Our embodied presence and the climate crisis

We are nature. How we take care of our bodies, our nervous systems, each other and the natural world is intertwined and in constant resonance. The devastating impacts of climate change cannot be addressed by technology or policy alone. They demand a broader cultural shift—one rooted in the understanding that our capacity to respond to the climate crisis is intimately connected to the state of our own nervous systems, particularly the vagus nerve. There is an increase of attention towards our very own bodies and emerging research highlights how the functioning of the vagus nerve, along with practices like mindfulness, awe, and gratitude can create inner transformation that increases our ability to engage with the climate crisis in meaningful ways (Wamsler, 2018). For, when we are transformed, we transform the world. This experiential workshop will explore the profound connections between our bodies, emotions, and the natural world. We’ll examine how trauma impacts the nervous system and how creative practices—rooted in mindfulness, awe, and gratitude—can foster healing, resilience, both individually and collectively. Special attention will be given to the role of the vagus nerve in regulating stress responses and cultivating well-being. Through creative arts therapies methods, participants will engage in embodied exercises and reflective practices designed to support both inner and outer sustainability. Participants will leave with simple, tools to harness the regenerative forces of awe and gratitude—tools that not only support the nervous system but also mobilize us toward collective action and ecological care.

About the workshop facilitator:

Bonnie Harnden is a drama therapist, psychoanalyst, couple and family therapist, and professor at Concordia University, where she coordinates the Drama Therapy program and the Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy. Her work has focused on the impact of family trauma on suicidal adolescents and children. After more than a decade of clinical work with this population and contributing to a large quantitative research project at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, she synthesized her research findings and clinical experiences into an arts-based research play titled “You Arrive.” In recognition of her contributions, Bonnie received the North American Drama Therapy Association Research Award in 2017, the NADTA Teaching Excellence Award in 2018, and the Concordia President’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2019. In 2021, “You Arrive” was adapted into a screenplay and film, earning numerous accolades, including awards at the TREFF Film Festival for Best Educational Film, the Berlin Shorts Awards for Best Educational Film, and the Believe Psychology Film Festival for Best Portrayal of a Therapist. Bonnie's current research explores the healing effects of awe and gratitude on trauma through arts-based methodologies.