Tackling the Mental Health Toll That Comes with Climate Change

Research shows that climate change isn’t just something that’s negatively affecting the planet, it’s having a deep impact on our mental health as well. Every new wildfire, every flash flood, every heatwave brings on another level of eco-anxiety in many people. A survey conducted by UNDP, Oxford University and GeoPoll, found that 56% of respondents think at least once a week about the problems caused by the climate situation and these feelings can be even stronger in younger people. Of course, it can feel overwhelming to see all that our environment is going through and wonder what can be done - or to have experienced an extreme weather event first-hand, to carry trauma from that and not know how to heal from it. It’s a big conversation and so we’re turning to Jennifer Silverstein, a licensed clinical social worker in Sonoma County, who is working to build resilient communities, especially for the youngest and most vulnerable members, that can face unfolding ecological crises. Research shows that climate change isn’t just something that’s negatively affecting the planet, it’s having a deep impact on our mental health as well. Every new wildfire, every flash flood, every heatwave brings on another level of eco-anxiety in many people. A survey conducted by UNDP, Oxford University and GeoPoll, found that 56% of respondents think at least once a week about the problems caused by the climate situation and these feelings can be even stronger in younger people. Of course, it can feel overwhelming to see all that our environment is going through and wonder what can be done - or to have experienced an extreme weather event first-hand, to carry trauma from that and not know how to heal from it. It’s a big conversation and so we’re turning to Jennifer Silverstein, a licensed clinical social worker in Sonoma County, who is working to build resilient communities, especially for the youngest and most vulnerable members, that can face unfolding ecological crises.