Join the CAP Network
What is the Climate Aware Practitioner (CAP) Network?
The Climate Aware Practitioners (CAP) Network is a national network of climate engaged professionals who are proactive in building the psychosocial support and resilience of individuals and communities in systemic, connected and culturally appropriate ways. The CAP Network enhances capacity across Australia to respond to the growing numbers of individuals, groups and communities who are being impacted psychologically by the climate crisis. PSC’s aim in establishing and supporting the CAP Network is to:
Help grow awareness of the value and benefit of our work to the community and the climate movement
Support referrals to professionals (through our CAP Directory) who are sensitive to the impact of climate change on people’s mental health
Support collaboration and communication between climate engaged professionals all over Australia
What is a climate aware practitioner?
A Climate Aware Practitioner is someone who is already working professionally supporting other people (such as therapists, GPs, educators, facilitators, coaches, nurses, researchers etc.) who recognises the current climate crises as threatening the ongoing capacity of Earth to sustain human life, ecosystems and stable climate systems. This presents us all with deeply personal challenges with many psychological impacts. These personal and psychological factors extend to individual, family, and community feelings of safety, meaning and purpose. A Climate Aware Practitioner:
- Accepts that new forms of distress are arising as a result of global crises, and understand that the professional training of the allied mental health therapy and counseling community can respond supportively to this distress.
- Commits to delivering the highest-quality mental health services to all clientele, while specifically engaging with the many dimensions of climate-related distress, which can include cognitive, affective, interpersonal, societal and existential repercussions.
- Responds to individuals and groups in a humanistic, balanced, and compassionate manner while acknowledging the legitimacy and complicated nature of the human response to climate crises.
- Does not presume the presence or absence of climate-related distress in those they work with.
- Recognises the importance of their own engagement and processing of ongoing knowledge of the deepening climate and mental health crisis, and that there are limitations to their capacity to be helpful to others with increasing instability of our planetary systems.
PSC Climate Aware Practitioner Network members are encouraged to explore all elements of the PSC Support Model to discover its relevance for themselves, and to consider the importance of each element in their work, in order to increase their capacity to support those they are working with. Taking part in PSC’s professional development series is another important way CAP Network members can develop deeper engagement with the climate crisis and understand how to work effectively with those who are experiencing climate distress.
How to become a CAP Network Member
PSC has developed a simple process to become a Climate Aware Practitioner. The process is set out below and detailed in the CAP Network Application Guidelines. We have also developed a Code of Conduct to guide the work of CAPs to support people who are experiencing climate distress.
Check your eligibility.
To be eligible to join PSC’s CAP network, applicants must be qualified professionals from one of the following backgrounds: Mental health professional, General Practitioner, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Mental Health Worker OR Other professionals who are trained and experienced as facilitators of activities or workshops which support people in climate distress. This category may include: Retired mental health professionals, Facilitators, Educators, Coaches, Researchers, Community Organisers
Join the PSC Community Hub as a CAP Network Member.
As a part of this process you will be directed to our Attestation Form for new and renewing CAP Network Members. To access this Attestation form you will need to sign in to google, or create a google account to access it.
Fill in the CAP Attestation Form.
In this form you will provide details of your professional registration or experience as well as a legal attestation that the licensing and registration information you have provided is true. As a part of this form you will also sign the Climate Aware Practitioner Pledge. To access this Attestation form you will need to sign in to google, or create a google account to access it. Apologies for the extra step involved. Please email us if you are encountering difficulties.
Benefits of being a part of the CAP Network
Being part of the CAP Network enables CAPs to develop their knowledge and skills to provide effective services for people who are distressed by the climate reality.
We provide opportunities for CAPs to connect, collaborate and learn from each other through our CAP InterVision groups so that they can sustain their involvement in this challenging work, supporting people in their local communities.
As a CAP Network member, you will be able to participate in professional development and peer support activities with others in the network who share your concerns about the impact climate change is having on individuals and communities.
Receive discounts on PSC event offerings
Choose to be listed in the PSC CAP Network Online Directory
Share and publicise your events to the PSC community
Access CAP Network specific professional development offerings, including ongoing InterVision groups for therapists and facilitators (InterVision groups for educators coming soon)
Join a growing community of practice and find co-facilitators in your area through the CAP Network Community of Practice on the PSC Community Hub.
CAP Network training opportunities
Below is the list of existing opportunities for CAP Network Members – for details of exact event scheduling please look at our current events page. Information about the timing/process of InterVision cohorts can be found here.
PSC’s Professional Development Series
PSC has developed a professional development series aimed at a range of practitioners who support people of all ages who are distressed about the reality and impact of climate change.
- PD1: Engaging with climate change and eco-distress (Interactive Seminar)
- PD2: Reflections and responses to the climate reality (Experiential Workshop)
- PD3: Being present with climate distress – Applications to professional practice (Workshop)
My Climate Journey InterVision Group
We call this group, an ‘InterVision group’ – a peer to peer group designed to help you develop professionally, connect with others, share resources and further possibilities to collaborate.
This program is for anyone supporting people in the climate and ecological crisis space including; psychotherapists, counsellors, facilitators, educators, coaches, consultants, and others accountable for supporting the growth and development of others. The group can be joined on a casual basis.
CAP Therapist InterVision
This group is for CAP Network members only. This platform of Climate Aware peer InterVision allows for a co-created space to enrich your professional and personal contact in the world of Climate Aware Therapists. The intention is for CAP Network members to feel a sense of community, of connection to colleagues, and a space for professional belonging, identity, and collegiality to sustain the work we do.
CAP Facilitator InterVision
This group is for CAP Network members only. This group is an opportunity for established and developing climate aware facilitators to explore the emergent edge of facilitating climate aware workshops and groups. Topics we explore include:
- Trauma-informed facilitation
- Climate justice informed facilitation
- Creating and sustaining a group container
- Ongoing group work vs one-off group work
- Debriefing facilitation experiences together
