Episode Details

In this week's episode I am discussing how climate anxiety is not the problem. I will explore how we educate, support and practice in a time of climate breakdown without overwhelming young people or asking them to numb themselves to reality.

Topics include:

• Climate anxiety is not the problem; unsupported climate anxiety is.
• Climate education cannot just give young people facts - it has to help them emotionally metabolise what they know.
• Emotional literacy needs to include the body, not just naming feelings.
• Adults and teachers need to do their own emotional work, otherwise they may shut down young people’s grief, anger or fear.
• Climate anxiety can be a sign of care, intelligence and relationship with the world, not pathology.
• The “Goldilocks zone” is really useful: enough feeling to care and act, not so much that people collapse.
• A climate breakdown risk-benefit assessment feels like one of your most original contributions.
• The neutrality/politics section is one of the most interesting: teachers do not need to be party-political, but silence and false balance are not neutral.
• Resilience should be framed as community, belonging and collective capacity, not individual toughness.
• Nature connection is not just a well-being add-on; it is part of repairing the relationship that created the crisis.
• The ending around possible futures, imagination and agency is important because it offers hope without false reassurance.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-92-climate-anxiety-is-not-the-problem/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

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Mentioned in this episode:

The Green Health Virtual Gathering 2026

Embedding Nature in Practice - From Vision to Delivery This gathering brings together psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, GPs, allied health professionals and NHS leaders exploring how nature-informed approaches can be implemented safely and credibly within real-world healthcare settings. https://circleofliferediscovery.com/gathering