A survey in January 2020 found that 2/3 of young people in the UK are experiencing eco-anxiety, which is defined by the Climate Psychology Alliance as “heightened emotional, mental or somatic distress in response to dangerous changes in the climate system.” Over 1,000 clinical psychologists have signed an open letter highlighting the impact of the crisis on people’s wellbeing.
Here are some resources that may help you to navigate your emotions around climate change.
Climate Psychology Alliance: a diverse community of therapeutic practitioners, thinkers, researchers, artists and others who centre attending to the psychology and emotions of the climate and ecological crisis. The website includes a directory of climate-aware therapists and practitioners, as well as events.
https://climatepsychologyalliance.org/
The Good Grief Network: a network that provides a training programme called 10 Steps to Resilience and Empowerment in a Chaotic Climate, as well of a wealth of resources such as a podcast and a book.
https://www.goodgriefnetwork.org/10steps/
Climate Cafés are simple, hospitable, empathetic spaces where fears & uncertainties about our climate & ecological crisis can be safely expressed. The Climate Psychology Alliance organise them and offer training if you want to host your own:
https://www.climatepsychologyalliance.org/index.php/component/content/article/climate-cafes?catid=13&Itemid=101
Britt Wray’s Gen Dread blog has regular updates on topics around climate emotions, eco-anxiety, and psychology. Her resource page, in particular, lists several places you can go for support:
https://gendread.substack.com/p/resources-for-working-with-climate
National Geographic: Helping kids deal with climate anxiety
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/family/2021/04/helping-kids-deal-with-climate-anxiety
Climate Awakening: a website that provides discussion groups for anyone struggling with eco anxiety. You can join a group and speak to people who may be experiencing similar emotions, in order to share, learn and discover solutions together.
https://climateawakening.org/
The Work that Reconnects is a powerful body of work created by Joanna Macy that facilitates groups to move from despair into empowerment and hope through several activities that help us reconnect with our emotions, as well as our interconnectedness with life. There is currently a free, self-paced online course around Active Hope, which is based on the book of the same name:
https://workthatreconnects.org/resources/active-hope/ – it is worth browsing the resources directory more widely or searching through the Events page, too
(How can the Work that Reconnects help us deal with Climate Anxiety – is an article from Gwyneth Jones, GwyrddNi’s Communications Officer – who is also a coach and psychologist who works with climate anxiety. She sometimes facilitates workshops, both online and in person in North West Wales.)
Size of Wales blog: Climate Activism against Eco-anxiety
https://sizeofwales.org.uk/blog-climate-activism-against-eco-anxiety/
Eco-Anxious Stories is a creative space to explore climate emotions and share about our relationship to the climate crisis. The website supports individuals to transform eco-anxieties into meaningful action grounded in courage and compassion.
https://www.ecoanxious.ca/
Here is some advice on how to deal with climate anxiety by Rachel Hurst from the University of East Anglia where she helps other students to address their climate anxieties through on-campus climate cafes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-61265222
Videos:
How to turn climate anxiety into action – a video from Renée Lertzman (14 minutes) – watch here
A video from Yale Climate Connections called Scientists describe grief, hope about climate change gives an overview of some of the emotions people are feeling at the moment – watch here
If you have time for a longer talk, Dr Nadine Andrews from Scotland’s Climate Assembly discusses psychological adaptation to climate and societal disruptions in this video (1 hour) – watch here
This lecture from Jennifer Atkinson called Dealing with Climate Despair also delves into climate grief and how we can navigate it (45 minutes) – watch here