{"id":275795,"date":"2023-08-27T12:25:40","date_gmt":"2023-08-27T10:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=275795"},"modified":"2023-08-27T12:25:42","modified_gmt":"2023-08-27T10:25:42","slug":"decoding-the-climate-psychology-certificate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=275795","title":{"rendered":"Decoding the Climate Psychology Certificate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So, it\u2019s come to this: the \u201cClimate Psychology Certificate\u201d offered by the\u00a0California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS).<\/a>\u00a0Just when you think you\u2019ve seen every twist on climate change, along comes a course that combines it with\u2026 psychology? Interesting combo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The CIIS states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cPsychology has a vital role in addressing the climate and ecological crises, yet it is often missing from the conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.ciis.edu\/public-programs\/climate-psychology-certificate<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But one has to wonder, is it genuinely missing, or have most people been occupied with real life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the thing: while the program might want to discuss our \u201ccollective trauma\u201d about the Earth\u2019s future, it\u2019s vital to ask a simple question:\u00a0where\u2019s the emergency?<\/a>\u00a0Overwhelming evidence suggests that the changes we\u2019re observing in climate aren\u2019t particularly unprecedented or dire. Instead, such shifts have been a regular part of our planet\u2019s history. So what makes this moment so traumatizing that we need an entire course to psychologically unpack it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program aims to provide a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201ccomprehensive understanding of the interplay between psyche, culture, and the more-than-human world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.ciis.edu\/public-programs\/climate-psychology-certificate<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

While the wording is a bit lofty, it makes me wonder: is this a study of our environment or some metaphysical extraterrestrial endeavor?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to climate change, most of us prefer data over drama. Climate trends, historical weather patterns, and evidence-based predictions should be our focus. However, CIIS offers a dive into \u201ceco-anxiety\u201d and \u201cclimate-informed therapy.\u201d But, if it\u2019s therapy you\u2019re after, I\u2019d suggest diving into solid facts. There\u2019s a calming effect to understanding the real world without the added layers of exaggerated concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With all their talk of integrating<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cdepth psychology, indigenous and decolonial thought, archetypal cosmology, ecopsychology, and environmental humanities,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.ciis.edu\/public-programs\/climate-psychology-certificate<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

the course sounds more like a linguistic exercise than a genuine attempt to grapple with climate realities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth? The climate has always been changing. It\u2019s how Earth rolls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With abundant energy and technological innovation,\u00a0there\u2019s never been a better time to be alive.\u00a0<\/a>Instead of getting lost in \u2018depth psychology\u2019 or \u2018archetypal cosmology,\u2019 we\u2019d do better by studying actual climate trends. The planet has seen warmer periods without the presence of SUVs and factories. Let\u2019s get real about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hiding behind a therapeutic veneer, it\u2019s clear this program is just social justice cultural Marxist indoctrination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Climate psychology themes live within a social justice context an understanding that facing climate change includes addressing racial, gender, and generational collective suffering, human rights abuses, rights of nature, and the historical responsibilities for environmental damage. Particular attention will be paid to the inequitable impacts of climate change on the mental health of marginalized and vulnerable populations, and the importance of ethical policies and decision making that prioritizes these groups. This exploration includes how to deconstruct systemic harm perpetuated in colonized minds and practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.ciis.edu\/public-programs\/climate-psychology-certificate<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It seems like programs like the one CIIS offers might be unintentionally adding to the very \u201ceco-anxiety\u201d they claim to address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Guided by a developmental lens, the training will include the ways in which climate change can be explained to children of various age groups, giving kids reason to hope and become part of meaningful change without minimizing the challenges ahead. With half the youth (16 \u201325 year old) reporting distress about the climate in ways that disrupt their daily lives and functioning, the program will address the moral injury that government inaction has inflicted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.ciis.edu\/public-programs\/climate-psychology-certificate<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re continually told that every change in weather is a sign of impending doom, it\u2019s no wonder people are anxious. Offering courses to manage the fear they help perpetuate? Well, that\u2019s one way to keep the cycle going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cCultivate relational and embodied practices for engaging the more-than-human world and the mysteries of nature,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.ciis.edu\/public-programs\/climate-psychology-certificate<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

they say. Here\u2019s a simpler version: go outside and enjoy nature. You don\u2019t need a certificate to do that. We should be wary of linking natural wonders with an environmental doomsday narrative. It\u2019s counterproductive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, understanding the climate requires a dash of common sense. Look at the data, understand Earth\u2019s history, and remember that the planet has always been changing. There\u2019s no need to overcomplicate things or stoke unnecessary fears. A deep breath and a dash of realism are often the best therapy, and they come without the tuition fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Addendum:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was asked to read and review a work of Climate Fiction titled: \u201cMissy\u2019s Twitch\u201d which is about almost this exact subject. The book will be coming out in October. Here\u2019s a small blurb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Missy Mayburn Crowe, heiress to an energy fortune built off fossil fuels, is stricken with overwhelming anxiety over what she believes is a looming \u201cclimate apocalypse.\u201d Wracked with guilt over her family\u2019s possible contributions to climate change, Missy develops an involuntary twitch, diagnosed by a famed TV shrink as climatosis. Exposure on television and in social media propels climatosis into a worldwide social contagion. That makes Missy a celebrity ripe for exploitation by politicians, media, and business opportunists as \u201cproof\u201d that the apocalypse is now\u2014even if the evidence suggests otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Told with humor, insight, and brisk pacing, Missy\u2019s Twitch offers an entertaining twist on conventional wisdom about one of the most controversial issues of our time.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
You can preorder here.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, it\u2019s come to this: the \u201cClimate Psychology Certificate\u201d offered by the\u00a0California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS).\u00a0Just when you think you\u2019ve seen every twist on climate change, along comes a course that combines it with\u2026 psychology? Interesting combo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":275804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691822117,691818056,691822116,691822118],"class_list":["post-275795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-climate-and-ecological-crises","tag-climate-change","tag-climate-psychology-certificate","tag-marxist-indoctrination","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-19Kj","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":254219,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=254219","url_meta":{"origin":275795,"position":0},"title":"UNSW: Psychological Distance is Not Necessarily a Barrier to Climate Motivation","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/23\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0Australian Psychological Society\u00a0argues psychological distance can be a barrier to climate action. But UNSW professor Ben Newell counters that the evidence is unclear.","rel":"","context":"In \"climate argument\"","block_context":{"text":"climate argument","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-argument"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/01984-header.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/01984-header.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/01984-header.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/01984-header.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/01984-header.jpg?fit=1200%2C540&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":419007,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=419007","url_meta":{"origin":275795,"position":1},"title":"Claim: Some Men Downplay Climate Concerns Because of Gender Insecurity","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/29\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"According to the study, some men are frightened of appearing weak and feminine if they admit they are worried about climate change.","rel":"","context":"In \"climate alarmism\"","block_context":{"text":"climate alarmism","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-alarmism"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMnagNEVDqHY_Rt1xaGZjcxOuyzdT4XmAE2RsXmOH8P7XN1aSRS69epyK6xmnq2VlKZ5-2UQRqN7pl_ZSxg_mH95j0WydnStrVOdqQ2aV5plEvPTTns71vbbFMVGf8R.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMnagNEVDqHY_Rt1xaGZjcxOuyzdT4XmAE2RsXmOH8P7XN1aSRS69epyK6xmnq2VlKZ5-2UQRqN7pl_ZSxg_mH95j0WydnStrVOdqQ2aV5plEvPTTns71vbbFMVGf8R.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMnagNEVDqHY_Rt1xaGZjcxOuyzdT4XmAE2RsXmOH8P7XN1aSRS69epyK6xmnq2VlKZ5-2UQRqN7pl_ZSxg_mH95j0WydnStrVOdqQ2aV5plEvPTTns71vbbFMVGf8R.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMnagNEVDqHY_Rt1xaGZjcxOuyzdT4XmAE2RsXmOH8P7XN1aSRS69epyK6xmnq2VlKZ5-2UQRqN7pl_ZSxg_mH95j0WydnStrVOdqQ2aV5plEvPTTns71vbbFMVGf8R.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMnagNEVDqHY_Rt1xaGZjcxOuyzdT4XmAE2RsXmOH8P7XN1aSRS69epyK6xmnq2VlKZ5-2UQRqN7pl_ZSxg_mH95j0WydnStrVOdqQ2aV5plEvPTTns71vbbFMVGf8R.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":241498,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=241498","url_meta":{"origin":275795,"position":2},"title":"Wrong, Mainstream Media, Climate Change is Not Causing PTSD","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/25\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A Google search for \u2018climate change\u2019 brought up a variety of articles from mainstream news sources, including\u00a0The Hill\u00a0and\u00a0The Conversation, reporting on research that claims climate change has caused an increase in severe wildfires which are causing severe psychological trauma. 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