Organizations & Groups
A number of groups have been doing excellent work on the nexus of climate and mind for some time. (Please contact us if you’d like your group to be included on this list!)
(This page lists organizations or professional groups doing climate psychology-related work. We don’t maintain a list of local climate-related support groups or conversation groups, but check out the following pages on how to start a Climate Cafe; and how to start a Climate Circle)
Alliance of Climate Therapists - Northwest (ACT-NoW)
A group of therapists in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada (roughly Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia). ACT-NoW meets monthly in Seattle, and monthly online, to discuss clinical implications of climate change; promote awareness of climate-themes among mental health professionals; and advocate for attention to mental health themes in discussion and planning around climate crisis. If you are a mental health professional the area and would like more information, contact us at climateandmind@gmail.com to join the listserv.
From the website: “…started by Rosemary Randall, a psychotherapist, and Andy Brown an engineer. Drawing on Rosemary’s therapeutic experience with groups and Andy’s technical expertise they created a unique psycho-social project that addresses the practicalities of carbon reduction while taking account of the complex emotions and social pressures that make this difficult.”
Check out their downloadable resources, including “In Time for Tomorrow? the Carbon Conversations Handbook.”
Climate & Mind - a website gathering information and resources on the relationship between climate change, psychology, and mental health. So thorough that they even include themselves on their own list of groups.
The Climate Dreams Project gathers, organizes, and archives “our collective dreams about climate breakdown.” You can submit your own dream via the website.
“Our goal is to create a space where you can cope with your eco-anxieties in order to move past paralysis and transition into action.”
Website offers a Handbook on Climate Psychology (link)
See also two regional branches:
Council on the Uncertain Human Future
“we deepen our awareness of the planetary changes underway, acknowledge the human behavior that brought us here and the implications for all living beings, including ourselves.”
From the website: “We're holding space for eco-anxious stories in the hopes of normalizing our experiences and supporting each other in taking meaningful action.”
On Twitter: @EcoAnxiousCa
From the website: “Research exploring eco-anxiety and climate activism in Britain.”
Extinction Rebellion Psychologists
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From the website: “GaP connects people working within the broad psychological, psychotherapeutic and psycho-spiritual domains through projects to:
re-consider how we understand mind, consciousness and identity in the context of the challenges the world faces;
resource ourselves to take appropriate professional and personal action;
promote a sense of wonder, curiosity and celebration at the interbeing of all life.”
From the website: “builds personal resilience while strengthening community ties to help combat despair, inaction, eco-anxiety, and other heavy emotions in the face of daunting systemic predicaments.”
Why?!? Podcast - “Conversations concern the big existential questions impacting the inner and outer worlds.”
Is This How you Feel? - Not exactly a group, but a resource about climate emotions among climate scientists.
From the website: “From 2014 to 2015 I approached the world’s leading climate scientists and asked them to respond to one simple question: How does climate change make you feel? Their responses were truly moving.”
The Mental Health and Climate Change Alliance
From the website: “We are a growing community of climate researchers, advocates, and citizens committed to identifying and addressing the adverse impacts of the climate crisis on mental health... Our work focuses on understanding the ways this crisis impacts our communities and identifying what we can do to mitigate and adapt in order to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all people impacted by climate change.”
“We believe that the truths about the science, the justice-centered solutions, the growing strength of the climate movement and its achievements can help. They can assuage the sorrow and despair, and they can help people see why it’s worth doing the work the climate crisis demands of us.”
Parents for the Planet - (Facebook group)
“Nourishing our planet, our children, and our souls. A safe haven for planet caregivers who are tired, scared, or in need of support.”
On Twitter: @Parents4Planet
Physicians for Social Responsibility - while not specifically focused on mental health, one of PSR’s main focuses is on the health impacts of climate change.
Post Carbon Institute - one the main focus of Post Carbon Institute is Community Resilience - check out these links for resources:
Project InsideOut - A set of “guiding principles” for action around climate change, developed by Dr. Renee Lertzman and others.
From their website: “Using our professional knowledge as psychologists and helping professionals, our aim is to increase understanding and engagement with climate change. Through our contribution, our hope is that people will become free to act, rather than react or withdraw in despair.”
Psychologists & Psychotherapists for Future
Website offers a statement therapists can sign in support of action on climate.
PsyFuture - “Global Climate Psychology for a Just Future”
From their website: “We are an emerging global network of climate psychology groups. The network is coming to life through participation and learning from and giving support to each other.”
From their website: “Talking climate in our schools, homes, communities, and workplaces is one of the most important climate actions we can take. Talk Climate resources center equity, justice, and age-appropriate learning to empower conversations and climate action across race, generations, communities, and professions.”
The Resource Innovation Group (TRIG)
From their website: “TRIG's mission is to address the human causes, impacts, and solutions to complex socio-economic-ecological challenges, with a special emphasis on climate change….TRIG has decided to focus primarily on building personal and psychosocial resilience for climate change-enhanced traumas and stresses within individuals, organizations, communities, and society.”
From their website: “The central purpose of the Work that Reconnects is to help people uncover and experience their innate connections with each other and with the systemic, self-healing powers of the web of life, so that they may be enlivened and motivated to play their part in creating a sustainable civilization."
Climate Psychology Discussion Group - on Facebook
From their website: “This Climate Psychology discussion group offers a place where people from many different understandings and lineages of psychology (including ecopsychology), psychotherapy (including ecotherapy) and other mental health disciplines can explore the myriad ways that climate and climate disruption are affecting the human psyche individually and collectively.”
Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
From their website: “We are social scientists studying the causes and consequences of public opinion and behavior. We help governments, media, companies, and advocates communicate more effectively. And we publish an online climate news service and daily national radio program, Yale Climate Connections.”