Turning “Vystopia” into Powerful Action for Change

VegFund Activist Learning Series

Clare Mann, psychologist and author of Vystopia: The Anguish of Being Vegan in a Non-Vegan World presents this much-needed 90-minute webinar on how we can transform our own distress for animals that endure pain into powerful action for change. Enjoy this webinar, and see the Key Takeaways listed below for a quick overview.

 

“Vystopia” is defined as the anguish of being vegan in a non-vegan world. With more than 30 years of experience, Clare Mann provides vegans with language and a toolbox to work through their anguish and unite with others to examine the biggest social justice challenge of our time.

In this webinar, Clare will empower you to:

  • Work through your vystopia
  • Learn strategies to maintain hope and direction
  • Develop powerful communication techniques
  • Turn your anguish into powerful action for animals
  • Become a healthier, happier, and hopeful vegan

Clare is also an active member of the Anonymous for the Voiceless Sydney chapter. She runs a part-time private vegan psychology practice in Sydney and works with vegans worldwide via Skype and FaceTime.

The presentation slides are also available on SlideShare for your reference to bookmark or download.

Key Takeaways

Clare’s research recently revealed that more than 80% of vegans surveyed experience some form of vystopia, and she delivered helpful tips, resources, and reassurance for vystopia sufferers. Here are some of the key takeaways from this presentation.

  • You are not alone! Although you may feel like you are, even within your community or your family, there are  online groups and resources to help with the isolation that often accompanies the life of a vegan activist. Here are some quick links:
  • Treatment of vystopia takes time and intentionality. Nobody ever said that self-care was easy.  It’s rare to go a day without being triggered by something upsetting or downright horrible. Clare reminds us that it’s important to feel the feelings we are having and then find constructive ways to self-soothe so that we are not crippled by symptoms of vystopia.
    • Meditation
    • Emotional Freedom Technique
    • Essential Skills for Vegan Advocacy
  • Keep an open mind — and open neural pathways. As long as we are vegans living in a non-vegan world, we will experience triggering events that will cause us a great deal of pain, probably on a daily basis. Clare touched on the importance of keeping blood at the front of the brain and keeping our neural passageways open. In practice, what does that mean? Watch the webinar to learn more, but, in brief: We need to be inquisitive, not apathetic; supportive, not combative; empathic, not dismissive — with non-vegans as well as other vegans.  This approach will not only help our cause, but, she argues, will also support a balanced mental state and productive mindset for the grueling work of vegan activism.

If you saw this presentation and had different takeaways, or have questions about Clare’s presentation, we want to hear from you!  Send us a comment or share your thoughts or story about vystopia on social media (#VegFundVystopia).