Climate Change Anxiety Therapy in Texas
Takeaway: If you feel consumed by worry about the future of our planet, you’re not alone. Climate anxiety is real, and it can be terrifying to feel powerless over what’s happening. Working with a climate-aware therapist can help you process these feelings and recognize your emotions, build a deeper connection with nature, and empower you to take action in your life.
Understanding climate change anxiety
Climate anxiety, also known as eco-anxiety is the worry people feel about climate change causing distress or fear. As the climate crisis becomes more obvious and worrying, many people feel helpless and worried about the future of the environment and humanity.
Eco-Anxiety looks like:
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Feeling overwhelmed, worried, or fearful about the future consequences of climate change.
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Experiencing persistent thoughts and concerns about environmental issues and their impact on the planet and communities.
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Sensing a lack of control or helplessness in making a difference in combating climate change.
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Mood swings, irritability, or increased stress levels due to concerns about the environment.
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Experiencing physical manifestations of stress such as headaches, stomach aches, or difficulty sleeping.
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Avoiding discussions about climate change due to feelings of guilt when faced with information about environmental issues.
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Feeling despair or hopelessness about the state of the planet and the efforts being made to address climate change.
Climate anxiety affects our mental health. It can cause more stress, depression, and feeling hopeless. It can also impact our daily life, relationships, and overall well-being. Dealing with the climate crisis can feel isolating, but you're not alone.
How climate therapy can help
Climate anxiety, which refers to the mental health effects of climate change, is worrisome. Therapy addressing climate anxiety can help individuals who are afraid of the environmental crisis, or directly being impacted by climate change. This therapy acknowledges the psychological toll of the climate crisis and provides support and tools, while incorporating connection to the natural world. Therapy won't fix the ecological crisis, but it can assist people in handling emotions, building resilience, increasing connection and taking action.
Benefits of Climate Therapy
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Therapy provides a safe space to express fears, anxieties, and grief related to climate change, offering validation and understanding.
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Through therapy, individuals can develop resilience and adaptability to navigate the emotional challenges posed by the climate crisis.
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Therapists equip individuals with coping mechanisms, like mindfulness and helping to facilitate more connection to the natural world.
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Therapy encourages empowerment by helping individuals identify actionable steps to contribute to positive environmental change, fostering a sense of agency.
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Having someone to hold space with you around these big feelings, can help with feelings of isolation and overwhelm. Through this work, there will be shared resources and collaborative conversations to help you build in community for yourself.
Meet Meg Mattingly, climate aware therapist in Austin, Texas
I have always felt deeply connected to the natural world. As I get older, my relationship with Mother Nature unfolds and deepens like an old friend. Before becoming a therapist, I pursued jobs that allowed me to work outside and help build connections for others. From teaching outdoor education to working on sustainable farms with youth, I have witnessed the healing power and connections we hold with the environment.
As I grapple with my own grief, anxiety, fear and anger around the climate crisis, I know I am not alone. This climate work feels very personal and important as people's lives continue to be impacted by loss and changing systems. It is crucial in this work to acknowledge and recognize the loss of land and safety of place as a lived experience that indigenous groups and people of color have dealt with for centuries over and over again. Marginalized groups are impacted by climate change at higher rates due to policies, abuse of resources and government's lack of care. There is much to learn from Indigenous communities and leaders in how to be in relationship and learn from Mother Nature. I am on my own journey in this work of unlearning and learning.
As an active member and regional coordinator for Texas of the Climate Psychology Alliance North America, my hope is to continue to be a resource and bridge builder in this space for my own community, and the state as a whole.
Why choose Willow Tree Collective for climate change therapy in Texas
As a climate-aware therapist, I understand the impact that climate change is having on our mental health. Here's why collaborating with me can be beneficial.
Working with Willow Tree Collective means engaging with a therapist who understands the complexities of climate-related distress. In my work, I focus on both environmental awareness and building strength to handle challenges. I offer more than traditional therapy. I understand that the natural world and mental health are closely linked. I make space to explore this connection.
FAQs about climate crisis counseling
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There isn't a "treating" that happens with eco-anxiety. In my work, my intention is to create a space for clients to acknowledge their feelings, create movement through them, with the hope of creating more space for action and connection. I emphasis the importance of connecting with self, with the natural world, and the community as a whole. We aren't going to "fix" or "treat" our climate distress in isolation. We need to make space for our own experiences, we need to listen & learn from our nature allies, and we need each other. My heart behind this work is helping folks move more into these spaces of connection.
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To cope with the mental health impacts of climate change, engage with your community. Remember that solving this problem is a collective effort. Spend meaningful moments outdoors, fostering a connection with nature to reduce stress. Embrace emotions—grief and gratitude—side by side, allowing space for both. Take meaningful steps towards accessing action, knowing that action can look many different ways.
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Climate anxiety isn't classified as a mental illness or a diagnosable condition. It's a valid emotional response to the overwhelming concerns about climate change's impacts on all of us. There is no need to pathologize climate-related worries and fears They are a universal experience. Your feelings about the climate crisis are valid, even if they don't fit within traditional diagnostic criteria. Finding a climate-aware therapist like me who understands this can be beneficial to your process.
Find support and connection in the face of uncertainty.
Amidst the uncertainties posed by climate change, finding support and connection is crucial. In my practice, I focus on supporting individuals and groups grappling with climate distress. I focus on creating a safe place where caring for the environment and mental well-being come together. Through collaboration with clients, I aim to empower individuals by fostering resilience and access to active hope. If you're feeling overwhelmed and looking for support around your own climate distress, I invite you to reach out for a free consultation. Let's find a way to connect and navigate our changing climate together.