Ways of healing in the Anthropocene

ABSTRACT

Grief and mourning are part of the human journey. But what happens when sadness occurs because of changes happening around us: losses to animals and plant species, changing weather patterns and loss of place and identity. How do we, in a time of significant planetary change, begin to acknowledge, process and act when faced with growing distress, anger, anxiety and despair? This paper explores ways of healing in the Anthropocene, a new geological era in which human activities have destabilized life on Earth. We draw upon insights from various fields and perspectives including disaster studies, peace studies and First Peoples. These insights reveal how healing can come about through: slow healing, agency, connections (local to global), place and nature, cultural practices, sociality, voice and narrativity, mnemonics and cultural memory, holism and interconnectivity, deep listening, sharing and storytelling, as well as inter- and intra-generational justice. We must shift away from therapeutic and individualistic approaches towards healing that is social, collective and focused on holistic wellbeing and interconnectivity with the Earth system. These powerful insights can help us process grief and restore harmony in the connection of all things, so that we can gradually, collectively and holistically find hope in the Anthropocene.

KEYWORDS:

• anthropocene
• climate change
• ecological grief
• justice
• healing
• hope

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to first recognise the Country where we have developed this paper, north and south of the Brisbane River, as the home of both the Turrbul and Jagera nations. We pay our deep respects to all Elders past, present and future, and acknowledge that sovereignty has never been ceded. We would also like to recognise the First Peoples' authors who we have drawn upon and thank them for their deep wisdom and insights into healing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported through an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship grant (number FT190100114).

Notes on contributors

Ross Westoby

Ross Westoby is a Research Fellow in the Griffith Institute of Tourism at Griffith University specialising in the intersection of livelihoods, disasters, climate change and tourism to understand the complex environmental, social, cultural, political and economic forces at play at the ‘local’ level.

Karen E. McNamara

Karen E. McNamara is an ARC Future Fellow and Associate Professor in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Queensland (UQ) and is ultimately interested in how livelihoods (in the broadest sense) can be enhanced to respond to the triple crises of poverty, disaster risk and climate change.

Rachel Clissold

Rachel Clissold is a Senior Research Assistant in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Queensland (UQ) and is interested in exploring interactions between humans and the environment, especially in terms of how communities in the Asia-Pacific are impacted by and responding to a changing climate.