Meet Dr Louise Edgington: Helping People Care for Their Minds and the Planet

Do you ever wish more adults would take climate action. You are not alone.

That’s where Dr Louise Edgington comes in. She’s a Climate Psychology Practitioner who helps people care for their minds so they can care for the Earth.

🌟From Science to Psychology

Louise first studied Physics at Oxford and later became a science teacher.

She loved teaching climate science but she saw that facts alone weren’t enough. People also needed help with their feelings.

🧠Understanding Feelings

Sometimes when people hear about climate change, it can feel a bit scary. When we feel scared, our brains and bodies go into “survival mode.” That’s when we might fight, run away, or freeze like a statue. 🥶

This can make us switch off, stop listening, or stop acting, even if we really care.

Louise knows this is a normal reaction. But she also knows that if we understand what’s going on inside us, we can learn tools to calm down, feel stronger, helping us feel able to take action for the planet. 

Wanting to help, Louise retrained as a psychologist at the UCL Institute of Education and started ClimatEdPsych, a project that brings psychology and climate science together. 🌍💭

Now she helps people manage the many emotions climate change can bring — like worry, sadness, frustration, or even hope. She reminds us these are all normal feelings.

Louise also shares simple tools and activities that make it easier to cope with our feelings, helping people move from feeling stuck to actually taking action. 💪🌱 Using these tools can help us feel stronger, find hope, and even see change as a chance for new opportunities. ✨

👩‍🏫 How does she do this?

Louise’s big aim is to make sure that mental health support is part of climate education and action.

She runs workshops in schools, businesses, festivals, and community groups across the UK. In them, she helps teachers, parents, and students learn skills to manage emotions, stay hopeful, and see change not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity. 

She also works with groups like the British Psychological Society, Climate Minds Coalition, Climate Cares, and the Climate Majority Project, making sure mental health support is included into climate education and action.

🌍 A Reason to Be Hopeful

Louise’s work shows that inspiring people to take climate action isn’t just about science and facts, it also involves feelings, friendships, and community. 💚

She helps people manage eco-anxiety (worry about the planet) by teaching simple skills to help us cope with our emotions and find the courage to act. 🌱✨

So next time you feel worried about climate change, check out these short videos Louise made for Reasons to Be Hopeful full of quick tips to help calm eco-worries 🌟

👉 Learn more about Louise’s work: www.climatedpsych.com