ABSTRACT
As it becomes more evident that climate and ecological breakdown are a real and present danger to our safety and wellbeing, we increasingly need to talk about what our changing world means for us. A climate café is a hospitable and empathic space where anxiety about the current crisis can be safely expressed and people can engage with difficult truths, while staying connected and grounded. With emotionally containing structures in place, climate cafés allow participants to explore their challenging feelings of anger, helplessness, sadness, grief and depression, without dissociating, numbing or going into blind panic. Café participants speak of experiencing relief and a powerful sense of connection with each other through being in a café. As facilitators we have noticed that cafés offer solace – providing comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness.
