There is a recent development in the field of psychology. It has been termed eco-psychology or eco-therapy. Having recognized that many people are now suffering from what is being called eco-anxiety, some therapists are finding that their usual methods of treatment for anxiety require a different approach. Those therapists who are strongly versed on the subject of climate change, have a better chance of helping those people who are suffering from a deep sense of hopelessness about the future of our planet.
Climate change and concern for the environment is the reason that I wrote Question Everything: Overcoming Passivity in a Perilous World. The book is currently out of print and in the hands of my editors. I have updated it for a second printing and it will be available soon. Many people are waking up to the very serious predicament that our world is facing. Mothers with young children are faced with the reality that our planet’s resources are finite. Grandparents, holding their grandbabies, are overcome with sadness as they wonder what is in store for them, in the future. We are constantly bombarded by advertisers trying to convince us that we need this or must have that because they are not thinking about the future, but about the profits that they will make. There is often a heavy sense of guilt felt by consumers, especially if they are ‘privileged.’ Some worry about their carbon footprint. They worry that they are not doing enough and that they cannot make a difference. Helplessness, despair, and resignation are common themes. While their suffering is very real – and every bit as real as the suffering that Nature is enduring – and we are all part of Nature – this is a good thing. Suffering brings awakening. It opens up our eyes from the dream in which we have been sleepwalking through life. It takes us out of our head and guides us back to our heart.
When we come to that place where we can feel grateful for our suffering, we begin to find ways to heal, both ourselves and the planet. It is in that space where we can see that the problem is the solution. Humans are the problem. Humans are the solution.
