Episode Details

Today I’m speaking with Jessica Newberry Le Vay, Senior Researcher in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, and part of Climate Cares - a global initiative based at Oxford and Imperial College London, working to understand and respond to the links between climate change, mental health and wellbeing.

Jessica leads the Compass Project, a research programme exploring how climate change education can be integrated with mental health and wellbeing, so that young people are better supported to live, work and thrive in a changing climate. Before joining Oxford, Jessica worked at Imperial College London as a Climate Change and Health Policy Fellow with Climate Cares, and previously led Cancer Research UK’s policy research programme on cancer prevention.

In this episode:

• Jessica describes climate change and mental health as two deeply connected crises, because how we feel shapes how we respond.
• The conversation centres on the Compass Project, which looks at how students and educators experience climate education and climate emotions.
• Jessica shares that many young people feel anxiety, fear, anger, grief, hopelessness or betrayal in response to climate breakdown.
• She highlights research showing that 59% of young people surveyed globally were very or extremely worried about climate change.
• More than 45% of those young people said their climate feelings were affecting daily life, including sleep, eating, school and relationships.
• Jessica explains that climate anxiety is often a rational, healthy and caring response, rather than something to simply remove or fix.
• Marina and Jessica explore how unspoken emotions can affect mental health, especially when young people do not feel able to share what they are carrying.
• Teachers are also experiencing climate worry, while often feeling under-resourced, under-trained and unsure how to hold these conversations.
• The episode explores the need to help young people hold fear and hope together, rather than avoiding difficult truths.
• Jessica discusses how misinformation, social media and stigma can make it harder for young people to talk openly about climate change and action.
• The conversation questions whether climate education can ever be politically neutral, especially when climate impacts are shaped by injustice, power and systems.

Shownotes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/teach-climate-change-without-overwhelming-young-people/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Green Health Virtual Gathering 2026

Embedding Nature in Practice - From Vision to Delivery This gathering brings together psychiatrists, psychologists