Guidance about how humans emotionally process climate change and advice for therapists working with clients in climate distress

Interview-style, with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT

  • Course Description

    Every day in the media we hear worrying news about our planet's worsening situation: Scientists warn of imminent catastrophic climate change, environmental collapse and species extinction… dangers we cannot escape. What impact does this have on us and our clients? How do we deal with our awareness of this unfolding disaster? And what is our role as therapists? What does the world need from us as therapists at this time?

    This course discusses the types of emotional processing human beings engage in when facing large existential threats like climate change, and gives therapists a starting point for both working through their own personal eco-anxiety and supporting clients who are grappling with worsening climate crises and increasingly grave climate predictions.

  • Learning Objectives

    Upon completing this course, participants will be able to: Describe two or more types of emotional processing related to significant existential threats like climate change; Describe how climate psychology can be integrated with other evidence-based practices to support clients working through eco-anxiety


    Target Audience and Instructional Level
    This course is intended for psychologists, therapists, social workers, clinical counselors, and addiction counselors. Instructional level: Introductory

  • How To Take This Course

    In order to receive a certificate of completion reflecting the associated CE credit hour, you must:
    #1: Have an active paid Clearly Clinical membership
    #2: Listen to the corresponding course podcast
    #3: Achieve a passing grade on the post-presentation test (the test has up to ten questions and you must earn a score of at least 80%; you are able to re-test)
    #4: Complete the requested course evaluation.

    Course elements (including the course audio, post-test, and requested course evaluation) can be completed on a computer or mobile device via your Clearly Clinical account.

  • Course Format

    This high-quality and interesting course contains a one-hour, non-interactive audio podcast presentation which is available for free via all major public podcast providers. You can also listen to and download the file via our course player.

  • Commercial Support

    There is no known commercial support or conflict of interest for this CE program, sponsor, instructor, or content.

  • Certificate Access Details

    Once you've completed the course, your certificate will automatically populate in the 'Certificate' section of your account; it will also be emailed to you. Access to completion certificate will expire 365 days after issuance. Course certificates will be on file for ten (10) years from date of course completion.

  • Accommodations

    If you have special needs or need an accommodation, please email us at info@clearlyclinical.com and we will do our best to assist you.

Interviewees and Interviewer

Tree Staunton, Registered Psychotherapist

Climate Psychology Expert

Tree Staunton is Director of Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling, Programme Leader for the MA with Middlesex University. She is a UKCP Honorary Fellow, body psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor, editor of Body Psychotherapy, Advancing Theory in Therapy (2002) and current editor of the British Journal for Psychotherapy Integration. Since becoming overall Director of BCPC, she is a non-clinical member of UKCP. Tree has a special interest in the links between psychotherapy and the current global crises we face, and is a long-standing member of Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA). She lives in a Cohousing Community in Stroud UK.

Please visit Tree at BCPC.org, Climate Psychology Alliance Podcast Episode and LinkedIn.

Ariella Cook-Shonkoff, LMFT

Climate Psychology Expert

Ariella Cook-Shonkoff, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist, art therapist and freelance writer based in Berkeley, California. In her clinical practice, Ariella specializes in treating trauma, anxiety, and maternal mental health, working primarily with adolescent and adult populations. As a writer, Ariella explores aspects of mental health related to parenting in the age of the climate crisis. Her work has appeared in a variety of news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Week. She was a guest panelist at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's 2020 conference, and was recently interviewed by artist Sandra Felemovicius as part of her "Tap Into Your Creativity" project to benefit Feeding America. She is co-chair of Communications/Media at the Climate Psychology Alliance- North America.

Please visit Ariella at AriellaCookShonkoff.com and LinkedIn.

Elizabeth 'Beth' Irias, MS, LMFT

Interviewer & Clearly Clinical Founder

Elizabeth 'Beth' Irias (she/her) is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and the Founder and President of Clearly Clinical. She has specializations in Clinical Documentation, Best Practice, and Utilization Review, and works closely with clinical teams across the US as a trainer and national conference presenter; Beth was formerly an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University in the Graduate Psychology and Education department. Licensed in California and Oregon, she provides therapy via her private practice to young adult and adult clients, members of the LGBTQ population, and those with addictive disorders. She has two young children, a super cool spouse who helps out with Clearly Clinical's tech, and a rescue dog.

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