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Mental health services are essential, but the number of certified mental health providers is severely limited. We fill that gap by helping people take shared ownership over their own mental health and wellbeing in ways that co-benefit climate action. Our focus is on filling the unmet need for a platform dedicated to specific user communities—youth grappling with eco-anxiety, parents navigating hard conversations, educators fostering discussions with young people, frontline workers facing daily trauma, and mental health practitioners looking for effective tools—ensuring personalized and practical support that meets people where they are. 

Tackling this crisis has become the mission of Dr. Britt Wray

A Toronto-born author and researcher, Britt is an award-winning communicator and scientist (winner of the 2023 US National Academy of Sciences Top Award for Excellence in Science Communication). Her work has been showcased in the New York Times, Washington Post, The New Yorker, The Guardian, Wired, Globe & Mail, BBC, among others. She has spoken at the World Economic Forum and her TED talk on climate change and mental health has been viewed over 2.5 million times. Her books include the Governor General’s Literary Award-finalist “Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis,” which has been recommended by acclaimed authors Naomi Klein and Dr. Gabor Mate.

A generation struggling for hope

In 2021, Britt Wray co-authored a pioneering study on the psychological impacts of climate change, surveying 10,000 16-25 year-olds across 10 countries, revealing alarming findings such as 45% reporting climate change negatively affects their daily lives, 75% finding the future frightening, and 39% hesitating to have children. 

This year, Wray and her colleagues published a new survey of climate emotions, thoughts, and plans of youth in the US, uncovering widespread distress about climate change across political lines, with 85% moderately worried and 57% very or extremely worried. The findings highlight significant mental health impacts and major life decisions, including career paths, where to live, and whether to have children. Respondents expressed disappointment in governmental and corporate responses, a desire for more climate action, and a longing to discuss climate concerns with older generations. Learn more about the study in the Guardian’s coverage.

Climate distress is not just a young person’s concern

It affects anyone who has a strong sense of ‘environmental identity’ — or connection with the more-than-human world — and those who understand that their health is tied up with the health of the environment. Particularly vulnerable groups include farmers, women, Indigenous communities, climate scientists, climate activists, people with pre-existing mental health challenges, and communities that are facing first-hand environmental injustices and climate disasters. It can look like shock, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, strained relationships, substance abuse, panic attacks, eating disorders, and even suicidality.

A human-centered response to bring care and community

Britt’s team is at the forefront of the climate and mental health nexus, and in the year ahead they’re expanding to offer a new set of programs and initiatives, including:

• Continuing to create and produce the Gen Dread newsletter and Dear Climate Therapist advice column 
• Building and launching the Unthinkable Resource Hub, the world’s largest global repository offering evidence-based tools, educational experiences, and culturally sensitive resources to foster resilience and inspire courageous changemaking
• Building and launching a peer-led campaign to catalyse conversations about climate emotions and how they can be harnessed for action and relational thinking to protect human and non-human life in the climate crisis

This work is urgent and timely. Small Change Fund is thrilled to partner on and support Britt and her team’s groundbreaking work to build inclusive, community-minded approaches to respond to the threat to our living systems with proportional emotional maturity, responsibility, love and care.

You can join us – donate today.