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Human Elements

The world of science is full of facts and figures, but behind the study are the people. In the end, it becomes a question not of how they do science — but why.

Seattle therapist addresses climate anxiety

“We’re all kind of in it together,” says therapist Andrew Bryant, who works with others to confront the mental ramifications of a changing planet.

Seattle therapist Andrew Bryant hears his clients talk about how climate change affects their daily lives — lingering wildfire smoke, health concerns, anxiety about the future.  

But he’s not the only therapist with climate anxiety on the brain — Bryant has brought together other minds to analyze and support one another and their clients as they reckon with the long-term psychological impact of a changing planet. “I realized, Oh, I’m not really sure. I don’t have the training to prepare me for this topic. And I haven’t thought it through myself,” he said.  As a result, Bryant started a website Climate & Mind to bring recources and studies together in one place related to the psychological impacts of climate change. “All of us on some level would like to avoid the topic and talk about something else, because it’s distressing. And at the same time, my impression has been that when it’s brought up, people kind of resonate with it,” Bryant said. “That’s one thing that makes this topic different. Climate change and how it impacts us … we’re all kind of in it together.”