Coaches have never been needed like this before: Heather Burns pens a letter to the profession on how to approach the rise in climate change anxiety

 

It’s not unusual for me to answer my cellphone to someone I’ve never met asking me where they can learn more about a climate change-related issue. What is unusual, however, is the phone call I received last week from a business reporter of a major media outlet looking to interview companies that were hiring “counsellors, coaches or therapists” to help employees deal with climate change anxiety.

I was the fifth industry person she’d asked, and none of us had any leads. I found this odd, and am certain it isn’t because people at work don’t need the help.

As someone whose entry into the field 15 years ago was a clumsy attempt to do something useful with the fear and angst that threatened to consume me as my eyes and heart opened to the gravity of the climate crisis, it makes sense that all sorts of people must be silently grappling with the issue. However, it’s only been over the past 18 months or so that it’s become acceptable to directly reference climate change as THE issue.

Prior to then, most of us working in the field outwardly communicated the words to describe the solutions, “low carbon, zero waste, circular economy, sustainable business, corporate responsibility, regenerative agriculture, impact investing”.

Coaches are the kind of people we need, yet they may be wondering where to start. When breaking into a new sector or area of practice, it’s natural to feel like we need to know a lot about the topic before we start helping others. The truth is that coaches who want to do this kind of work already know what is most important – that the climate crisis is threatening human existence and will cause a weakening of the systems that underpin society. Already, climate change is challenging our mental and physical health, financial stability, religious and spiritual beliefs, cultural heritage, racial equity and income disparity. It’s influencing our politics, our relationships, our parenting and our workplace.

Any of these can be fertile ground for life or career coaches to lead clients to frameworks, methods and tools to transform angst to action. For executive coaches or others working with business leaders, the possibilities for transformation and impact may be even greater.

Employees most aware of the climate crisis are likely those working in sustainability reporting and communications; risk management and legal; public policy and government affairs; environmental health and safety; and corporate social responsibility. These roles can present unexpected challenges because of the need to stretch outside one’s comfort zone.

Public speaking, presentations, facilitation, team management, and leadership skills are all required to be effective. People working in this capacity can often be viewed by colleagues as a type of superhero, charged with bringing forth efficiency, cost savings, shared value, social impact and unbridled innovation. Yet, scratch the shiny surface and you’ll find angst, doubt, fear, and even disillusionment — none of which anyone wants to hear about.

There is a growing breed of ‘social intrapreneurs’ who are alarmed, can no longer find shelter in denial, and yet must maintain a positive outlook that engages co-workers and appeases supervisors. Maintaining such duality can be a lonely and isolating pursuit, particularly as the internal alarm bells sound-off. Any and all coaches who are able to serve as confidants can lighten the burden, and open the door for deeper personal and professional transformation.

 

  • Heather Burns first became interested in sustainability in 1999 while living abroad in Koh Tao, Thailand, and working as a scuba Dive Master. In 2000, she co-founded Save the Reef to educate divers and fishermen. She has spent the past 15 years as a strategic consultant to sustainably minded business leaders across sectors, and has provided strategic advise to industry organisations seeking to enter the field. She seeks to scale impact by sharing, and helping coaches succeed at the business of climate-related coaching. www.breakthroughsustainability.com