Climate Change and Happiness

Leaves are falling all around. It’s time to be on your way. But, where are you going? If you think of your life as a journey, where are you on that journey now? What tests do you face? What gifts are you carrying? Where’s your comfort zone? And, is it really that comfortable? Who are you after all? Adventurer, Heroine or Hero, getting ready to set out on your next quest, or refusing the call?  These were some of the themes that Panu and I talked about in one of our most listened to podcast episodes, from our first season in 2022.  Our journeys continue. Join us!

Panu and I wanted to share a classic interview with UK therapist and writer Rosemary “Ro” Randall. 20 years ago, Ro led some of the first public therapeutic groups to address people’s troubled feelings of guilt and despair about human-caused climate breakdown. These “Carbon Conversations” groups highlighted the struggle to live ethically in societies that continue to feed the problem. The groups were the forerunner of the global “climate café” movement, grassroots programs like the Good Grief Network, and a variety of climate-conscious counseling and therapy initiatives like the UK and US Climate Psychology Alliance. Randall’s work adapting William Worden’s research on the tasks of grief remains a model for creating theoretically and empirically grounded climate mental health care approaches.

Here at the Climate Change and Happiness podcast, Panu and I are looking back at some of our earliest episodes. And this is a great example: Our second episode from 2022  that focuses on a  core mission of our podcast, that of “holding space” –  for climate emotions, for healthy sensibility and consciousness, and for creative action.  Listen and look back on what at the time seemed a bit strange, and even controversial: Thinking about happiness in the context of your work addressing climate breakdown. And , as you listen, see how far you and we have come in our understanding of what healthy life and coping can be. (And in this season of talk about Odysseus, it's interesting that we were talking about the Greek concept of “thumos” or passion, courage and life force back then!) Original Summary: Safe spaces are crucial for the expression of climate feelings. Thomas and Panu talk about the loneliness people feel about climate experiences. What does it take to “hold space” for climate feelings, to “stand one’s ground” and “contain” experiences of sadness, grief or rage; and to practice  “climate cosmopolitanism”? Panu looks back to pioneering work by Chellis Glendinning and shares Tim Jensen’s more recent concept of “ecologies of guilt.” Thomas reminds us of the role of values and that “We hurt where we care” echoing the writing of psychologist Steven Hayes, and classic insights about the “pains of an ecological education” going back to Aldo Leopold. 

Thomas Doherty was joined by Haley Marshall and Joe Hinds, editors of the new edition of Ecotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, and Education, of which Thomas authored the first chapter.  The trio reflected on the science and stories behind ecotherapy’s rise from the margins to mainstream practice, and remembered their colleague, pioneering UK ecotherapist, Martin Jordan. Contrary to common misconceptions, outdoor or ecotherapy is neither new, nor unstudied. Thinkers like Martin, Hayley, Joe, Thomas and others have been clarifying  and building best practices in this field for decades. This episode is an essential listen for those seeking a solid background on the history and development of mental health therapy in the outdoors. 

Climate change is not just happening around us, but also inside of us. Thomas and Panu join journalist Clay Aldern who explains how heat, storms, and other climate shocks can shape our minds and bodies in surprising ways. Their talk focused on climate trauma, eco-anxiety, and epigenetics — the idea that stress can leave marks on our biology and may even affect future generations. As Clay noted, “The climate’s always kind of reaching in and adding a little more weight.” This captures the episode’s core message: the environment is not distant; it is part of us. This episode is very relevant for anyone trying to make sense of climate stress about summer heat.

Thomas and Panu unpacked the emotional and psychological effects we experience when we have an opportunity to see our planet and lands from on high. Artificial borders disappear and natural and human systems and patterns are revealed. Artists, explorers, and land and species protectors have long used visions of “Earth from Above” to raise our awareness and consciousness, and you can expand your own vision too.

Thomas had a great conversation with Marc Williams, a Welsh-speaking psychologist from Cardiff University, and one of few psychologists who, like Thomas, blends clinical and environmental psychology. Marc talked about his formative experiences growing up in West Wales and his recent research on environmental identity and evidence-based therapy for climate distress.

Join Thomas and Panu to listen in on their great  conversation with Katharine Wilkinson who reflected on her career as a woman working in climate science and policy, and how she reached back to her roots with her latest book and program Climate Wayfinding. “Sometimes I think the paradox of calling is that we have certainty and uncertainty in the same breath.” — Katharine Wilkinson, from the episode

Thomas and Panu had a stimulating and wide ranging conversation with John Fraser who reflected on his career as an architect, zoo and museum designer, pioneer in conservation psychology, and creator of innovative nonprofit knowledge and conservation groups. We focused on practical ways to support wildlife and conservation professionals amidst the emotional toll of their globally important work. John also spoke about how social cohesion and community bonds build resilience in small towns like his home in Seward, Alaska.

Thomas and Panu unravel the powerful stories behind the birth of the first Earth Day—how a simple idea, driven by US citizens from diverse backgrounds, transcended partisanship and grew into a movement with billions of supporters worldwide. You’ll learn some of the mythological and cultural symbolism that makes Earth Day—and the recent Artemis II moon mission—resonate deeply across traditions and generations. You’ll also find practical ways to reclaim Earth Day, celebrating not just ecological awareness, but our own personal connection to nature and our collective future.