Counselling psychology and climate change: A survey of the DCoP membership

Abstract

Climate change is a growing concern, a multi-dimensional, societal issue affecting our personal lives and the way we engage with clients. There is evidence that people are finding it a matter of anxiety and as such it is increasingly a focus in the therapeutic domain. In order to understand counselling psychology’s relationship to climate change, the Executive Committee of the British Psychological Society Division of Counselling Psychology (DCoP) initiated a working group on climate change in the latter part of 2019. This working group had several tasks including a statement about psychology and climate change, and the development of a reference library as a resource for those members who want to better understand the literature. The reference library is available atwww.bps.org.uk/sites/www.bps.org.uk/files/Member%20Networks/Divisions/DCoP/Climate%20Change%20-%20Useful%20Reading.pdf.This consultation asked a sample of British counselling psychologists about their experience of research, clinical work and other engagement with climate change. Themes were identified.The findings indicate some variation as to what counselling psychologists think and do in relation to climate change; most respondents accepted that counselling psychologists need to be aware of the issue and be able to respond helpfully to clients who bring this focus; some colleagues are already working with this material and many wanted training; some are researching this phenomenon and wanted assistance in funding and disseminating relevant work; and counselling psychologists thought that the Division/wider BPS might usefully make a mission statement, library of resources and offer training.