Eco-anxiety is fueling a new green career: climate psychology
You likely have lots of feelings about living in a changing climate: from anger to frustration, dread and anxiety, but also motivation to do something about it out of love for being alive, love for your family and love for the planet. Rebecca Weston says that while these emotions can be difficult and scary, all of the feelings you have about climate change, including your love for the planet, can be "mobilized" into action on personal and community levels. Weston is a psychotherapist who practices climate psychology. She’s also co-president of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America. In the sixth season of Degrees, “How to Green Your Job,” Rebecca speaks with Degrees host Yesh Pavlik Slenk about how this approach to mental health care is different from how the field has historically been practiced. She also shares her journey from labor law to climate-aware psychology, and how she grappled with her own climate anxiety.
Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers · Yesh Pavlik Slenk, Rebecca Weston, Renee Lertzman
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Show Notes
Rebecca Weston, LCSW and JD is a metro-New York psychotherapist and co-president of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America. She supports climate-aware mental health practitioners and professionals on the front lines of climate work. She’s also written multiple pieces and spoken on the mental health impacts of the climate crisis, and how other systems of inequity affect climate mental issues.
Resources from this episode:
- What is climate psychology?
- Visit Rebecca Weston’s website.
- Learn more about the work of Climate Psychology Alliance of North America
- Find more information on Climate Cafes.
- Watch Renee Lertzman’s TED Talk.
- Read more of Renee Lertzman’s work.
- For those dealing with burnout, Weston recommends reading the work of Rebecca Solnit.
- Read the Newsweek piece that Weston co-authored on “climate silence.”
- Check out EDF’s Green Jobs Hub.
Related episodes:
- Yes, you can turn your climate anxiety into meaningful action
- How to green any job with Project Drawdown's Jamie Beck Alexander
- How a psychology major is on the frontlines of decarbonizing a global industry
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Who makes Degrees?
Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers is presented by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Yesh Pavlik Slenk is our host. Amy Morse is EDF’s producer. Podcast Allies is our production company. Stephanie Wolf produced this episode. Mia Lobel is our story editor. Ayo Oti is our researcher. Engineering by Kevin Kline. Our music is Shame, Shame, Shame from Yesh’s favorite band, Lake Street Dive.
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