Climate Craziness of the Week: "Climate Anxiety Counseling" enters the lexicon with a 'practitioner'

From the truth is stranger than fiction department comes this …this… I don’t know how to describe it. Words fail me.

climate-anxiety-counseling

h/t to Mhehed Zherting on Twitter

From her website:


Climate Anxiety Counseling at the Sankofa World Market: 8/17/16

AUGUST 18, 2016 / LEAVE A COMMENT

Weather: Hot, sunny and bright

Number of people: 9 stoppers, 1 walkby

Number of climate change deniers/trivializers: 3

Number of hecklers: 0!

Pages of notes: 9

People who commented on the Peanuts reference: 2

Pictures taken with permission: 1

Pictures taken without permission: 1

Money raised for Environmental Justice League of RI: $2.60, plus one stick of gum


About

CLIMATE ANXIETY COUNSELING

I’m scared for the effects of climate change on the world I love. Rather than try to think about, save, or mourn for the whole world, I decided to think about my city and state, and the living creatures — including other humans — who share it with me.

The first round of Climate Anxiety Counseling ran in Kennedy Plaza (outside Burnside Park), Tuesday-Friday 3-6 pm, Saturday 3-5 pm, May 13th-June 7th, 2014. Opposite the bus terminal, and just outside Burnside Park, I sat with a Lucy-from-Peanuts style booth (thank you, Charles Schulz):

When people stopped to talk with me, I asked them what they were most worried about — whether it was related to climate change or to something else — and if I could write down what they said. With permission, I’ve shared on this site some of what people said to me.

If you come to the booth, you can share your anxiety–climate or otherwise–with me, and respond to someone else’s anxiety in the form of an Alternate History, to help imagine a different set of futures (more about how and why here). You can also take away a little drawing of a living creature that shares the state with you. I’ve since set up the booth at AS220’s Foo Fest, the Washington County Fair, the Sankofa World Market, and the Providence International Art Festival.


I had to laugh at the “Pictures taken without permission” reference. She sets up in a public place, where photography of anything in public view is fair game, yet still thinks people need to ask permission to take photos of her stunt. Epic fail.

My anxiety about climate used to be essentially zero, but now extends to the fact that there are people like this who are so sure of themselves that they can say “let’s take care of each other” in their masthead, while at the same time use the pejorative “climate deniers” to label people. I guess the take care thing is selective based on belief.

It reminds me of a certain religion, where being publicly chastised for putting your religion on display is not only expected, it is part of the process of ascension in the ranks. On the plus side, I think we have a candidate for somebody even further “out there” than “Slandering Sou” aka Miriam O’Brien.

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August 30, 2016 10:46 am

I think the term is “batshit crazy”.

M Seward
Reply to  Jimmy Haigh
August 30, 2016 3:09 pm

You are unkind JH, I think it is more like just “sadder than sad”.
Note that “Number of hecklers: 0! “, i.e. those who got up close saw just how sadder than sad this poor little CAGW casualty was, like some poor little three legged kitten, limping and mioawing through life and just could not bring themselves to rub it in.
Part of the sadness also must be that the market price for her services is just 5c a pop. That makes the “Third World” look like Babylon in its heyday.

Curious George
Reply to  M Seward
August 30, 2016 4:21 pm

Zero factorial equals one.

Greg
Reply to  M Seward
August 30, 2016 11:44 pm

Well spotted. Typical, innumerate alarmists don’t know the difference between 1 and 0.
However, climate anxiety is surely real. They have been stuffing this crap down everyone’s neck from kindergarten upwards and people really are worried about it.
I’m sure there are plenty of shrinks who are making $100 per 15min fees counselling those who can not cope.
This sorry fool probably just makes people feel worse.

Reply to  Jimmy Haigh
August 30, 2016 5:21 pm

During a postdoc in Israel, I visited the caves at Beit Guvrin; ancient lime mines that were later carved into underground monasteries during the Byzantine days.
Now, they’re bat-caves. The upper reaches are filled with bats (and pigeons). Down below, the floor was covered with . . . guess what. I stood literally ankle-deep in bat shit. Crazy!

Goldrider
Reply to  Jimmy Haigh
August 30, 2016 7:37 pm

If I’d been there, she’d have had a heckler!

Goldrider
Reply to  Jimmy Haigh
August 30, 2016 7:41 pm

Her other cause is Whirled Peas . . .

Reply to  Jimmy Haigh
August 31, 2016 5:01 pm

If “Climate Anxiety” is a real enough thing for a paid counsellor to exist, then surely *creating* climate anxiety has to be a tort, and the people who do that can be sued? I am of course not referring to people who create climate change but to people who wilfully create climate *anxiety*. Just a somewhat /sarc thought.

Kodiakmac
Reply to  Jimmy Haigh
September 1, 2016 1:40 pm

‘I think the term is “batshit crazy”.
Now, now, let’s not be too quick to jump to conclusions here!
Maybe we should be encouraging her to take it to the next logical step: prescribing the only cure for climate change anxiety. Hell, I’ll even recommend a good rope factory.

Mark from the Midwest
August 30, 2016 10:48 am

It’s probably just the APA’s attempt to establish the existence of another “disorder” so that they can recieve insurance reimbursement for treatment. But if they don’t get ‘climate anxiety” cataloged maybe they can get “lack of climate anxiety, anxiety” into the book.

george e. smith
Reply to  Mark from the Midwest
August 30, 2016 11:17 am

Sounds about par for the course. About as legitimate a malady as some others; for eg ADD, more commonly known as crashing boredom.
g

Jim Sweet
Reply to  Mark from the Midwest
August 31, 2016 9:15 am

I’m disconsolate over not being worried enough about climate change……and I have 5 cents!

yam
August 30, 2016 10:48 am

This counseling is a ray of sunshine for snowflakes. With any luck.

Editor
August 30, 2016 10:49 am

It follows the trend of universities creating “safe zones” where students are “protected” from contentious statements. It is also very PC with Climate Change being embraced by the Left, who seem to want us to return to the stone age. Every time I read this sort of c**p I feel that i need counselling because my blood pressure goes through the roof. the term “grow a pair” springs to mind.

Paul Westhaver
August 30, 2016 10:49 am

Yeah I have suffered Climate Anxiety!!
Moron teachers failing to teach my children proper science and math but committed to indoctrinating them into the green religion.
I was anxious for 22 years while the BS from the school system poured like a sewer into my home.
Can I also get post traumatic Climate Stress counseling? Sign me up! the aggression, scapegoating, social isolation and ridicule that I suffered at the hands of moron teachers who know nothing of actual science or climate science. I should also get damages.

Gentle Tramp
Reply to  Paul Westhaver
August 30, 2016 3:26 pm

LOL – But of course, yours is a REAL problem… 😉

Paul Westhaver
Reply to  Gentle Tramp
August 30, 2016 8:31 pm

reality…I am not certain that I know what that is any more. 😉

The Original Mike M
August 30, 2016 10:50 am

Set up a stand on the other side – “CURE FOR CLIMATE ANXIETY” … FREE!
* More CO2 is greening earth.
* Deserts are shrinking.
* Fewer big hurricanes
* ETC.

Duster
August 30, 2016 10:55 am

Technically, if you take a “recognizeable” photograph of an individual, regardless of venue status, in order charge a fee for that photograph you have to have a permission form signed by the “model.” You only need permission if you plan or hope to make money from photo that includes someone else’s face. There’s a current law suit brought by PETA against a photographer over an image – he set what was essentially a photo trap and got this:
http://travelinlibrarian.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/monkeyselfie.jpg
The law suit:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/23/world/monkey-selfie-peta-lawsuit/
is unbelievably stupid, but I suspect the motive is really money that PETA can “administer” since the ape has no pockets – or trousers for that matter.

The Original Mike M
Reply to  Duster
August 30, 2016 11:01 am

Just write him a check!

Jim Sweet
Reply to  Duster
August 31, 2016 9:16 am

The suit failed….but the monkey is still smiling, after all, he’s famous!

H.R.
August 30, 2016 11:03 am

She should make a lot of money off this group. They seem very anxious about global warming.
http://d22zlbw5ff7yk5.cloudfront.net/images/uncaptioned-s6G8n-50d8c25b1b676.jpeg

afonzarelli
Reply to  H.R.
August 30, 2016 11:45 am

Caligula Jones
August 30, 2016 11:04 am

I didn’t actually need a photograph to know what both the counsellor and the counsellee looked like…

Reply to  Caligula Jones
August 30, 2016 11:11 am

They look like two members of the UK Green Party.

The Original Mike M
Reply to  Phillip Bratby
August 30, 2016 12:03 pm

I thought the one on the right looks like Ruth Ginsburg and the one on the left looks like … Mike Myers?

brians356
Reply to  Caligula Jones
August 30, 2016 2:42 pm

“There’s nothing so pitiful as a three-dollar whore.” I mean, if she made it worth her while and charged a dollar or a pound sterling, as it were, does she fear being lumped in with Big Oil as a money grubber?

ghl
Reply to  Caligula Jones
August 30, 2016 4:38 pm

It is definitely a scene from Portlandia.

Plato
August 30, 2016 11:06 am

The stupid, it burns.

August 30, 2016 11:09 am

I full third of the people stopping in RHODE ISLAND didn’t buy her nonsense? The warmists are in more trouble than I thought.

Reply to  Rich Horton
August 30, 2016 11:44 pm

Given the open prejudice of this ‘advisor’, one wonders if not having any concerns or anxiety about the climate automatically earns the title of trivializer?
One also wonder, with 9 visitors, that should be $0.45 cents. Where did the other $2.15 and a stick of gum come from?
More incomprehensible numbers from the alarmists?

Reply to  ATheoK
August 31, 2016 8:14 pm

You’re not supposed to ask hard math questions. 😛

Reply to  ATheoK
September 1, 2016 6:53 am

Oh! Right.
Well, swap out the tricky math questions for;
I wonder if the chewing gum is the expensive and rare natural chewing gum, (e.g. chicle, mastic, spruce sap) or the modern butadiene-based synthetic rubber kind?
And does the presumably starving CAGW climate change crusader know and understand such silly things?

August 30, 2016 11:13 am

Who is caring for her 18 cats while she is getting her climate anxiety counseling??? Now I need counseling for my possible-cat-abandonment anxiety!

J
August 30, 2016 11:26 am

Yup, I have climate anxiety.
I worry that a bunch of UN bureaucrats are going to cause my government to ruin our energy infrastructure
.I am worried that just when energy is expensive and scarce we might tip into a cooling trend.

Reply to  J
August 30, 2016 1:44 pm

Yes, I have the same anxiety. Except mine also includes a major market crash and prolonged recession.

Goldrider
Reply to  mpcraig
August 30, 2016 7:40 pm

I did something about mine–bought a front end loader, a couple chainsaws, and a big-ass wood splitter!

Groty
August 30, 2016 11:27 am

The photo caption says she is in Burnside Park. I don’t know where that is but it looks like a lovely place. Clean, litter-free streets. Clean air. Gorgeous, sunny day. Luscious green trees and grass in the park. She should be rejoicing that she has set up her little booth in what I’d imagine an Eden-like paradise to be.
Yet she suffers from MMCA – Man Made Climate Anxieties. Anxieties caused from listening to charlatans and hucksters. Many of the same folks who scared her about population growth, declining biodiversity, peak oil, mad cow disease, ebola, second hand smoke, nuclear fuel, fracking, vaccines, GMOs, zika, bird flu, SARS, Y2K, saturated fat, and every other media promoted hysteria of the past half century.
She needs to see a shrink so she can learn how to enjoy life. She is living in the best place, at the best time, to be alive.

Reply to  Groty
August 30, 2016 1:10 pm

“She needs to see a shrink so she can learn how to enjoy life. She is living in the best place, at the best time, to be alive.”
So many people do not understand this. This IS the best time to be alive, and North America IS the best place to be!

James Francisco
August 30, 2016 11:27 am

I will bet a pay for an argument booth would have been much more successful and helpful.

Bruce Cobb
Reply to  James Francisco
August 30, 2016 11:40 am

No it wouldn’t.

1saveenergy
Reply to  Bruce Cobb
August 30, 2016 12:18 pm

Yes it would –

Jim Sweet
Reply to  Bruce Cobb
August 31, 2016 9:18 am

No, that’s Contradiction…..down the hall, to your left.

Pop Piasa
Reply to  James Francisco
August 30, 2016 12:36 pm

You mean an argument clinic?

Pop Piasa
Reply to  Pop Piasa
August 30, 2016 12:36 pm

Sorry, hadn’t refreshed lately.

Walter Sobchak
August 30, 2016 11:30 am

I googled the location, It is in Providence RI. The sad State that is represented by Sheldon Whitehouse. Somehow, it all fits together.

Reply to  Walter Sobchak
August 30, 2016 12:48 pm

Also note the sweaters in August.

DCA
Reply to  Joel O’Bryan
August 30, 2016 2:42 pm

Did you see that she described the weather as “hot”. Maybe they should take off their sweaters. Duuuuh!

Bruce Cobb
August 30, 2016 11:31 am

Learn to relax.
5 cents please!

TonyL
August 30, 2016 11:38 am

Everybody!
This is a business opportunity. Set up a storefront office, advertise in local media, charge market rate counseling fees.
The more left-wing, moonbatty the local population, the better the business. Seems to me that Providence should be a good location for the first office. (Think franchise)
This is a way to make some coin off of CAGW and the neurosis that comes with it. Sure beats being a skeptic and waiting for that check from Big Oil that never comes.

Reply to  TonyL
August 30, 2016 5:59 pm

Think franchise …

Reply to  Michael Palmer
August 30, 2016 6:01 pm

There was supposed to be an image here — hopefully at least the link to it will work.

Reply to  Michael Palmer
August 30, 2016 6:16 pm

One more trycomment image

AllyKat
Reply to  Michael Palmer
August 30, 2016 11:01 pm

Do not disparage the colonel. He provided us with some delicious chicken and awesome biscuits.

mikewaite
August 30, 2016 11:43 am

I notice that she seems to be charging customers for her services on a public street . In the UK I believe that she would be classed as a street trader and need a licence , and possibly an inspection by the Trading Standards Authority of the local council to ensure that customers are getting a fair deal in terms of the product offered.
Given the concern expressed by so many AGs about the quality of the advice given by Exxon to their customers and investors re. climate change , can we be reassured that she has passed the vetting by Schneidermann (I am assuming Kennedy Plaza in in NY).

troe
August 30, 2016 11:43 am

It is fitting that this prank is located in Providence R.I. A typical one party city which is dead broke. Senator Outhouse and his fellow R.I. pols are angling for massive federal infrastruce spending to mitigate non existent AGW sea level rise. That is the big picture plan to obtain other peoples money for a fiscally sinking state.
Like the housing scam green grifters come in all political flavors. In Iowa Governor for life Terry Vilsack shares a last name and lots of genes with the head of the wind power lobbying group.

kim
August 30, 2016 11:54 am

heh, Practitioner, Heal Thyself.
============

Myron Mesecke
August 30, 2016 11:55 am

Since see wants to imitate Lucy Van Pelt let’s get her to hold a football. But the last laugh will be on her. When she pulls the ball away we kick her instead.

Tom in Florida
Reply to  Myron Mesecke
August 30, 2016 12:17 pm

Yup, the first thing I though of was Lucy (of Peanuts cartoon fame) and her “Psychiatric Help” booth.

Editor
Reply to  Myron Mesecke
August 30, 2016 3:09 pm

Of course, don’t forget the climate anxiety brought on by footballs deflating as the weather turns cold.

Catcracking
August 30, 2016 12:06 pm

Depending on where this is, one might need a license to conduct this business which includes taking $$$, just like kids have been stopped for selling lemonade.

August 30, 2016 12:13 pm

I have “Climate Anxiety “, I’m very much concerned that the left-wing loonies are going win and institute policies that will do lasting environmental* and economical damage.
* Geoengineering

AndyG55
Reply to  Steve Case
August 30, 2016 12:42 pm

“will do lasting environmental* and economical damage.”
They already ARE. Wind turbines and solar farms are prime examples.

August 30, 2016 12:20 pm

Seems like an ideal franchise-business opportunity.
Plenty of gullible punters will ensure a very profitable revenue stream

Snowman
August 30, 2016 12:31 pm

I need to get paid to counsel climate anxiety morons.
“Um, everything’s gonna be fine. No, the world is not going to burn up. No, it’s not heating because of man, it’s heating because it’s supposed to be heating. CO2 is plant food, it’s ok, drive around, it’s fine.”

H.R.
August 30, 2016 12:38 pm

From the article [bold mine]:

Money raised for Environmental Justice League of RI: $2.60, plus one stick of gum

Just exactly what is Environmental Justice? Where is the courtroom; down the hall on the left? Please point me to the appropriate legal tomes of statutes and precedence so I can bone up on the topic.
Considering the need for Environmental Justice the $2.60 and a stick of gum should cover the annual needs of that organization.
.
.
.
.
I note that she does not limit anxieties to climate or the environment. Ever since auto posted about Giant Invisible Train-Eating Badgers a few days ago, I have to confess that my anxiety levels are up a notch.

Pop Piasa
Reply to  H.R.
August 30, 2016 12:46 pm

“Environmental Justice League” sounds like something out of a comic book from the 70’s.

Mickey Reno
Reply to  Pop Piasa
August 31, 2016 4:23 am

If the anxiety prone Kate holds a football in place and tries to entice you to kick, it, don’t fall for it.

Editor
Reply to  H.R.
August 30, 2016 3:15 pm

Let me Google that for you.
http://ejlri.org/environmental-justice/our-mission/ says in part:

Our Mission:
The Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island (EJLRI) is a non-profit organization working within an alliance of individuals to promote environmental justice in Rhode Island through advocacy, education, networking, organizing, and research. Our mission is to promote safe and healthy environments for ALL by building power, leadership and action in the communities most affected by environmental burdens. EJLRI envisions a Rhode Island where we all have a healthy place to live, work, and play regardless of race, ethnicity, or income.

Their donation page doesn’t have a spot for donating sticks of gum.

H.R.
Reply to  Ric Werme
August 30, 2016 3:47 pm

Thanks, Ric, but I had already visited the EJRI (Environmental Justice, Rhode Island) site before posting. Sounds to me like ‘community organizing’ and ‘Acorn’ under another name.
I had questions after my brief visit. What RI communities are affected by environmental burdens? What specifically are the burdens that make RI an unhealthy place to live, work, and play? Are Rhode Islanders living longer or has there been a dramatic decrease in RI life expectancy due the specific burdens? If there are environmental burdens, why haven’t the affected dealt with the situation themselves? Maybe they are happy with things just the way they are. Why does it take social do-gooders to step in? What happens if vegans take over the EJRI board and decide that the only way Rhode Islanders can be healthy is to become vegans (or substitute Borgs for vegans)?
I’m going back for a longer visit to the EJRI site. Fascinating site to a net tax contributor and believer in individual liberty and responsibility like me.
Ric also mentioned:
Their donation page doesn’t have a spot for donating sticks of gum.
Hmmm… well now that you’ve pointed it out, maybe they’ll remedy that and add Kit Kats and Reese’s Cups while they are at it… and apples, they’ll take apples ;o)

Goldrider
Reply to  Ric Werme
August 31, 2016 6:22 am

The “environmental burdens” of Rhode Island are unemployment and booze. And that hasn’t changed in 40 years.

August 30, 2016 12:40 pm

I think Anthony should charge for Climate Change Anxiety counselling. What would that be at the rate of say one cent per hit?

Pop Piasa
August 30, 2016 12:44 pm

Penn and Teller featured a climate guilt counselor in their episode on AGW. Maybe the idea isn’t new.

John W. Garrett
August 30, 2016 12:52 pm

Thanks to you, I’ve now got symptoms of “Climate Anxiety.”
I’m terrified because they apparently allow crackpots like that out in public and, even worse, they let them vote.

Alan Robertson
August 30, 2016 12:59 pm

Listening to: Hawkwind- “Adjust Me”

PaulH
August 30, 2016 1:23 pm

I think she’s just having a few laughs with a bit of her own street theatre. But while I wouldn’t be prepared to hand over a hard-earned $2.60 (plus a stick of gum) to any organization calling itself an “Environmental Justice League”, I think the looks on their faces would be worth the cash. 🙂 “A mere $2.60!? We don’t get out of bed for any non-government check less than $1000!”
/snark

TA
August 30, 2016 1:36 pm

I wonder if anyone gave her any money for her advice.

Reply to  TA
August 30, 2016 1:41 pm

And if they did, did she declare that income for tax?

Resourceguy
August 30, 2016 1:42 pm

When do they add it to the ACA coverage mandate? Or did Grubber already slip in in there somewhere because of his statements on how stupid Americans are?

yarpos
August 30, 2016 1:50 pm

Everybody else is making a $ from the grand scam, why not her?

August 30, 2016 2:50 pm

A fool and his nickel are soon parted.

Chris Hanley
August 30, 2016 2:58 pm

Oh for pity’s sake it’s obviously a joke, probably filmed from a building across the road.

observa
Reply to  Chris Hanley
August 31, 2016 10:13 am

Not necessarily if you know what can trigger some of these ..err..folk. The guy goes by the pisstake name of Hugh Mungus and when it asks for his name be warned there’s one serious trigger alert going on here-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgSoBEdRrsw

JohnKnight
August 30, 2016 3:27 pm

Climate anxiety for sale cheap . .
(Good way to get new ideas for climate scare stories to boot)

David Long
August 30, 2016 3:43 pm

Wow, when I first saw this I thought she had to be expressing sarcasm. But I guess if she’s unaware that makes it irony.

August 30, 2016 3:59 pm

It’s horrible, Ms. Shapira. At night I have these dreams. I am falling into what seems like a burning ring of… of… fire. And as I fall, I go down, down, down. And the flames just leap higher and higher. And it burns. I mean it really burns and burns! I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I can’t remember the rest of the lyrics.
Actually, I think this kind of a cute idea and don’t object to it at all. .05 cents is about what it is worth, and if Ms. Shapira has a sense of humor and a rapport with the left, she is dispensing the kind of counseling that alarmists needs, namely, “Really things aren’t as bad as they seem to you right now. Go home and try some nice chicken soup.”

Cynthia Maher
August 30, 2016 4:04 pm

Great idea! Best way to reduce anxiety is to face reality. For example: When people say “I fear sea level rise”, counselor can help them walk back through graphs from 120 years, 24K years, 200K years, 450K years, 800K years, and 542 million years. That way they can understand how reasonable/unreasonable the fear is.

Logos_wrench
August 31, 2016 6:52 am

I have voter anxiety. Namely that she and anyone who stopped for counselling is allowed to vote.

H.R.
August 31, 2016 8:13 am

Here’s a little additional information on Kate Schapira.
https://www.brown.edu/academics/english/faculty/kate-schapira
She’s teaches English at Brown University. In light of that, it seems that the anxiety counseling would be useful in her creative work and might also ease her own climate anxiety.

Reply to  H.R.
August 31, 2016 9:27 am

Ah. Then the real problem comes when she’s back in the classroom dispensing FREE advice, as professors are wont to do.

Kenny
August 31, 2016 8:58 am

This is a scam made by Rothschild’s and Rockefellers for GLOBAL control to destroy nations by destroying industry and progress look it up (hunt-1992 world climate meeting tells all)

Ryan
August 31, 2016 9:14 am

Pictures taken without permission: 1
What? She’s in a public space, permission is not needed. They don’t understand privacy and photography laws any better than the environment it would seem.

observa
August 31, 2016 10:00 am

It’s all completely understandable that students need anxiety counselling in this day and age-
http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/28825/
(hat tip to Jonova)

LarryD
August 31, 2016 4:18 pm

Reading the title, I expected the article to be about some enterprising soul (sounds better than “hustler”) setting up to console the neurotic about their climate anxiety.
I didn’t expect some neurotic to be soliciting comfort from passer-by’s and charging them for it, even if only a nominal amount. How narcissistic.

Wharfplank
September 1, 2016 1:01 pm

Has Paul Erlich stopped by? She could retire on him!