Dr. Anne Hallward, the host and founder of Safe Space Radio (SafeSpaceRadio.com) and a board-certified psychiatrist in Portland, will present Climate Courage and Mental Health on Tuesday, March 29 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. through a partnership between Prince Memorial Library (Cumberland), Scarborough Public Library, and York Public Library.

This virtual talk will explore how coping with the mental health impacts of climate change can make individuals more effective at combating it. Hallward will lead attendees in exploring the forces that help summon up the courage to face reality, bear the painful feelings that come up, and move together to take action. In particular, she will share tools that help each participant access their own courage, so that they can take steps fueled by love and clarity that lead to greater strength, connection, and impact. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with others to fully benefit from this program.

When asked about her inspiration for the topic, Hallward said, “When Safe Space Radio first began contemplating creating a show about climate change and mental health, I was hearing my patients express their concerns about climate change about once a week in my psychotherapy practice. Now in 2022, I am hearing about it from my patients almost every day. People’s sense of the future feels so much more fraught and vulnerable. We have entered a new era where taking action to address climate change has become an important step to preserve mental health.”

This program is free and open to the public. Registration is required. To learn more and to register for the Zoom link, visit: https://bit.ly/ClimateCourageandMentalHealth

Hallward is passionate about creating spaces for people to talk about difficult subjects so that they are not alone with their worst struggles. Formerly on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, she co-designed and taught courses on death and dying, cultural humility, sexuality, and psychiatric interviewing. Hallward is the recipient of the Ulrich B. Jacobsohn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians, the Jeanne Spurlock Social Justice Award from the Association of Women Psychiatrists, and an Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She has also been recognized for her work in radio with a national Gracie Award for Best Host of a Local Radio Show. Hallward speaks internationally on stigma and shame, traumatic silence, re-humanization, and emotional courage.