Climate emotions, defense and hope for psychotherapy

A psychodynamic perspective

Abstract

The climate crisis challenges humanity to radically rethink and transform its way of life against the backdrop of climate protection and «climate justice». This article aims to clarify the value of the psychodynamic perspective for the required transformation. In the face of the climate crisis, a wide variety of feelings such as fear, sadness, shame, guilt, envy and anger can arise, as well as inner needs and desires can come into conflict with each other. In order to avoid feeling and digesting the mostly unpleasant feelings and inner conflicts, they are shifted into the unconscious with the help of defense mechanisms such as denial, splitting, affect isolation and sublimation. Since defense does not only take place on an individual level, the societal perspective is also significant. As an ethical framework for overcoming defense and enabling change, psychodynamic concepts that are enriched by social-psychological ideas can be used to derive the demand for a culture of care (Weintrobe) and for assuming responsibility in the sense of being a «guardian of the other» (Orange). On this basis, love, a sense of community, climate communication, the focus on gains and a granting superego can be helpful in building a bridge from the moral inner attitude to concordant, climate-appropriate action. Here, (psychodynamic) psychotherapy can make a crucial contribution.