Lückemeier, C. L. (2023). Feeling the pain of the Earth: An intuitive inquiry into climate activism and eco-grief [Unpublished Master’s thesis]. Alef Trust & Liverpool John Moores University.

With the global unfolding of climate and ecological crises, there are growing concerns around its direct and indirect impacts on mental health. Particularly climate activists are at risk of experiencing increased mental health difficulties due to their closeness to the topic and emotional investment in catalysing change. Objective: The present study pursued an intuitive inquiry to explore how therapeutic practitioners can better support climate activists in their lived experience of eco-grief, and nurture individual and collective wellbeing. Methods: Eight participants (M=58.625) who facilitate wellbeing practices to support activists were invited to attend single semi-structured interviews. Findings: Participants introduced a range of supportive practices and outlined core conditions required to facilitate emotional processing and integration. These conditions addressed active acknowledgment, regenerative community building, self-care, honouring grief through compassion and ritual, language, safety, active hope, embodiment, and interconnectedness. Implications and limitations were discussed. The findings offer a more holistic engagement in activism and may provide guidance for the work of therapeutic practitioners and individuals working in climate science and ecological contexts. The results of this study may also offer insights for individuals outside of climate activism to support their emotional responses to climate breakdown and healthily adapting to cultivating greater ecological consciousness.