Online Counselling for Ecological Grief in British Columbia
It feels like we cannot go through a year without experiencing a climate-related emergency. In addition, the news is now filled with articles about the long-term effects of our global climate increasing and how nature and humans can expect to be negatively impacted. For many of us, we inherited this problem, and it can feel emotional to think of the ways that this could have been prevented in hindsight.
If you have been feeling reactive about the climate crisis, experiencing emotions that seem disproportionate, or feeling a sense of numbness or sadness at the idea that the world as we know it now might not be available in this way for future generations, you might be experiencing ecological grief or anxiety. Working with a therapist who understands this topic, and who can help support you in moving through your emotions, can help give meaning to your experience and create space to process these types of thoughts and feelings. Taking action in the ways you are able can help you feel less alone. Knowing we can make an impact can reduce the helplessness that we feel. If you are experiencing any of this, please reach out! You do not have to wade through this alone.
What Is Ecological Grief?
You might be wondering what ecological grief even is. Research defines it as:
the 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 — Cunsolo and Ellis, 2018
As we continue to see our natural world rocked by global and local disasters, the experience of ecological grief could only become more pronounced. Not only is our environment impacted, but so is our way of life. In many places in the world that are currently feeling the impacts firsthand, people’s livelihoods and means of supporting themselves and their families are being jeopardized. When we really let the impact of where we are and how we got here sink in, it completely makes sense that a lot of emotions surface as a result.
Symptoms and Signs
There are many different symptoms that correlate with ecological grief, including:
PTSD
Long-term anxiety
Long-term depression
A generalized sense of stress
Profound sadness
Helplessness
Numbness
Anger
Who Is Most at Risk of Experiencing Ecological Grief?
Younger people
Climate Activists
Scientists
Indigenous Communities
Those living in areas most severely impacted, typically outside of the Global North
When Should I Get Help?
When we experience a sense of helplessness in our grief, we are unable to move through the waves of emotions in the way we need to so that we can take action. This can cause a sense of stuckness.
If you feel like you have lost hope, are feeling alone in your sadness, or have a sense of helplessness, then it may be time to reach out for support. Ecological grief is a normal response to the danger our world is facing and is a necessary part of spurring us towards action and change.
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Reasons to Try Online Ecological Grief Counselling
Part of what helps us move through any type of grief is feeling like we are less alone in our experience of it. Knowing that others are also impacted in similar ways allows for a shared sense of burden and can also fuel hope, as it is only through community and action that we will be able to make any positive changes for the future in relation to the climate crisis.
Because ecological grief is not yet a commonly discussed phenomenon, it can feel difficult to find specialized support. Our clinic offers online therapy, which means we can provide help to anyone living in British Columbia. If you are living in a community that is at risk currently, or have experienced a recent climate-related disaster and need space to process the feelings that come up in relation to this, we would be honored to hold space for you.
How We Can Help at The Commons
If you’re noticing that you’ve gotten stuck in your grief or are feeling hopeless or helpless, please reach out. You do not need to experience this alone. We are here to walk with you, mourn, and process our grief together. While many assume that grief work is a burden on therapists, it might be helpful for you to know that it also feels better for us to connect with folks who feel the same impacts we do. Our clinicians at The Commons Wellness Collective are trained to help you move through your emotions. We would be delighted to work with you. All of our clinicians currently reside in British Columbia and are trained to take an intersectional view, understanding the systems at play that impact our daily experience and contribute to how we got here. This approach can lend useful context when we are working through processing something like ecological grief.