Ecopsychology and Environmental Psychology

ECOPSYCHOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
--What is Ecopsychology?
--Reflections on Ecopsychology
--Transpersonal Ecopsychology (Brief)
--Transpersonal Ecopsychology (long)
--Wilderness Rites of Passage
--Psychological Benefits of Nature
--Env Psych, Env Problems, and Env Action (under construction)

AUTHOR INFORMATION

ECOPSYCHOLOGY
AND ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

This section deals with ecopsychology, some aspects of environmental psychology, and the intersection of nature, the human psyche, and spirit. Ecopsychology and environmental psychology are two of the disciplines which deal directly with human-nature relationships. They seek to complement other disciplines dealing with these relationships, including aspects of ecology, human geography, environmental action and sustainability, architecture and design, and ecophilosophy.

Environmental psychology is a well-established academic field with a strong research base. Its focus is the way humans interact with their environments, including built and natural environments. Ecopsychology, an emerging orientation, draws from ecology, psychology, and philosophy, as well as other fields. It is based on the intimate connection between humans and nature, the implications of that connection, and applications for realizing that connection. Many, but not all, environmental psychologists tend toward more reductionistic models of human nature, while ecopsychologists tend toward more expansive and less dualistic models of human-nature relationships. While my main interests are the transpersonal and spiritual aspects of ecopsychology, I taught college courses on environmental psychology for some years and I value its contributions. The intersection of environmental psychology and ecopsychology is useful for both fields.

Ecology and psychology, having grown up on different sides of the mountain, met one day in the thick brush at the ridge line separating their home territories. Their first contact was awkward and hesitant. They began to circle, they danced, and finally they joined. Their offspring are twins. One is vigorous, skillful, joyous, and sustainable environmental action. The other is the wonder, intimacy, healing, expansion, and grace of finding ourselves at home in the world. They realized, too, that there was much work to be done together. There were other such liaisons in the thick brush at the edges, but this one was particularly juicy, wild, and fertile.

Psychology, so dedicated to awakening human consciousness, needs to wake itself up to one of the most ancient human truths: we cannot be studied or cured apart from the planet. -James Hillman

What is Ecopsychology?, a definition and map of ecopsychological practices

Reflections on Ecopsychology, a short review article from Perspective, the magazine of the Association for Humanistic Psychology and the Association for Transpersonal Psychology

A brief comment on transpersonal psychology and ecopsychology

A longer, more academic paper on the transpersonal dimensions of ecopsychology, originally published in The Humanistic Psychologist

A paper on wilderness rites of passage, one example of an ecopsychology practice

An outline of research and theory on the psychological benefits of nature experiences

Environmental psychology, enviromental problems, and environmental action (in process)

The Diamond Approach and Primitive Ecopsychology. The Diamond Approach of A. H. Almaas is an understanding and path for self-realization which integrates psychological insights and spiritual wisdom. Primitive Ecopsychology calls us into direct and immediate contact with the natural world using the "Four Shields" model of nature and human nature. Here, I describe one of the intersections of these two profoundly useful approaches. They also come together on a wilderness retreat I lead called DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH.

Please check back as I add to these pages.

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