How Hopelessness Can Help Us: A Conversation on Climate Dialectics with Dr. Janet Lewis

In this third episode of the Climate Psychiatry Alliance podcast, we explore the psychological impact of climate change with Dr. Janet Lewis, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester and co-founder of the Climate Psychiatry Alliance.

Dr. Lewis walks us through her article “Climate Dialectics in Psychotherapy: Holding Open the Space Between Abyss and Advance,” explaining how therapists can help patients navigate climate change's emotional and psychological challenges. We discuss the importance of climate-aware therapy and how we can all hold space for eco-anxiety, grief, hope, and action in a rapidly changing world.

Throughout this episode, we explore:

• The five core climate dialectics and their role in shaping our responses to climate change.
•  How therapists can support patients in making sense of climate anxiety and eco-grief.
• Why holding space for conflicting emotions can help us cope and take meaningful action.
• The importance of acknowledging uncertainty while maintaining a sense of agency.

Resources:

📖 Read Dr. Janet Lewis’ article:
Lewis JL, Haase E, Trope A. Climate Dialectics in Psychotherapy: Holding Open the Space Between Abyss and Advance.Psychodyn Psychiatry. 2020;48(3):271-294. DOI: 10.1521/pdps.2020.48.3.271

🌿 Learn more about the Climate Psychiatry Alliance https://www.climatepsychiatry.org/

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