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CBT in a Time of Climate and Biodiversity Crises

The climate and ecological crises pose a threat to humanity, and to ecosystems. The United Nations has declared that ‘Climate Change is the defining crisis of our time, but we are far from powerless to act.’ There is undisputed evidence for climate change and its physical and mental health consequences.

Feeling overwhelmed by climate change and distressing eco-emotions is increasingly common and has been described as eco-anxiety or eco-distress. Practitioners working with eco-distress need to recognise that it is a non-pathological, understandable response to our reality, and as such, they may be similarly affected.

Being a practitioner in a time of climate and ecological breakdown therefore poses unique challenges. Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy and Science have important contributions to make to meet these challenges, with its expertise in research and evidence based therapy.

This special issue orients the reader to the implications planetary crises have for mental health and how we can respond. It explores how adapting our existing tools, and developing transdiagnostic approaches can empower people to turn towards the truth and distress of climate change, to find meaning and connection, and support a just transition to a safer world. We hope it will inspire more engagement, action and advances in theoretical and empirical work.


Podcast episode: In the most recent episode of the BABCP podcast Let's Talk about CBT - Research Matters, managing editor Steph Curnow interviews Liz Marks about the special issue on climate change in the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist. Listen here.


Editorial

Invited Paper

Empirically Grounded Clinical Guidance Paper

Invited Paper

Original Research

Invited Paper

Original Research

Review Paper

Empirically Grounded Clinical Guidance Paper