Ecotherapy Climate Conversations

As an ecotherapist, this past week since the first signs of wildfire smoke and collectively witnessing the devastation to Indigenous communities, I have had a powerful window into how many of us are experiencing this time. My heart is filled with fear and grief, as well as hope and possibility. While protecting identities and privacy, here are some of my conversations with people about the mental health impacts of climate change:

·       On the first day of the orange sky and wildfire smoke, a therapist I have been supervising where ecotherapy related conversations are a regular part of our meetings, had the courage to raise their mental health strain of witnessing climate and social injustices with a group of other therapists – all who then were able to meet with all of their clients – sending ripples of permission and space to address that our mental health is directly connected to climate disasters and social injustices.

·       Many of my clients spoke of the pain of witnessing and experiencing devastating social injustices in Indigenous communities who contribute least to climate change and are the most directly impacted.  

·       A mom I work with processed what it was like to comfort her child who was distressed about the future of climate change, and ways she held presence to his feelings while also needing to offer hope.

·       A client who works as a manager spoke of the weight of being present to the climate fears of their staff while also holding their own fears as a human.

·       Clients spoke of the impact of climate anxiety being heightened, experiencing this time as apocalyptic, harm to their mental health of not being able to go outside in the extreme air quality, needing to limit doom scrolling on their devices, ways to take action to create change, and efforts to rekindle joy.

·       An Indigenous therapist I supervise who works at an Indigenous therapy agency supporting Indigenous people, lives in a community that is currently housing people who have been displaced by the fires. They shared about their agency offering games for children living in local hotels, and mental health support including community and land based healing rituals.

·       Another therapist I do supervision of supervision with spoke of their work supporting some of the Indigenous communities impacted by wildfires. They shared witnessing their community having already established systems to provide food, shelter, clothing, and mental health support. This therapist spoke of the wisdom and guidance of the earth after wildfires, in the years following a wildfire animals will have more babies than typical as a natural process of regeneration.

·       An Indigenous client spoke of a teaching that Mother Earth will heal herself and people can choose how to respond.

·       Several clients who are transgender queer spoke of the connections of social and environmental injustices, ways to promote authenticity, and healing layers of personal and collective trauma.

·       A father in session processed the weight of decisions about air quality exposure and the impact of remaining indoors on the mental health of his children as a nature loving family.

·       My child expressed fear of this being more common in the future. We discussed our carbon footprint as a family and systemic change we can promote.

·       My partner spoke of being in a work meeting on AI where the presenter started by identifying that the company promotes social and environmental justice and of wanting to acknowledge with the wildfire smoke, the climate impact AI has. As a family we discussed if people from across all fields of work can shift how our systems are to promote a healthier earth and social justice, as individuals we can be part of contributing to wider change.

Many people are putting voice to the impact of witnessing and experiencing first hand climate harm in this time, and their courage to face and move through their fear inspires hope for the possibility of change. In speaking with and learning from these inspiring humans, as well as opening ourselves to the lessons of the earth, I offer this as a window into how collectively we might respond. In times where you experience deep distress at the state of the earth and where humanity has come, I offer acknowledgment that you are not alone, recognition that these overwhelming feelings can propel realignment, and courage to move in brave ways in this wonderful, uncertain, wild, and complex world.

With love for this beautiful vast earth.

Sincerely,

Melissa Clews-Hunt, MSc, RP, RMFT-SM

Psychotherapist & Clinical Supervisor

Healing Spaces Therapy