the world of climate change became recognized and legitimized, making it less of a lonely burden to carry. 

By the end of the circle, participants were invited to share something that brought them joy. When we signed off, the world felt lighter, and climate work felt more manageable and renewed with purpose. The experience was profound; it was comforting to share the weight and joy of our lives and activism, reinspiring our work and revitalizing our sense of community.  

Circles of Personal Resilience are currently held on Tuesdays, July 23 through August 27, 2024. Register for upcoming dates here.

Group Resilience Coordinator (GRC) training

Post-circle, I was curious about what else was out there in this magical world of climate resilience. The Group Resilience Coordinator training program was starting a new session soon after my circle experience, and a few CCLers suggested I join. I did, happily, and found a team of incredible, kind, and resilient folks. 

My cohort was diverse, hailing from all across the country and from all walks of life, and each member was committed to bold heartfulness and a spirit of grit. Together, we worked through ideas for building resilience in our local chapters, exercises to maintain persistence in climate work, and strategies for supporting our members. I admire every attendee in my cohort, and they continue to inspire my everyday commitment to resilience. I’m excited to see the new cohort of resilient leaders start their training at the end of this month (July 24).  

If you’re interested in becoming a Group Resilience Coordinator, let CCL know using this form.

A Taste of Ongo 

At this point in my resilience journey, I was excited to keep going with resilience work. Enter: A Taste of Ongo, yet another resilience program. 

If the circles provided psychological relief and a sense of community, and if the group resilience training provided inspiration and energy toward action, A Taste of Ongo provided true and enduring friendship and a better understanding of Nonviolent Communication. This work of building resilience and communicating effectively is not done carelessly or thoughtlessly; it is a real, human science backed by research (and more research) designed to make communication and feasible solutions work. A Taste of Ongo teaches participants about this thoughtful communication practice for implementation into climate work, climate conversations, and beyond. 

The next Taste of Ongo begins July 29.  

A community of resilient climate advocates

In less than a year since discovering CCL and its resilience offerings, I’ve found a community of dedicated, resilient, climate-focused individuals committed to self-improvement and supporting the growth of others. All this to say, if you’re interested in building your personal resilience, helping your chapter build resilience, learning effective communication strategies, or simply seeking a community space to share your experiences, the CCL Resilience Hub and Personal Resilience Action Team have options for you. With the range of programs offered, you’ll find a fit for whatever your interests or degree of commitment may be. If you would like to get involved in any of the programs I’ve mentioned, find more information below:

Preventing Burnout
Circles of Personal Resilience (CPRs)
Group Resilience Coordinator (GRC) Training
A Taste of Ongo

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