Climate Grief Virtual Panel

As our planet undergoes profound ecological transformation, many are experiencing a deep, often unspoken sorrow known as climate grief—the emotional response to environmental loss, climate disruption, and the uncertain future we face. This panel brings together professionals from diverse fields to explore how we process and live with the grief brought on by a changing climate.

Whether you’re overwhelmed by news of environmental disasters, mourning a beloved landscape, or simply feeling unease about the future, this conversation offers space for reflection, community, and grounding practices. The panel will include a Q&A portion and shared resources for continued exploration and support.

REGISTER HERE (Free)>>

 

Panelists:

Sadie Forsythe, LICSW, has been a therapist for over 10 years, working in university counseling centers, and then in private practice. She specializes in supporting individuals and groups navigating climate distress, and holds a certificate in Climate Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She is interested in decreasing the isolation that is often experienced in climate grief, and co-created a curriculum and 6 mo deep dive training program for climate cafe facilitators for the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America and continues to serve on their public facilitator team. She is a returning guest lecturer in climate psychology and burnout prevention at UPenn and UMass. And lives in Western MA.

Colleen E. Griffin, HTR has been in private practice since 2018. She is a graduate of the Horticultural Therapy Institute (HTI) at Colorado State University and holds a BS in Public Health from the University of Maine. Colleen has experience developing therapeutic horticulture programming for special needs students in several public-school districts, including a program specifically designed for teens coping with substance abuse. Therapeutic garden design is a passion, and she enjoys teaching advanced training courses for master gardener volunteers through UMaine Cooperative Extension. Her community garden design for a cancer care foundation promotes therapeutic horticulture with self-guided mindfulness activities and interactive opportunities for all abilities. As co-owner of Cultivating Well-Being, LLC, Colleen collaborated with faculty and staff at Southern Maine Community College in development of an on-campus mental health and wellness program. A regular contributor to the HTI blog, she has inspired readers to explore their connection to the natural world and gardens. Colleen is also a contributor to the textbooks, The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy (2019) and the soon to be published Horticultural Therapy Methods 3rd ed. In 2022, Colleen joined the faculty of HTI teaching courses in HT Fundamentals and HT Management. A past board member of the Northeast Horticultural Therapy Network, she remains an active member of the American Horticultural Therapy Association.

 

Moderator:

Corinne Elicona has worked at Mount Auburn for eight years in many different roles including natural burial volunteer, administration assistant, and crematory operator. She is currently Mount Auburn’s Education & Digital Content Manager, working on creating educational content on Mount Auburn; its history, landscape, and legacy. She is passionate about fostering a positive discourse around death and promoting education around end-of-life choices and equity so that everyone can experience a good death.

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