Eco-anxiety in the therapeutic context : mental health professionals’ experiences of working with climate distress in Aotearoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

The term eco-anxiety is widely used to describe the indirect impacts of climate change on mental health. However, this construct still eludes a clear definition and research on how this experience manifests is ongoing. There is little evidence on how therapeutic interventions might address eco-anxiety and a scarcity of research on how mental health professionals are encountering this therapeutically. This research sought to explore the experiences of mental health professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand who work with eco-anxiety. Six mental health professionals were interviewed and data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four overall themes were identified, along with sub-themes: a) eco-anxiety is rational, including sub-themes (i) validation is vital and (ii) a value-driven concern; b) a multidimensional construct, including sub-themes (i) an ambient stressor, with the sub-sub-theme gateway moments, (ii) collapsing time boundaries and (iii) colonisation’s impacts; c) connection, including sub-themes (i) “we are all in this together”, (ii) social support, and (iii) disconnection, and d) taking action, including the sub-theme “zone of capacity”. Further research is needed on how people in Aotearoa are experiencing eco-anxiety and how mental health professionals are working with this. Future directions include how eco-anxiety may present as an ambient stressor, how colonisation may affect this experience and alternative frameworks to conceptualise eco-anxiety.