Course Syllabus

Ecopsychology

Semester & Location:	Spring 2024 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Psychology, Sustainability
Prerequisite(s):	One psychology course at the university level
Faculty Members:	Eleftherios Saftis (current students please use the Canvas Inbox)
Program Contact:	Department email address psy.cns@dis.dk
Time & Place:	Tuesdays, 10:05-13:00 Classroom: N7-A21

Course Description

Do we face an environmental crisis, or a crisis of humanity’s relationship with the natural environment? Eco-psychology seeks to explore how modern psychological and capitalistic discourses have fragmented individual and social connections from the natural environment. This course will introduce you to the main theories and applications of eco-psychology. We will use experiential and multidisciplinary academic approaches to understand how human beings (dis)connect from our natural environments and identify opportunities for individual and community change.

 

Learning Objectives

One of the most pressing problems facing humanity is the destruction of our natural environment, along with the overconsumption of our resources, increased urbanization, demographic shifts, and raising inequality. Ecopsychology has highlighted from the early 60’s the importance of addressing humanities connection to the natural environment and seeing such a connection as a matter of public health concern.  Institutions such as the United Nations, and the European Union currently see climate change as the most important obstacle facing humanity.  Thus, creating an imperative for psychology to engage more fully with the matter.

“We are still addicted to fossil fuels. For the health of our societies and planet, we need to quit. Now."

ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, United Nations Secretary-General, 1 July 2022

Through the frame of ecopsychology we will explore the philosophical, psychological, spiritual, and social dimensions of humanity's relationship to the natural world.  We highlight these questions' importance in creating sustainable societies and healthier individuals. A key perspective of ecopsychology is the reciprocal relationship between human and nonhuman nature. 

 

In this class we will move beyond an individualistic psychological formulation of the self and will engage with the question of climate change through a multidisciplinary framework.  This will take shape by looking at why we need an ecopsychology and where has modern psychology not addressed such issues adequately.  Until fairly recently, psychology’s relevance to sustainability was not obvious to many people.  However, since the 21^st century psychological research focused on sustainability has exploded. 

 

Our modern-day problems need more than technological solutions.  Individually and collectively we will explore how we need to make changes in how we satisfy our needs and fulfill our desires, how we individually and socially express our desires and values and how these link to our social participation as citizens, activists and political subjects.  Activism and the psychological dimensions of why people are resistant to change will be explored. Can we create more efficient activism strategies through an eco psychological formulation of the individual and the group?

 

"Human sanity requires some less-than-obvious connections to nature as well as the necessities of food, water, energy, and air.  We have hardly begun to discover what those connections may be".

(Paul Shepard, 1969)

 

The course will comprise a combination of academic and experimental learning. You will be expected to engage with natural spaces as part of your coursework and keep a personal development diary.  This class will have extended field studies and personal engagement with the body and the natural environment.  We will visit places such as the woods, sea, parks and engage in experiential exercises individually and in groups.

 

We will apply the theories that we learn by creating proposals for community action projects and individual change projects.  You are expected to take both the personal and academic knowledge of this class and see how it can be applied to everyday living.  

 

In this class we will focus on the following themes:

 

• Why do we need ecopsychology and practical applications?
• Indigenous perspectives and climate change – Understanding the importance of history and narrative.
• Psychological models of the human nature connection – Psychological models of climate change, client trauma, clinical approaches.
• Ecological identities 
• Ecotherapy – Wilderness therapies
• Promoting effective activism – How can psychology help?
• Political and financial systems and how they connect to our relationship with nature.
• Understand how questions of history, politics, finance, language, and culture influence our individual and group psychology toward the environment. 
• Community engagement project – Ecopsychology and community/creating an intervention.

Faculty

Eleftherios Saftis

M.Sc. (Health Psychology, City, University of London, U.K., 2000). BSc. Hons. (Psychology, City, University of London, U.K., 1997). Certified in psychotherapy and counseling, trained at the Centre for Freudian Analysis and research and currently practicing at Freuds Agora in psychotherapeutic practice.  Co-authored a number of journal articles on post-traumatic stress disorder. Previously, was the Clinical Director of Community Housing and Therapy, a leading UK charity running therapeutic community households for adults with mental health diagnoses. Managed two therapeutic community projects - a project working with homeless veterans suffering from mental health difficulties and a project for individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis and personality disorder. Worked as a psychologist in the Greek Army. With DIS since 2015.

Readings

• Andy Fisher (2013) The project of ecopsychology. In Fisher, A. (Sunny Press) Radical Ecopsychology. Second Edition: Psychology in the Service of Life State University of New York Press. 2-22.
• Bain, G. P., Hornsey, J. M., Bongiorno, R., Jeffries, C. (2012) Promoting pro-environmental action in climate change deniers. Nature Climate Change, 2, 600-603.
• Britain. A. S., Elise. L. A., Koger. M. S., Cjristie. M. M., (2021) Healing the Split Between Planet and Self. In Britain. A. S., Elise. L. A., Koger. M. S., Cjristie. M. M (Routledge) Psychology for sustainability. Fifth edition, 248-265.
• Craps. S (2020) Climate trauma. In Davis. C., & Meretoja. H (1st edit). The Routledge Companion to Literature and Trauma, 275-282.
• Davis, J. (1998) The transpersonal dimensions of ecopsychology: nature, nonduality, and spiritual practice. The Humanistic Psychologist, 26 (1-3), 60-100.
• DeRobertis, E. M., (2015) Philosophical-anthropological considerations for an existential-humanistic ecopsychology. The Humanistic Psychologist, 43, 323-337.
• European Commission (2018) Behavioural study on consumers engagement in the circular economy. Executive Summary.  Implementing Framework Contract.
• European Commission (2012) Future Brief Green Behaviour. Issue 4.
• Fernee. R. C., Gabrielsen. E. L., Wickstrøm Andersen. A. J., Terje. M., (2015) Therapy in the Open Air: Introducing Wilderness Therapy to Adolescent Mental Health Services in Scandinavia. Scandinavian psychologist, 2, e14.
• Fletcher. R., (2010)  Neoliberal environmentality: towards a poststructuralist political ecology of the conservation debate. Conservation and society, 8 (3), 171-181.
• Gandy. S., Forstmann. M., Carhart-Harris. L. R., Timmermann. C., Luke. D., Watts. R., (2020) The potential synergistic effects between psychedelic administration and nature contact for the improvement of mental health. Health psychology open, 1-21.
• Gulliver. R., Wibisono. S., Fielding. S. K., Louise. R. W., (2021) The Psychology of Effective Activism, Cambridge Elements Applied Social Psychlogy, 1-53.
• Jimenez, M.P.; DeVille, N.V.; Elliott, E.G.; Schiff, J.E.; Wilt, G.E.; Hart, J.E.; James, P. (2021) Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,  18, 1-19.
• Kahan, D. M., Peters, E., Wittlin, M, Slovic, P., Ouellette, L. L., Braman, D., & Mandel, G. (2012) The polarizing impact of science and literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risk. Nature Climate Change, 2, 731-735.
• Keene, J. (2013) Unconscious obstacles to caring for the planet, facing up to human nature. In Weintrobe, S (Routledge) Engaging with climate change, psychoanalytic and interdisciplinary perspectives. Beyond the Couch Series, 144-164.
• Malina. P. I (2019)  No one alone. Mental health in a Danish Urban Context. A new approach and architectural studies in Danish mental health treatment. Urbanism and societal change.
• Maweu, J. (2012) Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Modern Western Ecological Knowledge: Complementary, not Contradictory.” Thoughts and Practice. A Journal of the Association of Kenya (PAK) New Series, 3 (2), 35-47.
• Thøgersen, J. (2014) Unsustainable consumption. Basic causes and implications for policy. European Psychologist, 19, 84-95.
• Thoma. V. M., Rohleder. N., Rohner. L. S., (2021) Clinical Ecopsychology: The Mental Health Impacts and Underlying Pathways of the Climate and Environmental Crisis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 1-20.
• United Nations (2022) Climate change 2022: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Ipcc sixth assessment report.
• Scull, J. (2009). Ecopsychology: Where does it fit in psychology in 2009? Trumpeter, 24(3).
• Sowa, F. (2013) Relations of Power & Domination in a World Polity. The Politics of Indigeneity & National Identity in Greenland. In Artic Year Book (2013). 184-198.
• Woodbury. Z., (2019) Climate Trauma: Toward a New Taxonomy of Trauma. Ecopsychology, 11 (1), 1-8.
• Yi-Jui Wu, H. (2018) Suicide and the Natural Environment: an Indigenous view. The Lancet, 2, 325-326.

 

Field Studies/Mini visits 

 

• Wilderness experience – Nordic outdoor therapy
  • The Nordic view of life in the outdoors is primarily based on a meaningful relationship and connection with nature, rather than challenging or conquering aspects of nature. At the first meeting of Nordic representatives in Turku, Finland in 2017, we decided to implement the term Outdoor Therapy to represent the Nordic approach to this line of work.
  • Moving indoor therapy to the outdoors is simply the lowest common denominator of what we all do. Of course, there are adventurous activities in wild places, but we see many more branches of work in nature, so the classic terms adventure and wilderness therapy didn’t quite cover us all. Also, adventure in itself is not necessarily an important ingredient or goal in our practices. Hikes into nature can be, and often are adventurous, and there could be intentional elements of adventure in some of the programs, however, this is often not the main characteristic. The term therapy is not readily delineated and at this point may include a variety of philosophies, approaches and practices as a means to prevent, rehabilitate, stimulate or treat in order to promote, maintain or regain health and well-being.

 

• Byøasen 

ByOasen is an urban farm where children and young people can get up close to goats, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, insects and even a snake! The playground's educational staff share their knowledge of the site's animals and nature, and during the day there is an opportunity to help them look after the animals. ByOasen also has raised beds, an outdoor kitchen, a colorful greenhouse made of recycled plastic and a large heated orangery. There is a campfire with activities every Thursday, where you can learn how to carve wood, cook on a fire or just enjoy yourself around the fire. The playground's wish is to create interest in nature, the environment, sustainability and health in Nørrebro. Here, the district's children, young people, families and the elderly can meet for joint activities and learn more about nature in the city.

• Nydningen - Slangerup Private Skov-  Nature Kindergarten 

When you come to Nydningen you will experience homeliness; Play, presence and time, which are the most important elements in our daily life. Through fixed routines and clear adults, we give the children an everyday life where they can feel safe and where there is time for them when they need it. Nature is our source of inspiration. Here we find room for immersion, concentration, collaboration, learning and development. We value elbow room, high ceilings, peace and space to unfold.

 

• The Greenlandic Society
  • One of the primary aims of the Greenlandic Society is to disseminate knowledge of Greenland and the artic region as a whole.   Creating forums of public knowledge as a way to protect local knowledge and traditions.  Along with the dissemination of knowledge another role of the society is the strengthening of Danish Greenlandic relationships.  We will be exploring with the society, the Greenlandic peoples’ relationship with their natural environment (historically and currently), the influence of Danish colonization, natural source utilization, and mental health consequences of environmental degrade.

 

Guest Lecturers

The transformative potential of climate emotions our responsibility in the climate crisis

Esther Michelsen Kjeldahl -  is a co-founder of two social movements, Den Grønne Ungdomsbevægelse (The Green Youth Movement) and Fossilfri Fremtid (Fossil Free Future).

She has an MSc Philosophy and Public Policy from London School of Economics and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Copenhagen. In 2020, she published the book Vi er sammen om at mærke det that delves into the role of climate emotions in our democracy and how we move from consumers to citizens in the way we respond to the climate crisis.  

 

Approach to Teaching

My approach to teaching is that students are expected to take responsibility towards their learning and come prepared for each class. My aim is to create a classroom environment in which each student can connect to their own personal wisdom by feeling safe in the classroom.  The learning of theory is an important step to our professional development, however, linking theory to our lives and the societies that we participate is crucial towards creating a deeper ecological knowledge.

My aim is to see the classroom environment as a lived environment in which optimal learning can take place through our own lives and narratives. Since this is a psychology class and especially an ecopsychology class the classroom environment is not seen as separate to our learning. Creating and fostering an environment in which mutual exploration can take place and students and teachers can question together and explore knowledge is seen key towards our professional and personal development.

 

Expectations of the Students

Students are expected to be prepared for class and participate actively throughout. This includes participation in all the planned activities and class/group discussions. Students are expected to have completed all required readings and ready to engage with key questions 

 

Student will be expected during the course to engage in reflective exercises such as keeping a nature development diary.  Student will be required to engage more than usual in outside class activities and be prepared in varying weather conditions to engage with the outdoors.

 

You are expected to attend all classes, guest lectures, workshops and field studies. If you must miss a class for religious holidays, medical reasons, or other valid reasons, you must let us know as far in advance as possible of the absence and obtain information about the work you must do to keep up in class. If you miss a class for any other reason (sudden illness, family emergency, etc.), you should get in touch with us as soon as possible and arrange to make up the work missed.

 

Students are not allowed to use computers during class. 

 

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated throughout the term by completing various group and individual assignments.  All students will be assigned their groups in the beginning of the term and will be required to complete all coursework in order to receive a passing grade.  Students that are able to produce work beyond the obvious and predictable will be awarded full marks for their efforts.  Students are also expected to contribute to class discussions and show active participation throughout the term in order to receive full marks for the course.

 

Late papers will be accepted but will penalized by 5% every day of lateness.

 

Grading

 

Assignment	Percent
Class citizenship and participation	15%
Mini eco presentation	15%
Reading reflections	20%
Exploring ecological perspectives	20%
Activism project/raising ecological awarness	30%
Total:	100%

 

Academic Regulations 

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org