Fear, despair, uncertainty—these are all common emotions when contemplating the fate of our warming planet. How do we cope, stay hopeful, and work towards solutions to climate change? Join us for a discussion on how to navigate these emotions led by three mental health professionals who actively focus on climate change in their practices.

Discussion topics will include: climate triggers and how they make us feel, eco-anxiety and coping strategies, and ways to cultivate hope and participate in positive change. Attendees will have the opportunity to share their own experiences and engage in Q&A with the panelists. High school students and adults of all ages are invited to participate in this community conversation.

Panelists:

Dr. Suzanne Davino is a clinical psychologist with expertise in treating young adults and helping their parents to support them. She maintains a private practice in Ridgefield, CT and previously served as Senior Director of Young Adult Services at Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants (CBC), where she and her colleagues created the SAGE program for young adults and their parents. Dr. Davino is an advocate for the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, a Bedford 2030 volunteer, a native gardening enthusiast, and a Visible Mender.

Dr. Eric Lewandowski is a clinical psychologist who specializes in mood and anxiety problems in teens and young adults. He was a key contributor to a landmark 2021 survey of climate anxiety in 10,000 youth around the world, and lead investigator on a recently completed study of the emotional and psychological impacts of climate change on American adolescents and young adults. He is a board member and community youth liaison for Croton100, a local volunteer environmental organization.

Dr. Joseph Taliercio is a clinical psychologist and the Coordinator of Research with Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants. One of his specializations is climate psychology. He maintains a strong interest in improving scientific communication, prompting integrated healthcare, and political advocacy. Dr. Taliercio has presented and published on a variety of topics, including discussing the psychiatric impacts of climate change on both NPR and CNN over the last year. He is a native New Yorker, and continues to reside in New York City, an avid reader, and a bird watcher.

Vanessa Hedwig Smith will moderate a Q&A. Smith is one of the creators of the Playhouse’s Let’s Talk series. She is a painter, filmmaker, and writer who has lived and worked in India, Nepal, England, and the US. Most of her work revolves around the environment, mental health, medicine, beauty, and art. Her first chapbook of poetry, Room Tone, was published by Finishing Line Press in February 2024.