Menu
Menu
The climate crisis is being experienced in every country and on every continent. We are at a crossroads, with ecological breakdown threatening personal, societal and planetary wellbeing, together with an unprecedented opportunity to restore a more respectful and interdependent way of living. Research is revealing the extent and scope of people’s concerns.
Escalating threats and consequences can provoke emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, despair, shame and betrayal. Associated grief is often disenfranchised with few contexts for acknowledgment or support. Complex emotions such as these are understandable reactions to what we are facing, and also healthy alternatives to numbing and denial, suggestive of deep caring and empathy for each other, future generations, and all that inhabits Earth. These can shape people’s responses in multiple ways, including as powerful motivating forces for change and action. They can also foster determination, courage, creativity and meaning which in turn nurtures psychological wellbeing.
Therapists have a key role to provide safe, compassionate and supportive spaces for people to experience and cope with complex emotions, and to do so in a way that they don’t become overwhelmed or disabled by them, or avoidant of facing the problems in order to circumvent the feelings. In this context therapeutic support also includes explorations for how people might find their own foothold in hope and pathways to life-affirming actions, ways of living and relating. Important too is not to pathologise strong emotions as mental health disorders but to locate the source of the problem within cultural contexts and political structures.
PESI Australia, in collaboration with PESI in the USA, offers quality online continuing professional development events from the leaders in the field at a standard recognized by professional associations including psychology, social work, occupational therapy, alcohol and drug professionals, counselling and psychotherapy. On completion of the training, a Professional Development Certificate is issued after the individual has answered and submitted a quiz and course evaluation. This program is worth 1.25 hours CPD for points calculation by your association.
| File type | File name | Number of pages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual - Emotions in this time of climate change (5.89 MB) | 26 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Transcript (84.9 KB) | 16 Pages | Available after Purchase |
Merle Conyer supports individuals, teams, organisations and communities responding to interpersonal, institutional, political, cultural and environmental trauma, healing and justice. Contexts in which she contributes include mental health, legal, government, academic and community sectors, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services, organisations facilitating redress for institutional abuse, and those contributing to human rights, social justice and environmental justice.
Her track record includes board, management, service delivery and volunteer roles. Through her independent practice she currently offers counselling, supervision, debriefing, training, groupwork, wellbeing support and consulting services. She interweaves interdisciplinary wisdoms such as somatic psychotherapy, trauma-informed practice, narrative therapy, ecological psychotherapy, focusing and mindfulness practices, and is guided by both clinical and cultural supervision. Merle is an Accredited Supervisor and Clinical Member with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia. She holds a Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, Master of Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy, Master of Education, Graduate Diploma of Communication Management (Human Resource Development), and Diplomas of Somatic Psychotherapy and Energetic Healing.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Merle Conyer maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with Blue Knot Foundation. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Merle Conyer has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Please wait ...