As of this writing, it is 107 degrees in Chandler and Phoenix, in nearly the middle of October, all while the largest hurricane to ever hit Florida is on a path towards Tampa. The world’s climate is changing rapidly, and while we can talk about what that means for nature, our safety, and our world, we also can acknowledge that these changes can affect us emotionally and psychologically as well.
I am a specialist in anxiety, and one thing that I want people to recognize is that all anxiety deserves to be treated and addressed. It’s why I am here to create a safe space for clients that are experiencing a new, different form of anxiety: climate anxiety.
What is Climate Anxiety?
Climate anxiety is very much what it sounds like – anxiety over current and future climate change and its related effects. It used to be where we only heard about what climate change “can do.” But as we start to live its effects and media starts reporting more about what climate change “will do” and “is doing,” more people are beginning to also start to fear the future.
Climate anxiety is a real and understandable challenge. It is both rational and irrational:
- Rational – Because it is measurable, currently happening, and not yet slowing down. There is understandably reason to worry about a climate change future.
- Irrational – Because our day to day lives continue onward, and will continue onward, with or without climate change, and some of the worst effects may not be for decades away if not longer.
Climate change is unique in that it can also be prevented, solved, and avoided, while also appearing eminent. It is theoretical, in that most of us still have mostly the same lives we had in the past, yet tangible, as the heat here in Arizona
It is for these reasons and more that many people are struggling to process this climate anxiety. How do we control our fears and move forward? How do we stop worrying about our children’s future? How do we address feelings of hopelessness?
Working with a Therapist for Climate Anxiety
Anxiety is a treatable condition and climate change anxiety is no different. We may not be able to solve climate change by ourselves, but we can learn to cope with it, identify how we can address our fears, control the anxieties that we can control, and identify more productive ways for us to respond to our fears.
As someone that works almost entirely with clients struggling with all forms of anxiety, I can tell you that there is no single solution that works for everyone, but that every individual has ways that, together, we can work to try to identify and address these fears.
It IS possible to address those feelings of helplessness.
It IS possible to cope with the anxieties that come from climate news.
It IS possible to live a life that is not stuck, worried about what the future.
If you’re looking for a therapist for climate anxiety, please contact me today and let’s talk about what we can do. I am licensed in Arizona and California, and have a physical location in Chandler, AZ near Phoenix. Please reach out today to get started.