Climate Sorrow: Discerning Various Forms of Climate Grief and Responding to Them as a Therapist

2024
Climate and ecological emotions
Therapeutic perspectives

Based on interdisciplinary research and workshop experience, this chapter offers tools for evaluating and working with various aspects of climate grief, which can manifest as both acute grief and a persistent mood. It discusses the challenge of discerning between normal but deep forms of climate grief and those requiring clinical attention, the interconnection of climate guilt and grief, and engages with Robert Neimeyer's framework of 'meaning reconstruction' and narrative re-storying.

Unfurling fern frond

Based on interdisciplinary research and workshop experience, this chapter offers tools for evaluating and working with various aspects of climate grief, which can manifest as both acute grief and a persistent mood. It discusses the challenge of discerning between normal but deep forms of climate grief and those requiring clinical attention, the interconnection of climate guilt and grief, and engages with Robert Neimeyer's framework of 'meaning reconstruction' and narrative re-storying.

Related resources

Therapeutic perspectives Reading List

The sources on this list relate to therapeutic perspectives. They are not freely accessible online - most require a library subscription, institutional access, or purchase.

Climate and ecological emotions Reading List

The sources on this list relate to climate and ecological emotions. They are not freely accessible online - most require a library subscription, institutional access, or purchase.

One Resilient Earth

Grows the climate resilience of young people, sustainability professionals and educators through transformative learning journeys, climate emotions circles, and training on climate anxiety and trauma, including a dedicated CLARITY programme for teachers and educators.

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