As a Social Worker I draw from fields of Psychology and Sociology and principles of social justice to inform my therapeutic practice. As my career develops, I find myself drawn to the impact of climate change on our mental wellbeing. This is in response to the extreme weather events amidst COVID-19 my community suffered, ranging from drought, fire, floods and heat waves. This led me to begin a PhD on the impact of climate change on mental health. To date, my research is leading me toward nature based therapy as an effective intervention to alleviate mental distress. Nature based therapy may involve counselling sessions in nature and/ or a ‘prescription’ to a service or activity related to nature that re-connects you to yourself and community.

 In line with this, my research is also helping me understand that the medical model of mental illness may not always be useful when working with mental distress as a result of extreme weather events. This means that a mental health diagnosis may not  help us understand the overwhelming emotions we experience as a result of extreme weather events and/or the gradual negative impact to our changing climate. This is not to completely exclude formal diagnosis of mental illness, rather to explore our emotional responses to such events within the context of our overall life experiences and the lens from which we view our world.

As my research progresses, so does my practice as I strive for effective therapeutic interventions to meet the needs of my clients: Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and  EMDR.

So let’s start a conversation about your needs and see where your story takes us.