Dr. Sabrina McCormick on Burnout, Breakthroughs & the Joy of Climate Storytelling
📽️ Dr. Sabrina McCormick on Burnout, Breakthroughs & the Joy of Climate Storytelling
“Resilience is found in the struggle.” — Dr. Sabrina McCormick
In this powerhouse episode, host Beth Bannerman sits down with Dr. Sabrina McCormick — a trailblazing climate scientist, filmmaker, and entrepreneur — for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation on what it really takes to drive change in a world on fire.
From losing her childhood home to toxic contamination to co-leading the largest climate media impact study to date, Dr. McCormick opens up about the early trauma that ignited her mission, how storytelling became her superpower, and why joy — yes, joy — may be the missing ingredient in climate action.
🎥 She shares behind-the-scenes stories from her Emmy-winning work on Years of Living Dangerously, her feature film Burnout, and what she’s learning from measuring real-time emotional responses to climate media.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone working at the intersection of science, storytelling, and social change — or simply trying to stay grounded and hopeful while making a difference.
🧠In This Episode:
00:00 | Meet Dr. Sabrina McCormick: Filmmaker, Scientist, Changemaker
06:12 | How Childhood Trauma Sparked a Lifelong Mission
11:19 | The Moment Film Trumped Data in Driving Change
14:34 | Why Storytelling Must Be Built on Real Research
18:30 | Citizen Science: What the Bayou Taught Her
24:05 | When Innovation Gets Dismissed — and Why Persistence Wins
29:24 | The Pandemic Pivot: Building Something New
32:22 | Burnout, Boundaries & the Power of Dance Therapy
39:29 | What Happens When You Become the Character
43:20 | Lessons from Hollywood: Leadership, Ethics & Integrity
49:25 | The Shocking Science Behind What Drives Climate Action
53:10 | Why Joy — Not Fear — Is the Key to Change
57:13 | A Vision for the Future: Healthy Relationships & a Thriving Planet
đź’ˇ Highlights:
“The experience of joy is the #1 predictor of climate-conscious behavior.”
"Burnout," the film, is available for private screenings via https://resiliencecreative.org
ImpacTracker is changing the way we measure emotional resonance in storytelling
Sabrina’s advice for young changemakers: "You don’t have to choose between rigor and creativity."
đź”— Links & Resources:
🔬 Resilience Creative — Sabrina’s production studio and impact lab
📽️ "Burnout" (short film) — Written and directed by Sabrina McCormick: https://www.festivalformula.com/theslate/burnout
📽️ "Sequestrada" film - Written and directed by Sabrina McCormick:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5816566/
📚 "No Family History" — Sabrina’s crossover book on breast cancer and the environment available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/fUczmPZ
📖 "The Creative Act" by Rick Rubin — a source of inspiration mentioned in the episode
📺 Years of Living Dangerously — Emmy-winning docuseries featuring Sabrina's work
❤️ Loved this conversation?
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 💌 Share this episode with a friend or colleague who cares about climate, creativity, or healing through story.
🌍 Keep telling stories that spark hope.
 ✨ Build community.
 🌱 Protect our one shared planet.
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