Would you like to join us exploring a new, salutogenic perspective on coping with climate anxiety? If yes, then register for the free webinar organised by Laura Bouwman (HSO, Wageningen University), Leah Rosen (HSO, Wageningen University) and Marguerite Daniels (University of Bergen) on March 24th, 13:00-15:00 PM. 

We would like to invite you to join us in exploring how permaculture provides resources for coping with climate anxiety in a salutary, health promoting way. Nowadays, anxiety and grief about climate and the environment is one of the most rapidly increasing sources of stress, especially among children and youth. Studies show these feelings have pathogenic outcomes such as guilt, intergenerational blame, breakdown and even suicide. Current responses include different types of therapy, self-care interventions and nature-based interventions.

If we regard climate anxiety as a stressor in the salutogenic sense, then it does not need to be pathogenic but can be salutary, moving those who experience it towards health rather than breakdown. In salutogenesis, a strong Sense of Coherence (SOC) can enable a positive response to stressors such as climate anxiety. SOC is an orientation to life developed through life-experiences that promotes identification and use of resources to cope with stressors in a way that is supportive to health and wellbeing.

During the webinar, we investigate how the permaculture design approach provides for a salutary way of learning to cope with climate anxiety. We will introduce the topic and invite active participation in exploring this application of salutogenesis.