These are not a substitute for professional services when needed. In the US, text or call 988 for a 24/7 crisis hotline. For emergency mental health telephone numbers in other countries, go to: findahelpline.com
Validation
You are not alone: all of your climate emotions are normal and valid. "Despair and fear are not inherently bad. Hope and optimism are not inherently good."
Create
Get a journal to help you process your climate emotions and to express gratitude, such as writing, painting or drawing (click here for our creative art therapy guide).
Nature
Bring nature into your life. Get a plant, nature photo, grow food, or visit an outdoor green space.
Breathe
Notice and slow down your breathing. Slowly inhale and slowly exhale. Start with a minute and gradually add more time each day. Get more breathing tips here.
Connect
Talk with friends and family about your climate emotions.
Sounds
Listen to nature sounds and music that support your sense of well-being, reduces stress, and makes you feel better.
News
Monitor your news consumption, both time and content. Seek out inspiring, positive stories of action and healing.
Gratitude and Joy
What are you grateful for? What brings you joy? Remind yourself daily and experience them.
Learn and Act
Learn about climate justice issues. Create a vision of the world you want to live in. Find meaningful ways to you to use your skills to address the climate crisis, in your spheres of influence, whether it's creating art, doing advocacy, scientific research, tree planting, teachingetc., it's all needed! Taking action also means taking care of ourselves and each other.
Climate Emotions Resilience Tips Video
Tips, Worksheets and Wheel
(in English & en Español)
Staying Cool in a Hotter World
Affirmations for Climate Emotions
Wellbeing Tips (2 pages, below)
Taking Action and Self Care Worksheets
Coping Strategies
Climate Emotions Wheel
& Worksheet
Emotions wheels have been a visual tool used by psychologists for decades to help people better understand and interpret their own feelings. This Climate Emotions Wheel is based on the research of Panu Pihkala at the University of Helsinki and particularly his 2022 paper Toward A Taxonomy of Climate Emotions. It is not intended to be comprehensive or definitive, and it is not to scale; positive emotions are not typically identified in most research as often as other emotions on this scale. Our hope is that looking at this wheel will help you identify your own emotions and work with them.
