Featuring Dr. Christine Gibson | TEDxOshawa
In a world where climate change increasingly threatens our health, livelihoods, and sense of security, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed, paralyzed, or disconnected. At the Brain Climate Equity Collaborative (Brain-CE Collab), we understand that the climate crisis is not just an environmental issue – it is deeply neurological and psychological. Rising temperatures, wildfire smoke, and climate-driven disasters all affect the brain directly, but they also shape how we cope, connect, and act.
In her TEDx talk, Brain-CE Collab advisor Dr. Christine Gibson (family physician, trauma therapist, and author of The Modern Trauma Toolkit) explores an often-overlooked dimension of the climate emergency: our collective nervous system. She argues that many of us are “frozen in a trauma response” as the scale of the crisis overwhelms our capacity to respond. When fear and uncertainty dominate, it can lead to paralysis, leaving solutions unrealized and communities vulnerable.
Yet Dr. Gibson offers hope. Through practices of noticing, shifting, and resourcing, we can foster neuroplasticity, reshaping the pathways in our brain to support resilience, reconnection, and collective action. Healing, she reminds us, is not just personal; it’s systemic. By understanding our nervous systems, we unlock tools to move beyond dissociation, build psychological safety, and reimagine what’s possible when faced with global challenges.
Why This Matters to Brain Health and Climate Justice
The Brain-CE Collab exists to address precisely these intersections. Climate change doesn’t affect everyone equally, it disproportionately impacts equity-deserving communities, including Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and underserved populations. Many of these same groups face barriers to accessing care and support, which compounds both neurological and psychological risks during climate-related events.
By amplifying Dr. Gibson’s insights, we aim to:
- Generate Evidence on how climate-driven stressors affect brain health and collective well-being.
- Raise Awareness about the importance of psychological safety and mental flexibility in climate adaptation.
- Drive Systemic Change by promoting trauma-informed responses in policy, healthcare, and community planning.
- Foster Innovation by supporting solutions that integrate neuroscience, social resilience, and equity-centered practices.
Her talk complements our vision for climate-resilient brain health, one where science, compassion, and collaboration converge to safeguard neurological well-being for everyone.
Watch the Talk
🎥 How to Feel Safe When the World Is on Fire | Christine Gibson | TEDxOshawa
Dr. Gibson invites us to pause, reflect, and rebuild – together. By understanding how trauma responses shape our choices, we can unlock the agency and creativity needed to tackle the climate crisis from the inside out.
About Dr. Christine Gibson
Dr. Christine Gibson is a family doctor, trauma therapist, and social innovator working at the intersection of health, equity, and climate resilience. As the founder of Safer Spaces Training and author of The Modern Trauma Toolkit, she helps individuals and organizations cultivate psychological safety, manage distress, and build collective capacity for healing.
Brain Climate & Equity Collaborative 