Climate Psychology
Stronger Together
Leslie’s work as a climate psychology educator and consultant is in four primary areas:
Consulting with organizations to support staff of environmental and climate advocacy agencies, faith and civic leaders, as well as journalists and climate scientists. These frontline workers who focus on climate impacts on a daily basis often face high levels of burnout unless they address the emotional landscapes of the work. Clients examples include 350.org, Post Carbon Institute, Earthjustice, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Serving the general public through talks, workshops, media interviews, podcasts, and community meetings. These are personalized in focus and length, and can be in person or online. Client examples include Climate One, PBS Newshour, Bioneers, Aspen Institute.
Developing school climate curriculums, from elementary through university level, with emotionally intelligent resources. Content areas are often drawn from my workbooks for kids, published by the American Psychological Association.
Training the mental health field by equipping them to become climate-aware practitioners, which includes expanding the service delivery model to respond to the growing level of need. There are currently three settings for this, and all have CE credit options:
- Climate Psychology Certification through the California Institute of Integral Studies. This is the most in depth, a 60-hour live online program with sterling guest faculty and international participation.
- PESI Eco-Anxiety and Climate Distress: Trauma-Informed Strategies for the Anxiety, Stress and Grief of Ecological Uncertainty. A three hour introductory workshop with live and prerecorded options.
- Cascadia Developing a Climate-Aware Practice: Working with Climate Anxiety, Eco-Anxiety, and Environmental Grief. A three hour live online introductory workshop. Self-paced video option can be found here.
FREE RESOURCES
PBS Climate Emotions Short Film. “Everything Wrong and Nowhere to Go” is a 12 minute film by Sindha Agha, creatively documenting our therapy process together in dealing with her climate anxiety. It’s great to view in group settings as a discussion starter.
Emotional Resilience Toolkit for Climate Work. This workbook is available to any individual, organization or agency involved in climate work. It builds emotional resiliency to support effective action. Practices are brief, and can be added to any type of meeting or gathering. In Italian: Cambiamento climatico resilienza emotiva.
Ask a Climate Therapist Advice Column. Britt Wray and the Gen Dread team offer an advice column where you can leave your confidential question about how to deal with climate emotions. I’m delighted to be one of the therapists, along with Caroline Hickman and Kyle X Hill. It’s free, and the answers are posted for everyone to benefit from.
The Educator’s Guide to Climate Emotions. I’m happy to have contributed to shaping this free resource for educators, to help young people navigate climate emotions.
Climate Emotions Wheel. As an advisor to the Climate Mental Heath Network, I’m delighted at the free Climate Emotions Wheel they have available in over a dozen languages. It’s based on the research of Panu Pihkala, professor at the University of Helsinki, and is a great icebreaker for a conversation about climate emotions.
RELATED ARTICLES
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Radio Interview Hope, Healing and Wellbeing
Radio Interview, CKDU 88.1 FM in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Nonduality Street
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Radio Interview WCOM 103.5 FM in Chapel Hill, NC Three Steps Forward Radio
Radio Interview KUSF 90.3 FM, Mind and Body Radio
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Recent Past Events
Ask Me Anything (about climate psychology and resilience)
Virtual and free. University of California, Merced
Virtual California Science Educators Conference
Pairing Climate Science and Emotional Resiliency for the Middle School Classroom
Climate Change and Mental Health
APA-DIV34
Conversations: Emotional Climate Resilience
With May Bartlett at Solvable
Health in the Climate Crisis: Integrative Approaches for Individuals & Communities
Bastyr University
Psychological Insights for Climate Action
Citizen’s Climate Lobby
The Urgent Need for Climate Aware Therapy
Northwest Alliance for Psychoanalytic Study
Mind Over Chatter: Exploring Climate Psychology
Commonwealth Club, San Francisco.
An Existential Toolkit for Climate Educators
Rachel Carson Center, Munich, Germany
Climate Anxiety
CalPsychiatry Mindstories, Podcast
Climate Educators Conference
Keynote Address, New Jersey Association of Independent Schools
A New Approach to Sustainable Action
Cultivating Resilience and Preparing for Fire Season: Mental & Emotional Health
Integrative Healers Action Network
Psychotherapy and a Changing Planet: Climate Psychology
JFK University
Cultivating Emotional Resiliency in the Era of Climate Crisis
SFVillage, San Francisco, CA
Learning to Treat Eco-Anxiety
Marin CAMFT, Corte Madera, CA
Harbor Women’s Wellness Weekend
Gig Harbor, Tacoma Community College, WA
Change the World on Your Terms, Your Sphere of Influence
Guest Lecturer, Sonoma State University, CA
Changing the Climate on Climate Change
King’s Bookstore, Tacoma WA. With Tom Koontz and Steven Neshyba.
Development as Freedom Program
Guest Lecturer, Evergreen State College, WA
Psychotherapy for a Changing Planet
CAMFT, Santa Rosa Chapter, CA
Clinical Applications of Deep Imagination, and Reinventing Ourselves in the Era of Climate Change
Spiru Haret University: Bucharest, Romania
Activism in the New Climate
Kosmos online symposium.
Psychotherapy for a Changing Planet
Sierra Foothills CAMFT, Auburn, Ca.
Relational Engagement for Climate Change: Scientists and Community
UC Davis, held in Calistoga, CA
Clinical Applications of Guided Imagery
Staff training — Haight Ashbury Psychological Services, San Francisco
Radio Interview KXRN 93.5 FM (Laguna Beach, Ca.)
Clinical Applications of Deep Imagination
Staff Training –West County Health Centers, Guerneville, Ca.
CD Release Concert and Benefit: Healing Harp and Imagery Concert
Radio Interview: Activating Compassion in the Midnight Hour Show
Integrative Healing for Cancer Care: California Pacific Medical Center
Deep Imagination: A Gateway to Healing and Transformation: Golden Gate Counseling Center
UCSF Social Work Retreat
Staff Training in Guided Imagery: East Bay Agency for Children
Radio Interview Hope, Healing and Wellbeing
Radio Interview, CKDU 88.1 FM in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Nonduality Street
Awakening Your Heart Wisdom Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, Mexico
Radio Interview WCOM 103.5 FM in Chapel Hill, NC Three Steps Forward Radio
Radio Interview KUSF 90.3 FM, Mind and Body Radio
Radio Interview Health Beat Radio
Guided Imagery to Support Grief Sutter Hospice
Radio Interview The Wellness Author’s Show
Healing Arts Day for Veterans Swords to Plowshares and the Institute for Health and Healing
Radio Interview, KMBH, Public Radio 88FM It’s Your Health Radio
Revive, Thrive & Restore to the Core Wellness Retreat Renaissance Club Sport, Walnut Creek, Ca.
Radio Interview Speaking from the Heart
Radio Interview Out the Box Show
ABC7 News Guided Imagery for Female Veterans
Radio Interview Authentic Health Coaching
Science and Nonduality Conference Presenter Science and Nonduality Conference
Radio Interview Inspirational Conversations Radio Show
Radio Interview iFit Family Radio
Video Interview With Remy Chausse.
ABC7 News Anxiety and Aubrey Huff
Speaker Integrative Medicine Forum UCSF Integrative Medicine Network
Radio Interview, Cultivating Intuition with Guided Imagery Feminine Soul Radio
Radio Interview, Creating Change: The Connection between Creativity and Healing Doug Foresta Show
Radio Interview, Stress Management Tips Boomer and Babe Show
Radio Interview, How Self Guided Imagery Helps Healing WomenSpeak Radio