Use Social, Emotional, Self-regulation, and Positive Coping Skills

Climate Mental Health: Use Social, Emotional, Self-regulation, and Positive Coping Skills

Climate Change topics or experiencing natural hazards that may be enhanced through climate change can cause many emotional responses in youth. Social, emotional , and positive coping practices can help to effectively manage emotions related to climate change. These practices can be used together as a class, or individually; providing youth with choice in the strategies that work best for them in navigating their emotions will be engaging and build agency.

Return to the Climate Mental Health Page.

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Support youth in identifying and expressing their feelings

Encourage youth to name what they are feeling. For younger children, use emotion charts or scales. Reassure students it is normal to feel these emotions. Use art and journaling as a medium to express emotions related to climate change.

Kinds doing science experiments with adults teaching them

Teaching Resources

The Feelings Circle is a detailed chart of various emotions that can be used to help youth identify their own emotions.
The Climate Doom to Messy Hope Handbook has some engaging discussion prompts and reflective activities (p. 23-27) for teachers to implement with their students around identifying and expressing their emotions.
The Creative Emotions for Climate Therapy guide provides a variety of creative outlets for students to express their emotions.

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Facilitate empathy with others

Use empathy maps to help youth understand what others are feeling. This may be especially helpful when trying to understand different perspectives. Use role-play to encourage perspective-taking.

Teaching Resources

This Edutopia article discusses how to use empathy maps.

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Encourage self-compassion

Encourage youth to have self-compassion and find balance. Encourage youth to give themselves and others permission to enjoy their lives- they can't solve all problems all the time. Practice grace for themselves and for other generations who have impacted the climate with their lifestyle.