Do you often feel overwhelmed or burnt out in your day-to-day life? Are you struggling to live in a non-vegan world? Are you looking for ways to improve your mental health? Join the Activist's Emotional Wellbeing Forum.
Speakers
Speaker one: Ayanthi De Silva - Psychologist.
Animal rights activists experience a range of mental health concerns specific to vegan activism, on top of the usual stressors we all experience as individuals living in contemporary society. Ayanthi's presentation will cover a range of psychological phenomena such as “vystopia” and burnout, and explore methods to alleviate despair, enhance self-care and develop values-directed action through the therapeutic lens of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Ayanthi is a psychologist, a vegan of six years and a passionate animal rights activist. She has been working in the mental health sector for eleven years with her previous work consisting of supporting people with severe mental illness in psychiatric care transition into independent community living. Ayanthi has a keen interest in the psychology of violence against animals and effective advocacy. She currently works as a psychologist at The Indigo Project providing individual therapy.
Speaker 2: Dr Tani Bhullar - Research Principal and Mental Health Coach.
The impact of animal suffering upon human mental health and wellbeing is gaining attention, but is still rather poorly understood by some health professionals. Dr Tani is the current Research Principal at Sentient Psychology & Professional Wellbeing and a mental health coach. She chose to become vegetarian almost 15 years ago and became vegan not long after. Dr Tani focuses on the mental health of veterinary professionals, campaigners, activists and animal rights advocates. Dr Tani’s presentation will include motivations behind why certain people are drawn to careers in animal care, work in animal rights and choose to live a cruelty-free lifestyle, highlighting their unique characteristics. This leads to the crucial question of how we can best support this unique group of humans who care for animals and are making a difference to the world. Dr Tani recognises that supporting human caregivers to animals is as crucial as bringing attention to the plight of other-than-human animals.
Speaker 3: Virginia Field- Counsellor and Psychotherapist
Virginia Field is a transformational counsellor and psychotherapist, and teacher of Qigong/T'aichi. Her work uses a client-centred humanistic approach and Mindfulness, and somatic and Nature-assisted therapies are areas of influence in her work. Virginia has more than 25 years of experience leading groups and working with a range of issues including grief and loss, anxiety and depression, trauma and stress-related issues. Virginia will take attendees through the Qigong practice and a self-awareness exercise using natural elements.Location
Transport
🚌 If coming from Sydney CBD, bus route 470 stops on Glebe Point Road.
Tickets
$10 - Wellbeing forum entry
$15 - Wellbeing forum entry + donation
$40 - Wellbeing forum entry + AL t-shirt (S, M, L)
Virtual tickets
$5- Livestream of the Wellbeing forum via zoom.
$15- Livestream of the Wellbeing forum via zoom + donation.
Important information
Please bring a pen and some paper with you.