BY ANGELA HAUPT
FORGET CLIMATE ANXIETY: many people are in flat-out climate distress. About two-thirds of Americans (65%) report being worried about global warming, according to a January report from the Yale Program for Climate Communication. One in 10 say they’ve recently felt depressed over their concerns for the planet, and a similar percentage describe feeling on edge or like they’re unable to stop worrying about global warming.
No wonder more people are seeking care from climate-aware therapists. Some go to therapy to figure out whether they should have kids in the age of rapid climate change. Othersc are dealing with posttraumatict stress disorder from natural di-o sasters or are burned out from advocacy work.
But if the threat is existential, is there value in sorting out how you feel about it? “The very first step is full validation,” says Leslie Davenport, a climate-psychology educator and author. Understand that it’s not irrational to be full of worry, rage, fear, or guilt when the planet’s on fire.
Instead of ignoring them, “take the energy of all those emotions and redirect them into constructive action,” says Dr. Lise Van Susteren, a psychiatrist in Washington, D.C., who co-founded the Climate Psychiatry Alliance. You could advocate for change and make changes yourself: reducing your carbon footprint by walking or biking instead of driving, for example.
Here, climate-aware therapists share their most effective coping strategies for going from overwhelmed to empowered.
1. Find your people
Climate change tends to get the religion-and-politics treatment—people avoid talking about it, says Carol Bartels, a therapist in Long Beach, Calif. “But we need to talk about it,” she adds. “We need to know that other people are feeling the same.” Join a climate café—discussiond spaces, both online and in-person, where people can talk freely about their fears and other feelings related to climate change. Or try the Good Grief Network, a peer-support group that follows a 10-step approach to help people process any type of grieving, including for the planet.
2. Share your views
This is no time for humility. Make sure everyone around you knows what you’re doing to combat climate change, Van Susteren says. “What motivates people is not our independence—we follow the crowd.” Someone might noti make green choices in the interest of future generations, but will do it if everyone else is. So post about your advocacy work
