Eco-Psychology: the Environment and Mental Health

Catalog description

Ecopsychology involves the recollection of the more than human world in the human psyche for the benefit of both. In this course students will learn about the field of ecopsychology and it!s applications in ecotherapy. We will examine the way concepts of nature have been shaped by a culture of extraction and exploitation, and mirror the inequities we perpetuate as a society that contribute to human suffering and ecological devastation. We will explore the implications of the natural world on the therapeutic relationship. Students will gain practical knowledge of interventions and considerations for conducting ecotherapy with clients to address a variety of issues including grief related to environmental devastation. In addition to readings, in class discussions, and case presentations, students will be asked to engage with experiential exercises in order to facilitate deepening relationships with the self, and the natural world.