Eco Anxiety

What is Eco-Anxiety? The Top 10 Experts to Help You Overcome Eco-Anxiety

The threatening reality of climate change continues to endanger the future of the planet, and unfortunately, such a reality is having a negative psychological effect on the health and wellbeing of society. Such psychological effects have been referred to as ‘Eco-Anxiety’, with psychologists and environmentalists across the globe working hard to settle those suffering from eco-anxiety. As more people begin to suffer from eco-anxiety, read our guide on eco-anxiety and see who the top experts are to help you manage the symptoms.

What Is Eco-Anxiety?

Although not yet considered a disease, eco-anxiety is having detrimental psychological effects on hundreds of people across the globe.

The American Psychology Association has defined eco-anxiety as:

“The chronic fear of environmental cataclysm that comes from observing the seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change and the associated concern for one’s future and that of next generations.”

Simply put, eco-anxiety is characterised as worrying about the impacts of climate change, global ecological disasters and extreme weather events, and how such events will continue to affect life personally and life for future generations.

The impending state of the environment is taking its toll on the mental health and wellbeing of hundreds of people around the world, with many fearing what will happen to the world around them due to climate change and the irreversible damage that has already been done to the planet.

In 2020, a survey was conducted in which 57% of children surveyed reported feeling distressed or anxious about climate change and the damaged state of the environment. Specialists across the country are taking a stance to combat such anxiety, ensuring that a path is created for a happier and healthier future.

Source: The Guardian, Iberdrola & EcoAnxiety.com

What is an Example of Eco-Anxiety?

There are many ways in which eco-anxiety can affect people.

An example of feeling eco-anxiety:

After a Tsunami, people may become fearful of another Tsunami happening. People may continually live in an unsettled state, due to fear that another Tsunami may happen and destroy their livelihoods and belongings.

Is Eco-Anxiety Rational?

Eco-Anxiety is completely rational, as with any form of anxiety, it is a reaction to things that have disturbed our comfort or security.

Eco-Anxiety is a reaction to climate change and environmental disasters, that are threatening our long-term security as a human race. Every person is entitled to feel anxious, and some people feel more anxious than others.

What is Eco-Grief?

Often associated with eco-anxiety, eco-grief is another form of feeling towards the current state of the environment.

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health has defined eco-grief as:

“Grief felt in relation to experienced or anticipated ecological losses, including the loss of species, ecosystems and meaningful landscapes due to acute or chronic environmental change”

Eco-Grief may be felt as a natural response to the projected damage that is being done to our planet and the feeling that what has already been done to the planet can’t be reversed.

Source: Everyday Health

What Does Eco-Anxiety Feel Like?

Eco-Anxiety is a form of anxiety caused by the worry of damage done to the environment by climate change and natural disasters. Eco-Anxiety can feel like:

  • Anger or frustration to those who do now acknowledge the severity of climate change and environmental damage.
  • Guilt or shame in relation to your own carbon footprint and use of materials that contribute to environmental harm.
  • Obsessive thoughts about the environment and climate change.
  • PTSD after experiencing the effects of long-term climate change.

Eco-Anxiety can be caused after having lived through the effects of long-term climate change, such as a natural disaster that destroyed your home or having lost loved ones due to the devastation of a natural disaster.

Source: Healthline

How Can Eco-Anxiety Be Calmed?

It can be hard to cope with the effects of eco-anxiety, but there are many ways in which you can make yourself feel better when suffering from eco-anxiety.

One of the main ways in which you can calm eco-anxiety, is by living sustainably yourself. By doing your part for the environment, you know within yourself that you are doing what you can to decelerate climate change and protect the planet from further damage.

You can also protect and nurture the environment around you, getting involved with initiatives such as tree planting can not only be beneficial for mental health, but also for the environment. It is believed that spending just two hours a week outdoors is linked to improved health and wellbeing.

Another prominent way in which you can calm eco-anxiety is by making the importance of climate change action and sustainability heard – share your story! Ensure that other people are made aware of the severity of climate change, and how crucial climate change action is.

One final way in which you can help calm eco-anxiety is by hiring a powerful speaker on sustainability and the environment, who may be a doctor or environmental enthusiast, that can reassure you with either the action that is being taken to combat climate change or steps that can help you manage or overcome eco-anxiety.

Source: New Scientist

Top 10 Speakers to Help Manage or Overcome Eco-Anxiety

Dr Alex George

A renowned TV personality and dedicated doctor, Dr Alex George is currently working as the UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador and is on a mission to make mental health education compulsory in schools across the country. A passionate campaigner for charities such as YoungMinds, MIND and the Anna Freud Centre, Alex is determined to lobby the Government to change their policies regarding mental health and illness. A resident Presenter on Lorraine, Dr Alex can often be found speaking openly and honestly on various aspects of mental health, which he has also shared in his book Live Well Every Day.

If you are suffering from eco-anxiety, hire Dr Alex George for actionable tips to help you manage and overcome mental health struggles.

Testimonial:

“Alex is a great figure, doing some amazing things to raise awareness and amplify the topic of mental health and he did not disappoint. He inspired the delegates and got people thinking about the important topic… Alex was inspiring, professional and relatable throughout and we will definitely be looking to work with him again.” – L’Oreal

Sally Uren

Dr Sally Uren has enjoyed a successful career in sustainable development, currently working as the CEO of Forum for the Future. Working tirelessly to drive the shift to a more sustainable future, Sally is one of the driving figures behind saving our planet. As a leading developer of sustainability strategies, Sally has formerly worked with the likes of Burberry, Kingfisher and Kimberly Clark – ensuring that such large global brands have sustainability at the top of their agenda. Named as one of the 100 UK Leading Environmentalists by Forbes, there are few as passionate about the longevity of our planet as Sally.

Dr Sally Uren expertly contextualises the biggest advancements in the race for a more sustainable future, from the circular economy to becoming net zero – perfectly positioning her to help calm concerns of eco-anxiety.

Testimonial:

“Sally’s talk was really fantastic – she was very thoughtful in how she structured her presentation, bringing in examples that were relevant to our sector and our people. She didn’t shy away from the hard-hitting facts, which is exactly what we wanted, but she also brought in the message around the action… from a business perspective, it was galvanising for our senior leaders and was a clear demonstration of the direction and commitment that we are taking as an organisation.” – Boston Scientific

Katy Griffin

Katy Grifin

Katy Griffin is a dedicated mental health expert, who has a plethora of experience in the mental health sector. A former Mental Health Worker and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner for Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner for the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Katy has worked with all manner of patients – from adults to children and families. Having also been a Mental Health Worker for The Priory and a Mental Health Specialist for Falmouth University, Katy now focuses her interests as the Founder of Thera-Sea, a company dedicated to improving mental health through nature retreats and taking an educational approach to mental health.

When suffering from eco-anxiety, Katy Griffin would be a fantastic speaker to hire – helping people to reconnect with nature during her wellness retreats and using the positive effects of nature on people’s road to recovery from mental illness.

Testimonial:

“A lot of wisdom packed into 1 day. If patients and NHS staff had access to such a day it would make a huge impact if they were able to incorporate some of the lessons. This should be high on the priority list of any health trust who care for its staff and want to prevent burnout.”

Samantha Clarke

On a mission to build a generation of robust changemakers, Samantha Clarke is a leading expert on the next generation of leaders. A creator of bespoke positive psychology strategies, Samantha is revered for her expertise in overcoming stress and anxiety. A Faculty Member of The School of Life and an In-House Positive Psychologist for Beam, Samantha has also worked with companies such as JP Morgan, Nespresso, Samsung, Virgin and the NHS with her renowned principles on wellbeing and culture development. A seasoned speaker, Samantha has previously delivered the TEDx talk Are You Ready to Break Up With Work?, and is also the Host of the Love It or Leave It Podcast.

With such detailed expertise on wellbeing, and overcoming stress and anxiety, hire Samantha Clarke today to learn how to calm eco-anxiety and develop coping mechanisms that will ease the worry for the future of our planet.

Testimonial:

“Sam was incredible – our most well attended of our little series yet, and so much good feedback!” – J.P. Morgan

Nigel Topping

The UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP26, Nigel Topping is one of the most dedicated experts on sustainability. On a mission to build a global community of climate champions, Nigel is also currently an Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter Business School – where he promotes that education plays a critical role in catalysing climate change action. As a significant figure in the UN climate talks, Nigel has communicated with governments and companies on behalf of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – dedicated to supporting the goal of reducing emissions by up to 50%.

With detailed expertise on what is being done to decelerate climate change, Nigel Topping is a perfect speaker to hire when suffering from eco-anxiety. Having a plethora of inside knowledge on what the world’s biggest officials are doing to change the fate of our planet, Nigel puts eco-anxiety concerns at bay.

Jez Rose

Jez Rose is a revered expert on wellbeing and behaviour, especially renowned for his knowledge of the impact of nature on human health. As the Founder of the first certified Carbon Neutral honey farm, Jez is also highly committed to sustainability and protecting our planet from the damaging effects of climate change. The author of six bestselling books, and a WHSmith Top 10 Best Seller, Jez commits his platforms to promoting the importance of nature on mental health, and how it is crucial that we protect the environment so we can continue to benefit from its positive impact. Founder of The Good Life Project, Jez is also supported by The Soil Association.

An expert on how nature affects human health, hire Jez Rose today to share his expertise on how nature can reduce eco-anxiety.

Testimonial:

“I wanted to say thank you for your session yesterday. There was a fantastic buzz among everyone after you had left, with many people talking about your reinforcer behaviours and techniques. This was a great session to end the conference on.” – Lloyds TSB

Andy Pag

An innovative eco-adventurer, Andy Pag has enjoyed a successful career as a Journalist for the BBC for over two decades. Commended for his feats as an adventurer, Andy is best known for attempting to use unorthodox forms of sustainable transport. Such modes of transport include driving a chocolate-powered lorry across the Sahara desert to Timbuktu and driving a scrap-yard school bus around the globe, powered only by using cooking oil he managed the scavenge along the way. With a passion for sustainable adventures, Andy emphasises the importance of moving towards a more sustainable future in a unique and exciting way.

With such a passion for sustainability, hire Andy Pag to ease eco-anxiety by sharing what he has done to decelerate climate change and make more people aware of the importance of living sustainably.

Chris Hines

An individual committed to delivering positive change, Chris Hines is a highly respected communicator of sustainability and environmental protection. Described to be ‘some of the government’s most sophisticated environmental critics’, Chris is famed for being the Founder and Director of Surfers Against Sewage. Passionately focused on solutions to problems, Surfers Against Sewage have helped deliver over £5 billion to be spent on caring for the UK coastline. Having shared his expertise with the European Parliament and Lords Select Committees, Chris is also the Founder of A Grain of Sand – an organisation driven to catalyse positive environmental change.

With a deep passion for the environment and sustainability, Chris Hines is a perfect speaker to ease worries about eco-anxiety, putting into perspective what has already been done to decelerate climate change and move towards a more sustainable future.

Testimonial:

“On the day, Chris did a fantastic job of building on previous presentations and sharing his experiences and inspiring our delegates.” – Co-Op Risk & HSE Conference

Shola Kaye

Shola Kaye is a revered expert on showing empathy in the workplace and has forged a respectable career as a workplace culture consultant. Helping organisations to function better, Shola helps her clients to facilitate more inclusive leadership and better communication – currently delivering such services under her company Shola Kaye Ltd. Winner of the 2016 Jenny Seagrove Speaking Awards and a Member of The Royal Society of the Arts, Shola is hired time and time again for her astounding knowledge on various aspects of workplace culture – such as coping with workplace stress and anxiety.

With detailed expertise on empathy and wellbeing, Shola Kaye is a speaker perfectly positioned to help clients deal with the struggles of eco-anxiety, listening to their concerns and showing empathy for their struggles.

Testimonial:

“Shola’s session on empathy was great and very concise. Even though we did it online, it was interactive and engaging. Concepts were simple to understand and there were key practical take-away points from the session!” – Senior Legal Counsel – Data Privacy, Digital and Risk Management

Robert Holden

Robert Holden is a renowned thought leader in the practice of positive psychology, having earned his reputation as the Director of The Happiness Project and as the Founder of the NHS Stress Buster Clinic. On a mission to solve physical health problems by first addressing mental health issues, Robert has also been the star of two BBC documentaries – How to be Happy and The Happiness Formula. An expert in implementing techniques for tackling stress, boosting mental resilience and increasing happiness, Robert is considered one of the most preeminent figures on mental health and wellbeing.

With such detailed expertise in dealing with stress and mental health issues, hire medical expert Robert Holden to help you overcome the struggles of eco-anxiety.

Hire a Speaker to Help With Eco-Anxiety Today!

If you are interested in hiring a passionate speaker to help you calm or overcome eco-anxiety, get in touch today! Contact us by calling 0203 9355 587 or by completing our online contact form.

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