A common theme that shows up on SuperPsyched relates to the importance of naming things. When we don’t have a name for a stressor, it tends to be even more distressing. You may have even heard me say that you need to “name it to tame it.”

And that is why I am pleased that there is a working name for an anxiety that has perplexed many people living in the modern world in the face of climate change.  I’m talking about what is called “eco-anxiety.”

Many of us feel overwhelmed by eco-anxiety and understandably ask, what can we do? Thankfully, I know just the person to ask!  Heather White is an attorney by training who has taught at Georgetown University Law Center but who now devotes her efforts to a non-profit organization she founded called One Green Thing (https://www.onegreenthing.org/).  She wrote a book, also called One Green Thing, with a foreword by Erin Brockovich that I thought was superb.  Heather suggests that each of us—like members of an orchestra playing our unique instruments—can do something to reduce climate change based upon our unique strengths and personality styles.  There’s even a questionnaire on her website that will help you identify your skills and personality relative to climate change, and what you can do to help.  Doing so may reduce anxiety and help the planet now and for future generations.

And, as always, the content on SuperPsyched is for informational purposes only and not intended to diagnose or provide any kind of healthcare treatment. For that, please consult your doctor.

So, listen in as Heather and I talk about eco-anxiety and one green thing each of us can do.

Link to Heather's book One Green Thing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0785291296/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_JPCCTK1Z7058YZY2HD5S?linkCode=ml2&tag=superpsyche0b-20 This is an affiliate link. It will provide me with a small commission on purchases made through it and help the podcast (but it won’t affect the price you pay).

Greta Thunberg TEDx Talk: https://tinyurl.com/mr2n5c46