The Work that Reconnects: Cultivating Courage in the Age of Climate Chaos

Feeling discouraged, alarmed, angry, or in grief about the state of the world these days? Those feelings are completely natural responses to a planet in crisis, but they can leave us feeling paralyzed and overwhelmed. So how do we face the mess we're in without closing down? How can we deepen our capacity to act for a just and sustainable world without burning out?

The Work That Reconnects was made for these times. First developed by Joanna Macy and her colleagues nearly 5 decades ago, it offers a roadmap to help us take heart and find our place in the healing of our world, even as we face the worsening realities of climate change and the polycrisis.

What is the Work that Reconnects?

The Work that Reconnects is a creative, experiential group process that invites participants to share the feelings they carry about the state of the world -- feelings like despair, anger, sorrow, numbness and fear. By normalizing these feelings as natural responses to a society and a planet in crisis, we widen our vision and deepen our power to take action. Through ritual, meditation, theatre, guided reflection and structured forms of sharing, this innovative group process offers a set of tools and practices that nourish collective resilience for the long haul.

Join us in this transformational group process that builds motivation, solidarity and vision – renewing our power and the courage to act.

Who is this work for?

This work is for anyone who is worried about the state of our world, but feeling stuck about what to do about it. It's also for activists who have been at it for a long time, but are feeling depleted or burnt out. Basically, if you're a human alive on planet Earth right now, you're welcome to join this workshop!

Language

This workshop will be primarily offered in English. Francophones are welcome to participate in French, and translation will be offered as needed.

About the speaker

Rebekah Hart is a licensed psychotherapist, couple and family therapist, and drama therapist who makes her home in unceded Algonquin territory, also known as the Laurentians region of Quebec. As a longtime Work that Reconnects facilitator and student of Joanna Macy, she has over 23 years of experience facilitating groups that help people work with feelings like eco-anxiety and other emotions that arise in relation to the state of the world.

Rebekah is also an active member of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, where she acts as a Quebec Regional Coordinator. The values underlying her work are rooted in a long-term dedication to social and environmental justice, her belief in creativity as a healing force, and her love and respect for the natural world. For more information about Rebekah and her work, see www.rebekahhart.ca.

While this event is free, please consider a small donation to Concordia's Arts in Health Centre which is hosting the event! Our student creative arts therapists provide free therapy to the greater Montreal community through our donor-funded clinic and community partnerships.