Psyche And Nature

Throughout his writings, Jung spoke of the importance of being cognizant of our relationship to the natural world, and facing the anxiety and fear of our degraded Earth in analytic work. Today, we find ourselves at a critical time to address the ever-increasing concerns about our environmental issues and their psychological consequences.  In this seminar, we will review people's experiences with Eco-grief and Eco-anxiety, ways of working with these feelings in the context of analysis, and how to help patients find a sense of renewal through contact with the natural world.

Learning Objectives:  

• Describe how symptoms of depression and anxiety can manifest in patients in response to heightened concern about the environment.
• Describe what is meant by the term "Church of the Wild" and how it can be of therapeutic value when dealing with patients presenting with Eco-anxiety and/or Eco-depression.
• Identify defensive structures in the psyche that lead to splitting and work against integration and recognition of personal and collective trauma.