“A PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF CLIMATE ANXIETY, GRIEF, HOPE & DESPAIR“

 

by Dr. Caroline Hickman,
Lecturer in Social Work and Climate Psychology, Department of Social & Policy Sciences, University of Bath, and practicing Psychotherapist & Board Member of the Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA), UK

 

 

ABSTRACT

Climate-anxiety is increasingly being recognised as an emotionally congruent response to the worrying news about the environment from around the world. As our fears grow about environmental and climate change related problems it can be hard to know how to psychologically cope with these unprecedented and unpredictable global catastrophes. However, the complex feelings evoked by increasing awareness are not just anxiety; people report feeling existential and planetary grief, hope and hopelessness, nihilism and despair.
These emergent psychological challenges can bring us face to face with our own feelings of vulnerability, fragility, hope and resilience, as well as concerns about the planet. Navigating these complex times is perhaps the greatest challenge that humanity has yet faced, and psychology and psychotherapy has undoubtedly a central role to play in this.
This talk will explore a relational psychological approach to support ourselves and clients in navigating these unprecedented times. It will examine unconscious process, uncertainty, ambivalence and attachment, inner and external relational worlds, the threat of collapse internally into despair, or the flight to hope externally; we will look at the shadow of eco-anxiety and the archetypal images and dreams that adults, young people and children are now bringing to the therapy room.

 

BIOGRAPHY

Caroline is a lecturer at the University of Bath in social work and climate psychology. A practicing psychotherapist & board member of the Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA). Currently for CPA she is supporting the development of a range of therapeutic outreach projects and supporting the development of a service providing climate crisis aware psychotherapy.
With CPA she is also creating a series of podcasts on Climate Psychology & Eco-Anxiety – ‘Climate Crisis Conversations – Catastrophe or Transformation’.
Caroline works with schools, parent groups, youth activist groups and as a psychotherapist with children & young people & adults dealing with eco anxiety and distress about the climate & biodiversity crisis. 
Through the University she has been researching children & young people’s feelings including eco-anxiety about the climate and biodiversity crisis for 5 years to uncover and explore different stories, narratives and images around our defences against the ‘difficult truth’ we are facing. Her climate change research is with children & young people in the UK, The Brazil, USA, Maldives, Nigeria & Bangladesh.