Please join us November 17 as we reflect on solastalgia and climate change impacts in Minnesota. Dr. Leah Prussia will lead this online presentation, sharing her wisdom and experience with solastalgia. Leah will discuss her research in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Health. Her research is an examination of climate change effects on mental well-being and the related anxiety and distress of Minnesotans.
Some background on solastalgia
Solastalgia is a word coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht in 2005 in an effort to precisely describe a human condition. It is a combination of the Latin words solacium (comfort) and the Greek root -algia (pain). Differing from homesickness, solastalgia specifically refers to distress caused by environmental change. Current understanding of solastalgia expands the definition to be an individual, group, or community’s mental, emotional, and/or spiritual reaction to negative transformation of one’s environment.
Solastalgia has appeared in climate change literature with increased frequency in recent years. According to the Minnesota research team, “Though this term (solastalgia) is new to western science, the response is familiar to Indigenous communities, having endured forced displacement and destruction of ancestral homelands.” It is clear Indigenous wisdom, in collaboration with Western ways of knowing, can guide efforts to address solastalgia.
About Leah Prussia
Dr. Leah Prussia is a self-described “tree hugging dirt worshiper.” She blends Indigenous teachings from Nature, Peter Levine’s Somatic Experience work, Relational-Cultural Theory, and Cognitive-Behavioral approaches to address the biopsychosocial and spiritual aspects of individuals, groups, and communities. Her background includes knowledge and practice in mental health services, substance use, trauma, and program administration. Leah is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the State of Minnesota, a full-time associate professor in the Master’s in Social Work Program at the College of St. Scholastica, and an adjunct professor at Fond Du Lac Tribal and Community College.
When? Tuesday, November 17, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Where? Hosted online by Minnesota Sea Grant
Advance registration is required for this Zoom online webinar. Note – you may need to copy the address and paste it into your browser: https://umn.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvdemopjsvHNN-bfcM7NSL-8Yd-CWWZgy5t
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions to join the webinar.
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