Climate Change and Happiness

image credit | Benjamin Manley

Season 4, Episode 7: On Parenting, Elections, and Climate with Anya Kamenetz

Thomas and Panu had a wide ranging exchange with journalist Anya Kamenetz (The Stolen Year, The Golden Hour) on the intersections of climate change, parenting, and mental health – in the context of the recent US elections. They discuss the importance of having open conversations with children about difficult topics that are geared to children and teens’ emotional and intellectual development. Each reflected on how they create a sense of hope, meaning, and resilience in their own families. Anya also shared some of her personal story growing up on the Gulf Coast of the US, and her journey as a writer, activist and parent. 

Links

• Anya Kamenetz

• The Golden Hour: climate, children, mental health (Substack) 

• Panu Pihkala, (2020). Eco-anxiety and Environmental Education. Sustainability, 12(23), 10149.

• Film referenced in the episode: Roberto Benigni (1997, Director) Life Is Beautiful

Thomas and Panu discussed Thomas’ upcoming book Surviving Climate Anxiety: A Guide to Coping, Healing, and Thriving – a comprehensive resource for the general public that includes practical examples and stories drawn from people Thomas has worked with. Thomas shared insights about the book’s five part structure, which is designed to move readers from basic skills for coping with eco and climate stress, through developing environmental identity, healing from eco-anxiety and despair, finding happiness and flourishing using the arts and spirituality, and taking action on environmental problems. Panu reflected on the importance of addressing the dark and light aspects of climate feelings and having a survivor mission. Surviving Climate Anxiety will be published in 2025 by Little Brown Spark.

image credit | Ashley Batz

Season 4, Episode 5: Climate and Life Journeys with Andrew Bryant

Thomas and Panu had a conversation with Seattle Washington therapist Andrew Bryant about the intersections of climate change and mental health therapy. Andrew reflected on his personal journey, the Climate and Mind website, and his experiences creating a community among therapists to explore climate issues in their lives and practices. Andrew described some of his methods of “professional and compassionate listening” that focus on creating community and holding space for feelings, especially for people who are isolated or not talking. The discussion also touched on the significance of outdoor therapy and how nature-based rite of passage experience can help individuals to navigate their paths in the face of climate distress.

Links

• Andrew Bryant

• Climate and Mind

• Brooke Jarvis (2023, Oct 21) Climate Change Is Keeping Therapists Up at Night. New York Times 

• The Doris Lessing “space fiction” novel referenced in the conversation was Shikastra. Andrew also recommended Lessing’s proto-climate fiction novel The Making of the Representative for Planet 8. 

• Our episode on cli-fi and literature with Matthew Schneider-Mayerson.

image credit | Alaric Duan

Season 4, Episode 4: Ecological Grief in Religious and Spiritual Communities

Thomas and Panu discussed the intersection of spirituality and climate change. Specifically, Panu shared his work on the challenges faced by individuals who experience spiritual crises when their ecological fears or grief aren’t validated in their religious community, and who may feel isolated and unsupported. This may lead to feelings of combined ecological and spiritual grief. Faith leaders are in a key position regarding the validation of such feelings. Coping requires a holistic approach that recognizes the connections between spirituality and environmental values, finding support, and constructive engagement with climate emotions and with climate action in spiritual and religious communities. 

Links

• Panu Pihkala, 2024

• Ecological grief, religious coping, and spiritual crises: Exploring eco-spiritual grief. 

• Engaging with climate grief, guilt, and anger in religious communities

• Bron Taylor, 2009 Dark Green Religion: Nature Spirituality and the Planetary Future

• Patricia O'Connell Killen and Mark Silk 2004, Editors, Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Northwest: The None Zone

• Megan Von Bergen and Bethany Mannon, 2020 Talking Climate Faith: Katharine Hayhoe and Christian Rhetoric(s) of Climate Change. 

• Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology: A good resource

image credit | Zach Wear

Season 4, Episode 3: On Gen Z Climate Emotions with Filmmakers Tehya Jennett and Maxfield Biggs

In this episode of Climate Change and Happiness hosts Thomas and Panu engaged with filmmakers Tehya Jennett and Maxfield Biggs from Stranded Astronaut Productions. Tehya and Maxfield shared their personal journeys related to climate emotions. They reflected, together with Panu and Thomas, on the impact of food choices on climate awareness and ethics, and the need for intergenerational dialogue. The conversation also highlighted the importance of creativity as a coping mechanism. Most recently, Maxfield and Tehya were part of the team that produced the Healing Lahaina documentary about the deadly Lahaina wildfire on Maui, premiering at the Hawai’i Int’l Film Festival. Tehya and Maxfield are also collaborating with Panu and Elin Kelsey to create new content on climate emotions. Join us in the quest of understanding how climate change is engaged with by young people.

Links

• Stranded Astronaut Productions

• Stranded Astronaut Productions on Instagram

• Tehya Jennett

• Maxfield Biggs

• Documentary Premiere, Healing Lahaina at the Hawai’i Int’l Film Festival

image credit|Hannah Smith

Season 4, Episode 2: On the Psychological Roots of the Climate Crisis with Sally Weintrobe 

Panu and Thomas had a warm chat with UK climate psychology theorist Sally Weintrobe,  author of The Psychological Roots of the Climate Crisis and other books. Sally reflected on her childhood growing up in apartheid era South Africa and insights that led her to climate advocacy after years of providing psychoanalysis.  She, Panu and Thomas spent time grappling with concepts like disavowal, group silencing, “active not caring” and “emotional privilege.” Listen in to a great episode for therapists, and also anyone interested in how these often unconscious processes manifest in our lives. 

Sound Bites

"Indifference is a very, very active form of not caring."

"Privilege is to be spared all kinds of levels of suffering."

"Living our truth can be a dangerous place to be."

Links 

Sally Weintrobe

• The Psychological Roots of the Climate Crisis

• Book Launch

• Engaging With Climate Change edited volume 

• Recent keynote

Related CCH episodes

• Renee Lertzman

• Caroline Hickman

• Judith Anderson / Tree Staunton 

• Britt Wray

• Jennifer Uchendu

• Thomas and Panu on “Holding Space”

image credit | Robson Hatsukami Morgan

Season 4, Episode 1: On A Healthy Return from Your Holidays

Thomas and Panu reflected on the often overlooked process of re-entry into life after a holiday or vacation. They considered Thomas’s idea of the “half-life” of restorative experiences. That is, how long the mental benfits of the experience enhance your normal or usual existence, such through increased perspective or calm, and how to extend these positive effects. They also recognized how technology and consumerism have infiltrated into seasonal breaks and holidays. And the shadow impacts of guilt regarding travel impacts on the environment, and emotional risks of returning from a holiday to face unsatisfying aspects of life. Mindfulness and intention are important for bringing the gifts and perspectives gained from a trip back into your everyday life, whether from a simple, local holiday or an ambitious journey. We hope this episode will be inspiring for listeners returning from seasonal holidays in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. 

Takeaways

• Returning from a holiday or vacation can bring a fresh perspective and newness to one's life and work.

• The half-life of experiences is often short, but there are ways to extend the positive effects and insights gained from a break.

• Mindfulness and intention are key in bringing the gifts and perspectives from a trip back into everyday life.

• Consumerism and the environmental impact of travel are important considerations when planning trips.

• Embracing the emotional aspect of returning from a holiday, including feelings of joy and sadness, can enrich the experience.

Links

• American Psychological Association Vacation Time Recharges US Workers, but Positive Effects Vanish Within Days, New Survey Finds

• The 2018 Study

• On post vacation fade out, see Shanna B. Tiayon 2023 How to Avoid Post-Vacation Stress

image credit | Hector Argüello Canals

Season 3, Episode 26: Listening to Young Researchers

Thomas and Panu spoke with three graduate student researchers from the The Development, Environment, & Wellness Lab at Columbia University Teachers College in New York: Paritosh Joshi, Rian Maxwell-Williams, and Danny DeBonis. All three are deeply engaged in environmental psychology and justice issues. They discussed their personal backgrounds, environmental identities, and the values and goals for their research. Join us for an inspiring conversation! 

Sound Bites

• "Research should not only report findings objectively but also advocate for marginalized communities and contribute to tangible policy outcomes and interventions."

• "Having personal stories is essential in understanding the experiences of communities affected by climate change and environmental injustice."

• "Building resilience and studying the factors that lead individuals to become activists are crucial in addressing climate change and environmental issues."

Links

• The Development, Environment, & Wellness Lab  Lab, Columbia University 

• Publications and Team 

• Principal Investigator: Susan Bodnar

• See CCH episode with Susan Bodnar: Season 2, Episode 16: Our Emotional Attachment to Nature with Susan Bodnar

image credit | Markus Spiske

Season 3, Episode 25: Being a Therapist in a Time of Climate Breakdown with Judith Anderson & Tree Staunton

Thomas and Panu spoke with Judith Anderson and Tree Staunton, therapists and co-editors (along with Jenny O’Gorman and Caroline Hickman) of the recent collection Being a Therapist in a Time of Climate Breakdown. The foursome explored their experiences of mental health, research and healing work in the context of climate change and the psychological impacts of climate distress. Tree and Judith shared their personal journeys towards climate awareness. The episode included an overview of the structure and themes of the book, which includes chapters on climate science, mental health impacts, first person accounts, systemic understandings, and techniques to address climate distress (including a contribution about climate sorrow from Panu).

Takeaways

• Therapists play a crucial role in addressing climate distress and supporting individuals dealing with the psychological impact of climate change.

• Training in environmental awareness and systemic thinking is essential for therapists to effectively address climate distress in therapy.

• Climate distress is not limited to anxiety and can manifest as confusion, fear, depression, guilt, and despair.

• Addressing climate distress requires a nuanced approach that goes beyond simply encouraging action and considers the complex emotions and defense mechanisms involved.

• Creating spaces for open dialogue and support, such as climate cafes and social dreaming, can help individuals process their climate distress.

Links

• Judith Anderson, Tree Staunton, Jenny O’Gorman, and Caroline Hickman (Eds, 2024) Being a Therapist in a Time of Climate Breakdown

• Book Launch Recording 18th April 2024

• Climate Psychology Alliance UK 

Transcript

[The Climate Change and Happiness Transcript is on holiday.]

image credit | Tyler Lagalo

Season 3, Episode 24: For Teachers: An Existential Tool Kit

This episode is dedicated to teachers and educators of all kinds. Thomas and Panu discussed the new Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators and the emotional, political, personal and pedagogical challenges faced by teachers in the context of climate change.  The conversation delved into the history of the Toolkit project, the lingering impact of COVID-19 on education, and the unacknowledged and inequitable impacts of climate and weather disasters on students, teachers and school systems, worldwide. Panu and Thomas reflected on their own schooling in Finland and the US,  their personal teaching experiences, and advice on how to remain creative and to cope with fatigue and burnout. 

Sound Bites

• "Teachers are under a lot of stress to give accurate information to their students about the state of the world, which can be quite troubling."

• "The existential toolkit fills the gap in providing emotional tools for teachers and educators dealing with difficult topics like climate change."

Links

• Jennifer Atkinson and Sarah Jaquette Ray (2024, Eds.) The Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators: How to Teach in a Burning World

  • See selected Resources from the tool kit

• Elizabeth Haase and Kelsey Hudson (2024, Eds.) Climate Change and Youth Mental Health: Multidisciplinary Perspectives
  

See Previous Climate Change and Happiness Episodes

• Season 2, Episode 3: Coping on Campus with Sarah Jaquette Ray

• Season 1, Episode 16: Varieties of Hope with Guest Elin Kelsey

• Season 3, Episode 12: On Literature and Activism with Matthew Schneider-Mayerson

Transcript

[The Climate Change and Happiness Transcript is on holiday.]