Thursday, June 16, 2022 - 4:00–6:30pm BST (British Summer Time)

Registration deadline: June 13, 2022

Climate Grief & Anxiety: Building Resilience Among Climate Researchers is an original curriculum created by the founders of BeDo, addressing the unique mental health challenges faced by climate researchers and those working in related fields.

Whether you're working on renewable energy or passionate about water security, chances are you’ve felt the mental and emotional effects of working on climate-related issues. This 2.5 hour workshop will be facilitated by BeDo co-founders Daillen Culver and Megan Douglas, and is designed for researchers from a variety of disciplines, at all stages of their career. Together, we will explore common psychological responses to the realities of a changing climate. We aim to acknowledge and validate the many, often contradictory emotional responses and offer applied techniques for coping with climate insecurity. Through guided reflections and group discussions, we'll explore strategies for resilience that are rooted in mindfulness, compassion, and an ethos of interconnectedness. Participants will come away with a better understanding of climate-related mental health challenges, concrete tools for enhancing researcher resilience, and a collection of resources for further exploration.

We will explore:

• The myriad psychological responses to climate change, including grief, anxiety, rage, fear, fatigue, etc. and their mechanics
• The advantages and shortcomings of narratives of 'resilience'
• Climate justice and and the relationship between social and environmental precarity
• The emergent field of compassion science and embodied compassion cultivation practices as drivers for collective wellbeing
• An ethos of interconnectedness as a framework for more innovative/holistic climate solutions

All participants will receive:

• A comprehensive PDF resource package
• A personalised certificate of completion

We are committed to making this workshop accessible to every audience. If the £5 ticket fee presents a financial obstacle, please email hello@gowithbedo.com to enquire about scholarships. Attendance for the full duration of this workshop is required to receive certificate of completion.

"BeDo has changed my perspective on research and equipped me with valuable tools and awareness which I will take forward into my career. This session allowed me to process my own experiences in the field and develop a holistic understanding of research practice.”

Sara, MSc International Development, University of Edinburgh

"Daillen and Megan are excellent educators and facilitators. They not only provided a comprehensive overview of the topic and its importance for research, but also a safe and welcoming space for participants to share their experiences. The workshop was informative and interactive. I took back some very useful tools and strategies that I could use and implement right away."

Natasha, PhD Sociology, University of Maryland

About your facilitators:

Daillen Culver is an independent researcher and co-founder of BeDo, an emotional learning initiative for impact-driven professionals. Having lived and worked throughout Central America, Daillen's research focuses on sustainable agriculture as an integrated approach to chronic malnutrition in rural Guatemala. She has worked with a variety of nonprofits, the majority in humanitarian and social justice spaces. She trained and worked as a domestic violence counsellor in Southern California before moving to Edinburgh, Scotland to pursue a postgraduate degree in International Development. She maintains a long-standing passion for the arts, and (when not working on BeDo) teaches yoga and explores the Scottish Highlands with her golden retriever Banjo.

Megan Douglas is a PhD candidate in International Development at the University of Edinburgh. Her research projects include an ethnographic study of socio-economic resilience among Congolese refugees in Nairobi, Kenya, and an analysis of wellbeing strategies among local researchers in fragile contexts. She has extensive experience working within the academic, non-profit, and humanitarian sector in countries including Afghanistan, Kenya, the United Kingdom, and Canada. In her spare time she enjoys jogging, weight training, and sharing coffee with friends.