“Feeling your emotions is an act of rebellion:” How climate cafés across Canada support youth wellbeing during the climate crisis

The profound impact of climate change on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of youth is becoming increasingly evident. Climate cafés are emerging as venues where youth can gather to discuss their thoughts and feelings about the climate crisis. This study explored youth experiences at climate cafés in Canada, aiming to characterize how climate cafés affect their emotional and psychological resilience in dealing with climate-related emotions. Semi-structured, conversation-style interviews were conducted with both youth attendees (ages 16–24) (n = 7) and facilitators of climate cafés (n = 10). Through thematic analysis, including found poetry techniques, reframing activism emerged as an overarching theme along with three sub-themes: climate cafés as active-listening, community building, and action-free spaces. Participants described how climate cafés encourage shifting how they view climate activism from a focus on external actions to a practice that incorporates emotional processing and resilience building. As a designated space to share their thoughts and feelings around climate change, climate cafés were described as a space that promotes active-listening and community building; inspires vulnerability which can favourably lead to connection, empathy, and meaningful engagement in climate action. Lastly, they have the ability to influence youths’ beliefs of their own worthiness. Overall, youth attendees and facilitators concluded that climate cafés serve as a valuable resource for managing burnout and sustaining meaningful climate action. Ensuring the accessibility of feeling-centered healing spaces could aid youth in processing climate emotions and reducing the current and future impacts to their wellbeing.