If you’ve been vegan longer than 10 minutes, you’ve probably heard Clare Mann’s name, and/or her concept of “vystopia”— the term she coined for the “existential crisis experienced by vegans which arises out of an awareness of the trance-like collusion with a dystopian world.”

Since going vegan 11 years ago (and vegetarian many years before, “until I realized I was not a baby cow” 😂), Clare has dedicated much of her career as a psychologist to supporting the vegan community, as well as direct activism work with animals.

Clare was a big inspiration to me for deciding to target some of my work specifically for vegans. At first, the imposter syndrome voice said, “well she’s already been doing it, and much longer, and much better than you could. So why bother?” But then… according to research compiled from national surveys in numerous countries, there are likely around 79 million vegans in the world. And I’m pretty sure Clare can’t help them ALL.

So once I decided to get out of my own way, I felt empowered knowing that the more mental health providers there are out there supporting the vegan community, the more we can all collectively help the animals.

In this conversation, Clare and I got into so many rich topics— not just about veganism and how to survive the experience of vystopia, but also the importance of stepping back to see each other’s perspectives from a place of honoring everyone as valuable living beings, no matter our differences.

About Clare Mann

Clare Mann has practiced as a psychologist and organizational consultant for over twenty years. She is the author of numerous books and training programs. Beyond her work which clearly sits inside an ethical leadership model, Clare is an ethical vegan and a staunch defender of animal rights. She has studied the psychology of ethical veganism for over a decade, and is an active support within the community. You can find Clare's books and courses on her website at veganpsychologist.com, as well as information about her online counseling services.

Additional Resources + Stuff Mentioned in the Episode

Follow Clare on Facebook and on Instagram @clare_mann

Book: Vystopia - the anguish of being vegan in a non-vegan world

Book: Myths of Choice - why people won't change and what you can do about it

Essential Skills for Vegan Advocacy free video course

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COVER ART PHOTO by @joshbethea_photo