Counselling is becoming more popular for people who are experiencing distress due to the environment.
Dr. Barbara Gilbert is a Kansas psychologist with a specialization in climate-informed psychotherapy. She has been hearing many concerns from her patients.
Some people are worried about the impact of climate change on food production. Others worry about having children or the possibility of a shorter lifespan.
Laela Zaidi, a climate activist with The Sunrise Movement KC. She is familiarized with “ecoanxiety.”
She says that she survived the EF-5 tornado in Joplin Missouri when she was 15 years old. It was devastating.
It was only years later that she realized that “this country had not really done much about climate change”. What she survived was an extreme weather event that’s becoming more common.
Zaidi admits that she can become “doom scrolling” while scrolling through the news. Zaidi says that she uses her anxiety to take action.
Gilbert, a psychiatrist, believes that resilience is the key to managing eco-anxiety. She advocates working to develop a sense of accepting the reality and looking for what we can do. This will counter feelings of despair.
- Dr. Barbara Gilbert, A Kansas-based ipsychologist who specializes in climate informed therapy.
- Laela Zaidi, organizer, Sunrise Movement KC
