Blog 2/2 A practical approach to treatment In the first of these two extended blogs (Eco-anxiety: what’s in a name?), I noted the way we define emotional responses to environmental change makes a difference to how we might view ourselves and our approach to treatment.  Perhaps in contrast to some other therapists, I approach eco-distress as a manifestation of anxiety, anger, sadness etc in a particular context, rather than as something that is exceptional, unusual etc. Some might even say treatment is not appropriate given anxiety and anger are quite rational responses to the climate emer ..read more

Blog 1/2 In this first of two blogs, I’m looking at the words we use to describe emotional responses to environmental and climate change, and why it might matter what we call it. In the follow-up blog I’ll look at my own approach to treating eco-anxiety. Eco-anxiety or Eco-distress? There is now ample evidence for the prevalence of eco-anxiety (often among young people in particular), with vigorous debate among academics as to our understanding of the relationship between observed emotional, behavioural and cognitive responses to the impacts of climate and environmental change more generally ..read more

Presentation on Eco-anxiety: Values and Metacognitions This evening (Tuesday 31 October 2023) I was delighted to speak at the British Psychological Society (BPS) in London on eco-anxiety and approaches to treatment. This was as part of a seminar on Psychology and Climate Change: what is to be done? Eco-anxiety’ has become a catch-all term for a range of emotional responses to climate change and environmental degradation, from fear of the future to anger or sadness that insufficient action on climate change or biodiversity loss appears to be happening (‘climate anxiety’, ‘eco-anger’, ‘eco-grief ..read more

How are you approaching your time at university? With the new 2023-24 academic year now well underway it’s a good time to get a handle on your approach to learning, studying or research. A model of learning that may have served you well (or at least OK) at secondary school is unlikely to serve you so well at university. Here are a few quick pointers/questions to ask yourself, some equally relevant to whether you are an undergraduate, postgraduate (Taught) or postgraduate (Research - PhD/Doctoral research). There are some issues especially relevant to postgraduate study, e.g. to a one-year Mast ..read more

This blog post brings together the four papers that were published out of Ute Thiermann’s PhD research on mindfulness and sustainability, under my supervision at Imperial College London, with access to the online papers/journals: Thiermann, U.B., Sheate, W.R. How Does Mindfulness Affect Pro-environmental Behaviors? A Qualitative Analysis of the Mechanisms of Change in a Sample of Active Practitioners. Mindfulness (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-02004-4 (Open Access) Thiermann Ute B., Sheate William R., Vercammen Ans (2020), Practice Matters: Pro-environmental Motivations and Die ..read more

….in Eventbrite Collections My currently available online workshops/events (as ongoing periodic events over the coming months) are: An Introduction to Eco-anxiety (run every few months) - next event on 16 August 2023. PhD/Doctor Researcher Peer Support Group (run regularly every two months) - next event on 2 August 2023. Both are available now for booking via https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/mental-wellbeing-and-resilience-skills-workshops-2463049 Other occasional workshops will be included covering self-hypnosis skills, and integrating mindfulness into everyday living. Watch this space (an ..read more

Online 90-minute workshop on 16 August 2023 6.00-7.30pm This introductory workshop provides an opportunity to share experience and begin to develop a deeper understanding about what eco-anxiety is, and how you can better manage and re-frame your approach to it. It acts as a standalone workshop but also offers the precursor preparation to subsequent individual one-to-one or small group therapy for eco-anxiety if desired. Programme: Introductions and overview Context and issues Sharing of experience Understanding eco-anxiety and treatment options The 90-minute workshop will take place ..read more

Why a PhD peer support group? Following Mental Health Awareness Week on ‘Anxiety’ (15-21 May 2023), I’m launching (and will facilitate) from 7 June a new online PhD peer support group, open to any PhD/Doctoral research student from any higher education institution. The PhD/Doctoral Researcher Peer Support Group is open to any full or part-time student at any stage of a PhD/doctorate from any higher education institution and any discipline. It is aimed at addressing mental health and well-being issues, the sharing of PhD experiences, challenges at various stages of doctoral research, supervisio ..read more

My Bloomsbury clinic moves to Tuesday from 3 May 2022 From 3 May 2022 my Bloomsbury clinic in Museum Street, WC1A will move to Tuesday afternoons and evenings (rather than Friday mornings). Clinic times will be from 2.00-9.00pm every Tuesday. This provides me with additional appointment slots to see individual clients in-person (and online via Zoom) and also more space to offer group therapy, e.g. for eco-anxiety (small groups of 3-4 people) or PhD students over a series of 4-5 sessions. More information on this coming shortly. Tuesdays will be my main in-person clinic while Wednesday evenings ..read more

Here we go again….. My last blog post on Covid-19 (Coronavirus 6: keeping a sense of perspective…) was over a year ago (8 December 2020). I had thought at the time that might be the last, but with recent guidance and ‘Plan B’ introduced in the run up to Christmas 2021 then some further reflections may be worthwhile. When does urgency cross over into panic? Some of the most recent media coverage and Government policy pronouncements at times does have an air of 'headless chicken' about it. Earlier in the year I posted a blog on Celebrating Uncertainty, noting that anxiety and corresponding worry ..read more