I am a licensed psychologist living in Pittsburgh, PA, a thriving city with many opportunities to learn about and to contribute to community efforts promoting healthy and sustainable living. In June 2017, I retired from 16 years of working at Chatham University, where I taught and also served as the Director of Graduate Programs in Psychology (2005-2014). I loved my work at Chatham - the students, my colleagues, the chance to develop innovative programming. The most exciting part of my work was creating new courses and projects promoting understanding about connections between a healthy natural environment and human health and well-being. I am now a professor emerita, and get to continue to teach these courses.
And now I am on to new things - beginning with re-entering psychology practice. I look forward to working with clients to find good ways of living balanced and fulfilling lives, of putting into action what we know about sustainability and health.
Sustainability is grounded in three major concepts - Environment, Economics, and Social Sustainability. Health, for individuals, communities, and the larger world, is possible when the three concepts are in balance, when we are striving for well-being in all three spheres, and neglecting none. From this view, how a society measures success is important. A nation with a strong GDP, for example, but a high rate of social and physical ills and a tendency to abuse the natural environment, is not healthy in the long run.
I strongly believe that psychology, as a profession and discipline, must recognize the complex interdependence of all parts of our globe – including individuals, families, schools and work, neighborhoods, and the entire natural world. It is also crucial to recognize that environmental issues are intertwined with our social, economic, and political systems, and that we cannot resolve the environmental problems without delving into social justice of all kinds, related to race, gender, education, and income. We have a role in making things better.
We must feel deep in our bones that all parts of the world have to learn to work together in order to sustain the health and well–being of each part into the future – that the health of any part of the system is closely related to the health of the other parts.
I have created the Sustainable Health and Well-Being web-site as a gathering place for people who are interested in learning and talking about these ideas. Together we can imagine and discuss how climate, environmental, and sustainability issues are part of every day life, and how paying attention to these concepts can enhance our health and well-being.
Psychologists play many professional roles - therapist, educator, and advocate, among others. What are some ideas about how psychologists can promote Sustainable Health and Well-Being? Here are just a few examples...
From my perspective, Sustainable Health and Well-Being is thinking about where you are going, why you want to go there, and how you are going to get there - while holding in mind a picture of yourself as one tiny wonderful part of this amazing world. It is thinking about how you might be a generous and compassionate companion with others along life's journey.
It is value-rich and spirit-infused. It is the essence of living the good life.
And now I am on to new things - beginning with re-entering psychology practice. I look forward to working with clients to find good ways of living balanced and fulfilling lives, of putting into action what we know about sustainability and health.
Sustainability is grounded in three major concepts - Environment, Economics, and Social Sustainability. Health, for individuals, communities, and the larger world, is possible when the three concepts are in balance, when we are striving for well-being in all three spheres, and neglecting none. From this view, how a society measures success is important. A nation with a strong GDP, for example, but a high rate of social and physical ills and a tendency to abuse the natural environment, is not healthy in the long run.
I strongly believe that psychology, as a profession and discipline, must recognize the complex interdependence of all parts of our globe – including individuals, families, schools and work, neighborhoods, and the entire natural world. It is also crucial to recognize that environmental issues are intertwined with our social, economic, and political systems, and that we cannot resolve the environmental problems without delving into social justice of all kinds, related to race, gender, education, and income. We have a role in making things better.
We must feel deep in our bones that all parts of the world have to learn to work together in order to sustain the health and well–being of each part into the future – that the health of any part of the system is closely related to the health of the other parts.
I have created the Sustainable Health and Well-Being web-site as a gathering place for people who are interested in learning and talking about these ideas. Together we can imagine and discuss how climate, environmental, and sustainability issues are part of every day life, and how paying attention to these concepts can enhance our health and well-being.
Psychologists play many professional roles - therapist, educator, and advocate, among others. What are some ideas about how psychologists can promote Sustainable Health and Well-Being? Here are just a few examples...
- consulting with and advocating for residents of a community affected by conditions of "food desert" or "food apartheid" - that has no full-service grocery store - helping them find and develop resources to meet their needs for healthy, affordable, and accessible food
- exploring, through research and clinical work, the healing potential of spending time outdoors - gardening, hiking, biking, listening, smelling - and of interacting with animals
- engaging in activist work that educates the public about the impacts of environmental problems on human health and well-being - examples include climate change, exposure to environmental toxins, community disruption related to gentrification
- working with a family that is dealing with unemployment, helping family members work together to set priorities and make decisions about how they spend or conserve time, energy, and money, and how they take care of their whole selves
- helping individuals and groups that do care-taking work (such as health care, environmental activism, animal care, parenting, caring for ill family members, clergy work of all kinds, teaching) find and sustain their own health and joy
- discovering what moves people to care about each other and the earth - what attitudes, world-views, beliefs, and habits affect our relationships with the natural and social worlds
- and, in all of the above, being aware of the social and political systems that maintain unhealthy and destructive human relationships - both with each other and with the natural environment - and promoting actions that heal the earth and the relationship between humans and nature
From my perspective, Sustainable Health and Well-Being is thinking about where you are going, why you want to go there, and how you are going to get there - while holding in mind a picture of yourself as one tiny wonderful part of this amazing world. It is thinking about how you might be a generous and compassionate companion with others along life's journey.
It is value-rich and spirit-infused. It is the essence of living the good life.
