we’re going to fall into a pit of despair and sadness,” says Licensed Integrative Psychotherapist Leslie Davenport, the author of Emotional Resiliency in the Era of Climate Change. “Tere’s a boldness among younger generations that are challenging the status quo and demanding to be accepted as they are. Tucking away anything that might not be socially acceptable is a part of the past. Kids want their families and adults to accept and love them exactly as they are.” On Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, #itsoknottobeok is a popular hashtag. Mental health surveys show that eco-anxiety in particular


is prevalent among the young. Late last year, scientists at the University of Bath, in England, interviewed 10,000 youth between the ages of 16 and 25 across 10 continents. In the U.S., 68 percent said that the future was frightening. Almost half admitted that they had distressing feelings related to climate change on a daily basis, 42 percent believed that the things they valued most would be destroyed and 35 percent feared that their family security would be threatened.


A Surge in Coaching According to Davenport, “In addition to therapy becoming more acceptable, I’ve seen coaching become more common as another option in which people don’t have to examine their past and can instead look forward. A coach can help them make sense of their life, set goals and hold them accountable.”


Mindfulness Becomes Ubiquitous In a few decades, mindfulness practices have catapulted from Buddhist monasteries to corporate boardrooms and have become


a billion-dollar industry in the U.S. with an 11 percent annual growth rate. “Mindfulness has been emerging for a while, but at this point, it’s a household word,” Davenport says. “People are talking about mindful eating or mindful conversations. Core concepts like being present in the moment or taking in the other person in an empathetic way are rippling out into so many aspects of life.”


Terapy and Meditation Apps Abound Redefining the conventional, in-person therapy session that is 50 minutes in a quiet room, therapy apps allow people to have short phone calls, video chats or text exchanges with a therapist for a low monthly fee. Notable therapy apps include BetterHelp. com, OnlineTerapy.com, BrightSide.com and Calmerry.com. For meditation, Calm.com, InsightTimer.com and HeadSpace.com are dominating the field.


Virtual Experiences Are Here to Stay Many people that were devastated by isolation and loneliness during the pandemic sought social engagement via streaming and app-enabled webinars, exercise routines or art classes. Suddenly, virtual conferences attracted participants from all over the world. Davenport relishes the fact that she was able to take tap dancing classes from a renowned New York City teacher, even though she lives in Washington State. “In a surprising silver lining, we’ve come to appreciate the convenience of these virtual experiences, which we likely wouldn’t have attended in person before the pandemic.”


Sandra Yeyati is a professional writer and editor. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.


January 2022


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