Climate Circle:
One Model for a Climate Support Group
Introduction: Why groups are helpful
A survey by the Yale Program on Climate Communication found that in Fall, 2019, almost one third (31%) of the U.S. expressed alarm about climate change. This is up from 14% in 2013. As people become more aware of the reality of climate change, interest in climate-related support and empowerment groups has grown. Many feel isolated and alone in their concerns, fears, and grief. Even in activist groups (where awareness is greatest), there is often no time or space to talk about feelings like fear, grief or hopelessness. At a time when action and engagement are needed from all, many feel burnt out, helpless, or frozen with fear.
Groups that support people in processing their feelings around climate change can help relieve stress, build community, and increase resiliance and resolve.
There are various ways to organize a climate group. We discuss one format, a “Climate Cafe”, elsewhere on this site. A Climate Cafe is a good way to build community and conversation around climate change, and involve people who might not otherwise be engaged.
The “Climate Circle” model, presented below, is another format for addressing this need for support in a small group setting. This type of group is particularly helpful for people who are struggling with burn-out, depression, grief, or anxiety, and need a safe space to express their feelings and be supported and heard.
The format described below is based on our experiences co-facilitating a group that started in Seattle in January, 2020. (Facilitators continue to make adjustments, so the template will be updated and expanded as we gain more experience, learn lessons, and try new things.)
This model can be adapted as needed. We’d love to hear from you about experiences and tips, if you implement a Climate Circle of your own!
Climate Circle Format and Structure
The Basics
Group Name: “Climate Circle”
Purpose: (From the flyer) “Climate Circle meetings offer the opportunity to engage our feelings about the climate crisis: our grief, fear, overwhelm, despair, anger, anxiety…Though not an action-oriented group, participants may discover ways they want to respond that feel authentic and aligned with their unique gifts.”
Group Type: A drop in group (no required regular attendance, but participants are asked to RSVP so facilitators have a good estimate of the group size).
Timing: One Monday per month, 7-9pm.
Outreach: Flyers and emails sent out to local climate-activist groups
Group size: Maximum of 16 people
Cost: There is no charge for attendance; the meeting space is donated
Room Layout: Chairs are arranged in a circle, with facilitators sitting together on one side.
Materials needed:
Meeting space
Chairs
Singing bowl/bell to mark start and end of meeting
Tea and hot water are nice, but optional!
Timing & Structure of a Group Meeting
The general structure of the Climate Circle includes three stages:
Introductions with the larger group - about 25 minutes;
Exercises and inquiries in smaller group (2s or 3s) (examples provided below) - about 40 minutes
A larger group discussion - 30-60 minutes
Below is a more detailed layout of how the meetings are conducted:
7:00-7:05pm - Informal welcome; settle into chairs
7:05-7:10pm - Ring bell to start the meeting, followed by a 5-minute meditation
7:10-7:25pm - Go around the group, each participant introduces themselves and briefly explains what brings them to group and what they hope to get out of it (If group members are already familiar with each other, this can be left out; or can be a brief check in about where each person is in terms of climate issues).
7:25-7:35pm - Facilitators explains the small-group exercise for the meeting (see below for example exercises)
7:35-8:15pm - 35-40 minute small-group exercise with attendees paired off or in groups of three
8:15-8:50pm - Larger group reconvenes, and has an open-ended discussion about their experiences in the exercise, or the relationship with climate change in general
8:50-9:00pm - Brief discussion (led by facilitators) about questions, suggestions, and ideas for future meetings; and any announcements for the next meeting
9:00pm - Bell is sounded again, and the meeting is adjourned
9:00-9:15pm - Miscellaneous post-meeting room cleanup
Small-Group Exercises
The basic format for “Climate Circle” small-group exercises is a 10 minute “monologue” in groups of three. Each person takes turns speaking about their experiences related to climate crisis, while the other two participants listen silently. This can be an open-ended exercise, or can be based on prompts, such as quotes or questions, provided by the facilitators.
(The instructions below are adapted from an exercise in Emotional Resilience Toolkit for Climate Work, developed by the Climate Therapy Alliance - Pacific Northwest (available in PDF here). Some inquiry questions adapted from the “Open Sentences” exercises in Coming Back to Life: The Guide to the Work that Reconnects (2014), New Society Publishers, by Joanna Macy & Molly Brown - https://workthatreconnects.org/)
Detailed Instructions:
Following an introduction by the facilitator, the group divides up into groups of three, in chairs facing each other.
Each person takes a turn speaking for 10 minutes about a subject related to coping with the emotions of climate change (this can be open-ended, or following prompts listed below). During these 10 minutes, the other partners sits silently, listening attentively and neutrally. Once the first person has finished their 10 minute inquiry, the roles reverse, and the second partner speaks for 10 minutes; and then the third.
For the final 5 minutes, the partners have a discussion about the experiences of listening and sharing. They can talk about how the experience of sharing felt; notice whether they felt hesitant or excited, and how it felt to hear about another person’s feelings. Sometimes sensitive, intense or painful thoughts or feelings come up in an exercise. In the final 5 minute discussion, focus on sharing your own experience of the exercise - how did it impact you to speak, and to listen? Avoid trying to make the other person feel better, reassuring them, or questioning the validity of what they expressed.
After the 5-minute discussion, the larger group reconvenes.
Suggestions for the person talking: It is important, for this exercise, to take these 10 minutes to focus on yourself - your worries, your hopes, your anger, your excitement, your grief. Allow your feelings to be expressed to the extent you feel comfortable and safe, and resist the temptation to talk about the details of what is going on in the world, except as they impact you emotionally. Take this time to be as open as you feel comfortable being, avoiding self-judgement or concern about what the other person is thinking. You may find that the 10 minutes fly by; or, you may have trouble coming up with anything to say. Regardless, stay with where you are, breath, feel into your arms and legs, and allow the truth of your experience to come out.
Suggestions for the listeners: It is important, when listening, to remain neutral and not provide verbal or physical feedback during the partner’s inquiry. This allows the other person to be fully present with what they are feeling and experiencing, and not have to worry about your reactions. Save any response or feedback for the final 5 minutes of conversation, or for the larger group discussion.
Timing: We recommend the facilitator manage time-keeping for the entire group, telling everyone when to start, and when to switch roles.
Possible inquiry topics: It is not necessary to have a specific inquiry question beyond climate change, and it can be beneficial to allow each person to explore where they are in an open-ended way.
But some people struggle with where to start, so it may be helpful to provide some structure or direction to the exercise. Even then, it is best to encourage participants to prioritize sharing their own feelings and experience, rather than answering a particular question that may or may not resonate with them.
Here is a list of some possible prompts:
When you think about climate change right now, what do you feel?
What kinds of feelings have you been having lately about climate change?
What do you love and appreciate about the Earth?
What do you love and appreciate about being alive on Earth?
What climate-related feelings do you carry around with you during the week?
What feelings come up, when you think about the future?
How do you experience grief as it relates to climate change?
What do you find hard about working on climate issues?
How do your feelings about climate affect your body?
What do you need to help you take care of yourself in the face of challenging feelings?
Alternate Formats for Climate Support Groups
The format describe above is not, of course, the only way to organize a climate support group. Below, we will list alternate formats that we’ve come across, and that people report being effective:
Work that Reconnects - Joanna Macy, through her Work That Reconnects, has developed a framework for such groups, using her “Spiral” process of working through Gratitude, Grief, Seeing with New Eyes, and Taking action. We encourage you to visit her website and explore local group events focusing on grief and empowerment through the lens of Macy’s teachings.
