Climate Trauma: Towards a New Taxonomy of Traumatology

2019
No items found.

ABSTRACT: The disarmingly innocuous term 'climate change' expresses a psychosocial defense mechanism that prompts us to recoil when we consider the implications of climate science. When viewed honestly through the lens of traumatology, this deepening existential crisis presents an entirely new, unprecedented, and higher-order category of trauma: Climate Trauma. What is unique about this category of trauma is that it is an ever-present, ever-growing threat to the biosphere, one that calls into question our shared identity: what does it mean to be 'human' in the Anthropocene? Because it is superordinate, Climate Trauma is continually triggering all past traumas - personal, cultural, and intergenerational - and will continue to do so until such time as it is acknowledged.

ABSTRACT: The disarmingly innocuous term 'climate change' expresses a psychosocial defense mechanism that prompts us to recoil when we consider the implications of climate science. When viewed honestly through the lens of traumatology, this deepening existential crisis presents an entirely new, unprecedented, and higher-order category of trauma: Climate Trauma. What is unique about this category of trauma is that it is an ever-present, ever-growing threat to the biosphere, one that calls into question our shared identity: what does it mean to be 'human' in the Anthropocene? Because it is superordinate, Climate Trauma is continually triggering all past traumas - personal, cultural, and intergenerational - and will continue to do so until such time as it is acknowledged.

Related resources

Thinking Space
Climate and ecological emotions
Climate justice & decolonising

Hosting and facilitating a Climate café listening circle (CCLC) training

Do you want to help build resilience in your community? Climate Cafe LIstening Circle (CCLC) Training builds the confidence, skills, and peer community to facilitate your own circles. Delivered as a structured programme over three sessions in closed cohorts, with ongoing supervision and support afterwards.

April 23, 2026
Harriet Sams
Jennifer Fendya, PhD
Peer supervision

Hosting and facilitating a Climate café listening circle (CCLC) training

Do you want to help build resilience in your community? Climate Cafe LIstening Circle (CCLC) Training builds the confidence, skills, and peer community to facilitate your own circles. Delivered as a structured programme over three sessions in closed cohorts, with ongoing supervision and support afterwards.

May 11, 2026
Working group

Hosting and facilitating a Climate café listening circle (CCLC) training

Do you want to help build resilience in your community? Climate Cafe LIstening Circle (CCLC) Training builds the confidence, skills, and peer community to facilitate your own circles. Delivered as a structured programme over three sessions in closed cohorts, with ongoing supervision and support afterwards.

May 21, 2026

Explore more resources

Browse the full Research and Resources library, more articles, papers, podcasts, and reading lists.

Browse the library

Join the community

CPA is built collaboratively, by members for members. If this work resonates, come and join us.

Find out about membership