Workshop: Oblivious to Oblivion with Rebecca McGarigle

“The environmental issues we face are the same as other issues just bigger. We need extreme groundedness and compassion to truly address the problem in a constructive way,” said Rebecca McGarigle, a licensed clinical social worker for San Luis Obispo County, with over 20 years of experience. At this year’s conference she will be leading a workshop on Communication Strategies to Aid in Environmental Awakening. Her approach will be similar to the format used in addiction recovery and will discuss both successful communication and obstacles leading to miscommunication.

McGarigle understands the plight of those who are environmentally passionate but unsure how to inform and instill awareness in others. This becomes especially difficult when the person one is trying to communicate with is in denial of environmental concerns. “We are making choices that are easier right now but will make life harder in the long run.” McGarigle said. “We are addicted to the easy way out, to oil, to our lifestyle choices. In psychology when we have an addiction we are denying reality. We deny because if we face it, it hurts.”