As the climate warms, increasingly intense storms and fires threaten people’s homes and safety. Rising seas are flooding coastal communities. And extreme heat waves are causing illness and death.
Thinking about these dangers can be overwhelming.
Davenport: “Any kind of emotional response is completely natural — sadness, grief, fear, anger, rage.”
Leslie Davenport is a licensed therapist and a climate psychology educator. She says it can help to connect with others and get involved in climate action.
Davenport: “Being part of the solution is psychologically empowering.”
And for people already working on climate change, taking time to process their feelings and reset when needed can help them sustain their commitment.
Davenport: “Oftentimes, people do one or the other. If they’re activists but don’t attend to their feelings, there’s a high level of burnout. Or if they are working on their feelings but haven’t found a place to participate, it limits their sense of agency or effectiveness.”
So taking action — and taking care of themselves — can help people cope and stay engaged.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
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