Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

Climate change in and out of the therapy room

Climate change can have profound impacts on mental health, yet few therapists receive training on how to talk to their clients about this issue. This Comment explores strategies for therapists to best support clients in climate distress.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Ballew, M. et al. Global Warming’s Six Americas Across Age, Race/Ethnicity, and Gender (Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Yale University & George Mason University, 2023).

  2. Hoppe, B. O., Prussia, L., Manning, C., Raab, K. K. & Jones-Casey, K. V. Ecopsychology 15, 13–25 (2023).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Macagnino, T. Br. Gestalt J. 31, 14–23 (2022).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Kassouf, S. Am. Imago 74, 141–171 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Roszak, T., Gomes, M. E. & Kanner, A. D. (eds) Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind (Sierra Club Books, 1995).

  6. Doherty, T. et al. in Comprehensive Clinical Psychology 2nd edn (ed. Asmundson, G. J. G.) Ch. 11.12, 167–183 (Elsevier, 2022).

  7. Searles, H. F. The Nonhuman Environment in Normal Development and in Schizophrenia (International Universities Press, 1960).

  8. Greenspun, W. Br. Gestalt J. 31, 24–31 (2022).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Haseley, D. Int. J. Appl. Psychoanal. Stud. 16, 109–115 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Bodnar, S. et al. Ecopsychology 15, 110–118 (2023).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Lewis, J., Haase, E. & Trope, A. Psychodyn. Psychiatry 48, 271–294 (2022).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Doppelt, B. Transformational Resilience: How Building Human Resilience to Climate Disruption Can Safeguard Society and Increase Wellbeing (Routledge, 2016).

  13. Allured, E. & Easterlin, B. in Climate Change and Youth Mental Health: Multidisciplinary Perspectives (eds Haase, E. & Hudson, K.) Ch. 10 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2024).

  14. Stuart, D. J. Agric. Environ. Ethics 33, 487–504 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Macy, J. & Johnstone, C. Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in with Unexpected Resilience and Creative Power (New World Library, 2022).

Download references

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the many Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA) members I have met along my journey, who have offered personal and professional support, and inspire me daily.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Noa Heiman.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Heiman, N. Climate change in and out of the therapy room. Nat. Clim. Chang. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01979-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01979-3

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing