Training clinicians for climate-informed mental healthcare

The ongoing climate crisis contributes to a cascade of social stressors, physical threats and widespread mental health impacts. Mental health professionals across the globe are reporting an increasing prevalence of climate-change-related concerns from their patients, while simultaneously reporting uncertainty about how best to address these concerns. Given the escalating nature of climate change and, by extension, climate-related mental health challenges, the mental healthcare profession must adapt. We argue that an important first step is for mental health training programs to incorporate climate-aware competencies aimed at preparing trainees to work within the context of the climate crisis. We propose three specific competencies: (1) adapt and develop assessment and intervention strategies to be ‘climate-aware’; (2) include community adaptation and resilience as therapeutic goals with individuals, groups and organizations; and (3) engage in an expanded scope of professional responsibilities. Additionally, we provide preliminary suggestions for defining and incorporating these competencies.