about us
our guiding principles
collective care is climate care
We believe that tending to our emotional wellbeing is inseparable from tending to the planet. Healing ourselves and supporting one another is climate action.
everyone is welcome
You don’t have to be an activist to feel the impacts of the climate crisis. We create spaces that are open, accessible, and affirming of all identities, experiences, and backgrounds.
solidarity over competition
In a world often shaped by scarcity and burnout, we choose collaboration, mutual support, and abundance. We’re building an ecosystem of care — not a hierarchy.
mission
Climate Wellness Network is committed to creating a positive impact on the emotional well-being of individuals affected by the climate crisis. By providing accessible resources, fostering community engagement, and promoting mental wellness practices, we strive to empower individuals to navigate climate-related challenges with resilience and hope.
vision
At Climate Wellness Network, we envision a future where individuals and communities across Canada are equipped with the tools and support needed to address climate anxiety, build emotional resilience, and collectively engage in climate action. Our vision includes a network of empowered individuals fostering a culture of care, connection, and sustainable well-being in the face of environmental challenges.
land acknowledgment
The Climate Wellness Network acknowledges that our work takes place on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territories of the xÊ·mÉ™θkÊ·É™yÌ“É™m (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sÉ™lilwÉ™taɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
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We recognize and honour the longstanding relationships Indigenous peoples have with these lands, waters, and skies — relationships built on respect, stewardship, and deep interconnection. We are grateful to live, gather, and grow this work on these territories and commit to supporting Indigenous sovereignty, leadership, and healing as central to climate justice.
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The climate cafe model we facilitate is deeply inspired by Indigenous circle practices — traditions of coming together in community, listening deeply, and sharing with care. We acknowledge this lineage with gratitude and strive to approach our work with humility, relational accountability, and a commitment to decolonizing our practices.
the full story
The Climate Wellness Network (CWN) began as a personal response to a collective need.
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In the wake of devastating climate events — including the catastrophic floods in her hometown of Abbotsford — climate storyteller and sustainability leader Smiely Khurana found herself deeply affected by climate anxiety. Despite years of working in the climate space, she realized there were few places to talk about the emotional toll of this work — no space for grief, fear, or quiet reflection. That changed when she discovered climate cafes: community-based gatherings grounded in compassionate listening and emotional processing.​
Moved by these spaces — and their deep roots in Indigenous circle practices, Smiely founded Climate Cafe Vancouver in 2024. It quickly became a safe haven, not just for conversation, but for breathing room, a place to connect, share, and be held.
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Seeing the impact of just one local space, she imagined something bigger: a national network of climate care, one rooted in connection over competition, and designed to uplift the emotional wellbeing of those most impacted by the climate crisis.
climate cafe gathering in vancouver, bc
That vision became the Climate Wellness Network — and it didn’t take long before others stepped in to help it grow.
The Lawson Foundation was the first to believe in this idea, inviting Smiely to join their second cohort of Youth Action & The Environment. With their support — including seed funding, business and wellness coaching, and mentorship in marketing and storytelling, CWN began to take shape as a national initiative.
In 2025, Smiely was joined by Khushi Khosla and Mars Moreira, co-founders of Dreamstill Technologies, who shared her passion for emotional care and climate justice. After co-hosting a climate cafe together, the three bonded over a shared vision of the future — one where all people, in all communities, feel supported and seen.
From left to right: Inaam, Abhay, Smiely, Sabrina
[Lawson Foundation's Youth Action & The Environment Fellowship Recipients]
Our first climate cafe collaboration March 2025
One evening over cocktails, a lightbulb moment:
Why not join forces?
The night we decided we should collaborate
​​​​​Together, the team has been building CWN into an ecosystem of empowerment, one that offers tools, training, and national infrastructure, while encouraging local communities to lead in their own way. Through inclusive programming, storytelling, and facilitator training, CWN hopes to help people across Canada process climate emotions, build resilience, and transform eco-grief into collective care and action.​
​We believe healing is climate work.
And no one should have to navigate it alone.
our partners & supporters
collaborate with us!
We’re excited to collaborate with partners who share our vision of building a more resilient, connected climate movement.
We’re currently seeking support from sponsors and community programming partners.
If you're interested in working together — whether to fund an initiative, co-host a climate cafe, or help grow our network — we’d love to hear from you.
Send us an email to start the conversation!​