Seriously Playful: Approaching Climate Change with a Lighter Touch

This three-hour course is instructed fully live online via Zoom by instructor Casey Meehan, PhD. It will be offered over three days, with a one-hour webinar each day.

Climate change is serious business, and talking about climate is often served with a substantial helping of doom and gloom. It might sound counter-intuitive to be playful in a time of crisis, but letting go of the serious seriousness from time to time has real benefits. Learning science and positive psychology suggest that a lighter approach, rooted in delight and joy, can offer a healthier, more meaningful way to engage in and think about this serious work- both for professionals and the individuals they serve. This course is appropriate for helping professionals, including human services providers, student services staff, clergy, others.

How You Will Learn

• Explore the basics of play theory (for adults!) and what a playful mindset looks like
• (Re)discover your "play personality" and reflect on how you can lean into this to find energy
• Consider how playful your work is and spot opportunities to add a bit more of it into to your practice
• Oh, and we will play a little too

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Compare and contrast different mindsets we take in our approach to climate work
• Identify their ‘play personality ’and reflect on how it manifests in their life and work
• Devise opportunities to add playful elements into their climate work and practice
• Describe the benefits of taking a playful, joy-based approach to climate work

Audience

Beginner to Advanced