Radical Empathy
Next week I’m giving a presentation about my Nature Connection Manifesto, developed during a knowledge exchange project with the University of Huddersfield, 2024. The manifesto highlights the significance of reconnecting with the natural world, for individual and environmental well-being and proposes six actions. In preparation for the Nature Connections 2025 conference I’ve been thinking about how the Six Actions relate to each other.
In particular I’ve been thinking about Action Two: Radical Empathy
There’s an interesting tension between the benefits of being more connected with nature, against the risk of over-identifying with the suffering in nature. Creativity, emotion and empathy have an important role in nature connection practice, but the reciprocal and relational nature of this practice can lead to empathic overload. We need to avoid feeding a sense of powerlessness and climate anxiety if we’re going to be any help for ourselves or the planet. I sometimes sense in myself that I am approaching the risk of vicarious trauma from witnessing the suffering in nature and I am careful to listen to the warning signs.
I strive to take a trauma-informed approach in everything I produce, including Nature Fix online almanac, resources and training. I draw on my experience as an artist, mindful meditation guide and facilitator, using case studies from my own practice and evidence-led techniques. I try to keep up to date about the neurological and therapeutic approaches that might help us create healthy relationships with the natural (more than human) world.
It is important that we nurture and cherish ourselves and respect our own ability to influence, in the face of global-scale neglect and exploitation of our planet. I am 100% certain that creative nature connection practice can help us improve our own resilience, health and wellbeing as part of an entangled and interconnected ecosystem. But, as with so many things in life, we need to take our time and be kind and generous to ourselves.
Please feel welcome to share in the comments below how you take care of yourself to stave off feelings of overwhelm. Together we can support each other x