Join a Working Committee!
The field of climate psychology is growing, changing and deepening as we come to recognize the varied and layered climate related mental health needs that are arising out of this crisis. Whether we are talking about climate activists, environmental justice activists, climate scientists, climate journalists, environmental educators, high school counselors, psychotherapists, parents, or youth - we know that even as we are all dealing with the climate crisis itself, our experience of and relationship to that crisis varies considerably. This is all the more true, as people also face on-going and adjacent threats related to reproductive freedom, gender policing (anti-trans legislation), housing and income inequity, racism and anti-immigrant policies.
For this reason, as we grow in membership, we are organizing an evolving set of committees in which we begin to explore the intersections between climate related mental issues and certain key topic areas. From these, we plan to offer support, gather articles, create resources, host trainings and collate best practices. In alphabetical order:
This joint committee is exploring ways in which we can draw on our expertise to advocate for legislation and resources oriented around the mental health impacts of climate change to leaders. Check out committee updates here.
Contact: Lise Van Susteren
The Budget Committee
The Budget Committee meets bi-weekly to oversee the CPA-NA budget, review funding requests, provide recommendations to the Executive Committee, and ensure the budget is in alignment with our vision and priorities.
Contact: Mary Lou Masco
Climate and Expressive Arts Committee
This committee will explore the potential of expressive arts in facilitating climate emotional processing, healing and resilience-building, promoting climate engagement, and the power of the creative arts in building community and building "bridges." Modalities include (but are not limited to): Poetry / Writing; Visual art; Music; Dance; Movement; Drama / storytelling; Eco-art therapy. We plan to offer events, discussions, and trainings related to climate, art and mental health.
Contact: Ariella Cook-Shonkoff, Jesse Homan, Mor Keshet
Climate and Psyche Writers Group
This is a writer’s group for CPA members who are developing climate-related articles for psychological and psychoanalytic journals and books. We use an evolving and collaborative structure that is responsive to the needs of participating members (prompts, sharing pages, giving feedback and resources, discussion and support, accountability and goal-setting, as appropriate). Limited membership, commitments required.
Contact: Penelope Starr-Karlin
Curriculum Development and Workshop Programming
This committee is focused on developing lines of CE credited curriculum related to several different areas of focus: clinical training; clinician-as-activist training; interdisciplinary applications of climate psychology; and the intersection of climate mental health and climate justice. If you would like to join in this work or have ideas you’d like to suggest or offer for a workshop, contact us!
Contact: Barb Easterlin
Disaster Committee
We are experiencing cascading climate disasters with greater intensity and frequency which detrimentally impacts mental health and resilience. Our Disaster Committee was launched with the following priorities. 1) Develop training for our members to become knowledgeable about the national disaster mental health system, the disaster continuum, and community-based recovery models. 2) Develop ways to support our membership directly impacted by disaster events. 3) Work with Regional Coordinators to engage and support local response efforts.
Contact: Mary Lou Masco
Educators and School Counselors Support Committee
This committee's focus is supporting teachers and school counselors. We wrote An Educator's Guide to Climate Emotions in 2024 in collaboration with researchers, clinicians, and youth climate leaders. Currently, we are working on disseminating the information from the guide through professional development and workshops for school staff.
Contact: Carolyn McGrath
Professional Development Committee
This committee is focused on developing mentoring programs for clinicians and helping mental health professionals create trainings or presentations on topics related to climate psychology. This group includes clinicians in marginalized and indigenous communities that are often more significantly and chronically impacted by the climate crisis.
Contact: Elizabeth Allured
Scientists and STEM Professionals Support Committee
This committee provides a range of support to scientists and STEM professionals who bear the informational and emotional burdens of the climate crisis. We offer programs and events designed to support mental health, alleviate burnout, and build resilience in uncertain times.
Contact: Kristan Childs, Teddy Kellam
Social Justice, Intersectionality and Climate Mental Health Committee
Social Justice is interwoven throughout the organization and it's committees. Additionally we provide a space that focuses specifically on ways in which we are advancing climate justice by developing intersectional trainings and programs for our members. Our work includes recommending policies and procedures to confront systemic racism and inequity within our organization and the broader climate mental health field. Additionally, we are focused on diversifying and expanding services to reach underserved populations who lack access to climate-related mental health support
Contact: Emily Hart Roth
Trauma Informed Climate Journalism Project
This project is meant to address the mental health needs of climate journalists and help them connect better with their sources and with their audience. In this way, we hope not only to provide support for essential front line climate workers, but also impact climate news in such a way that we can reduce news avoidance and foster greater trust and community engagement with climate journalists.
Contact: Rebecca Weston
Youth Committee
We are dedicated to empowering younger generations in the face of climate and environmental crises. We seek to understand and address the bio-psycho-social-environmental impacts of these crises on youth. Our mission is to support the emotional wellbeing of young people, families, and caregivers, as well as provide education, training, consultation, and collaboration for youth related organizations committed to fostering a sustainable, just, and equitable future.
Contact: Jenni Silverstein
Climate Cafe Committees
Climate Cafe Facilitation Training and Support team
Our group provides regular trainings on how to become a climate cafe facilitator, which include both didactic and experiential (“taster” climate cafe) components. In addition, we host a monthly support meeting for CPA-NA members who are facilitators of climate cafes and similar climate-emotion groups, allowing a space for reflection and coming together to share the challenges and experiences of group facilitation.
Contact: Wendy Greenspun
Clinical Support Committee
This committee helps provide various forms of support for CPA-NA members who are mental health clinicians, including organizing peer clinical case consultation groups, hosting workshops on climate-inclusive therapy, and helping therapists as they navigate the complexities of facing their own climate distress while holding the distress of others.
Contact: Wendy Greenspun
Hub Committee
The Group Hub Committee is focused on a number of projects for Climate Cafe facilitators. The Committee has created a virtual "Hub” for Climate Cafe facilitation resources. They have also created and direct the Climate Cafe Development Program - consisting of the Deep Dive Facilitator Training Program and as well as public-facing Climate Cafes on the CPA-NA virtual platform. The Climate Cafe Development Program launched as a pilot in October 2024 and will conclude at the end of March 2025. Following the pilot program, the Hub Committee hopes to integrate Climate Cafe research, org-to-org Climate Cafe Training, local in-person Climate Cafes, and further integration and pedagogical development of Climate Cafe facilitation theory and direct service opportunities.
Contact: Audrey Martin