Protect the Mind
Mental health support for wildlife activists
Being an activist is incredibly challenging. It’s demanding work—both physically and mentally—and it’s easy to overlook our own mental health while dedicating ourselves to making the world a better place. Activists often face violence, intimidation, and hostility from those intent on harming wildlife, not to mention the harrowing and traumatic experiences of witnessing extreme cruelty toward animals. These experiences are far from normal, and we recognise the toll they take.
That’s why we’ve launched Protect the Mind — a mental health support initiative designed to provide tools and resources to those protecting wildlife.
As part of this initiative, we’ve partnered with Dr. Ishani Rao to deliver a series of pre-recorded video sessions covering key mental health topics, along with open and interactive calls tailored specifically for wildlife activists. On this page, you’ll find all the recorded sessions, details about the project, and schedules for upcoming live sessions.
Dr Ishani Rao is an NHS GP and urgent care doctor specialising in climate change, plant-based lifestyle medicine and mental health. She has hosted talks with organisations such as the Royal College of GP’s, UK parliament, Vegan Camp Out and NHS sustainability teams. Ishani achieved her medical degree and BSc in Women’s Health from King’s College London and is currently taking a masters in global health policy with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Book a free call with Dr Ishani
Through Protect the Mind, wildlife activists can book 30-minute or 60-minute calls with Dr. Ishani funded by Protect the Wild. These sessions provide a safe space to discuss what you’re going through, explore ways to support your mental health, and, if necessary, get referred to other mental health professionals who understand activism-related stress and trauma.
To schedule a 30-minute or 60-minute call, email
📧 mental.health.with.ishani@gmail.com or fill out the contact form below which will go straight to Dr Ishani
Take care of your mental health—because strong, resilient activists make the biggest impact. 💚
References and Resources
Burnout
References
- Staff Burnout, Herbert J. Freudenberger. Journal of Social Issues
- 5 stages of burnout, Sonia Sparkles
- Future Forum Pulse, 2023
- “Give me a break!” A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance, P Albulescu et al. PLOS ONE
- Quality conversation can increase daily well-being, JA Hall et al. Communication Research
- Types of self-care you need to know, Dominee Calderon. Self Love Rainbow
Resources
- Rich Roll Podcast
- Animal Liberation Hour Podcast
- Animal Activist Online Facebook Support Group
- Vegan Mental Health Online Facebook Support Group
- Human Animal Support Services, Let’s talk about burnout in animal welfare
- Psychology Today. Empathy burnout and compassion fatigue among animal rescuers
- Faunalytics. Identifying and mitigating burnout in animal advocacy
- Animal Save Movement. Self care
- In Defence of Animals Helpline
Trauma
References
Resources
Staying motivated within activism
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. How sleep affects your health
- NHS UK. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64
- American Heart Association. Social determinants of risk and outcomes for cardiovascular disease
- Harvard Business Review. What’s the right way to find a mentor?
- The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review. E Medawar et al. Translational Psychiatry
- Building Movement Project. Social change ecosystem map
Resources
Managing inter-activist tension
References
- Nobody’s paying me to cry’: The causes of activist burnout in United States animal rights activists, P Gorski. Social Movement Studies
- New Yorker. An animal rights activist and the problem of political despair
- Asesence Leadership Blog. 10 leadership skills every effective leader needs
- Evolve Agility. The conflict escalation ladder
- Thomas Griffin. How to communicate effectively (in any situation)
- IKON training- What is the LEAPS communication model?
- Wikipedia. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, Charles Darwin
Resources
Please note that Protect the Wild is not a counselling service and we can not answer queries about mental health issues ourselves. The support that we can offer is a starting place, a bridge towards getting help.
While we endeavour to ensure that the information on this page and in the external links provided is correct, no guarantee, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and Protect the Wild does not accept any liability for error or omission.
- Always seek the advice of a qualified Mental Health Provider regarding any questions you may have about your specific mental health concerns.
