Table 4 Psychotherapists’ views on how to deal with climate change-related thoughts and feelings in therapy: comparison of psychotherapists with and without experience with respective patients

Views on consequences of climate change-related concerns for mental health

In my opinion…

…climate change-related thoughts and feelings have the potential to lead to serious functional limitations in everyday life.

27.5 (117) / 72.5 (308)

19.0 (51)/ 81.0 (217)

42.0 (66) / 58.0 (91)

χ² (1) = 26.27,

p < 0.001***

…climate change-related thoughts and feelings are motivators to tackle climate change and its consequences.

20.7 (88) / 79.3 (337)

15.3 (41) / 84.7 (227)

29.9 (47) / 70.1 (110)

χ² (1) = 12.92,

p < 0.001***

…climate change-related thoughts and feelings are an expression of a zeitgeist.

35.5 (150) / 64.5 (272)

41.4 (110) / 58.6 (156)

25.6 (40) / 74.4 (116)

χ² (1) = 10.60,

p = 0.002**

…climate change-related thoughts and feelings only become relevant when they occur in the context of experienced traumatic events, e.g., extreme weather events, natural disasters.

79.1 (334) / 20.9 (88)

87.6 (234) / 12.4 (33)

64.5 (100) / 35.5 (55)

χ² (1) = 31.77,

p < 0.001***

Views on how to address climate change-related concerns in therapy

In my opinion…

…climate change related thoughts and feelings should be taken up in a validating way in therapy.

22.2 (93) / 77.8 (326)

18.2 (48) / 81.8 (216)

29.0 (45) / 71.0 (110)

χ² (1) = 6.66,

p = 0.030*

…climate change-related thoughts and feelings can cause motivation and engagement that can be addressed in therapy (e.g., self-efficacy, activity building, self-care).

15.2 (64) / 84.8 (358)

10.1 (27) / 89.9 (240)

23.9 (37) / 76.1 (118)

χ² (1) = 14.43,

p < 0.001***

…climate change-related thoughts and feelings can lead to stress, resignation, or despair, which should be addressed therapeutically (e.g., emotion regulation skills, relaxation, cognitive restructuring).

15.2 (64) / 84.8 (357)

12.0 (32) / 88.0 (234)

20.6 (32) / 79.4 (155)

χ² (1) = 5.64,

p = 0.036*

I consider the topic important for my therapeutic work, …

…and I believe that with the therapeutic skills I acquired, I am adequately prepared to address patients’ climate change-related thoughts and feelings.

21.4 (89) / 78.6 (326)

20.8 (55) / 79.2 (210)

22.7 (34) / 77.3 (116)

χ² (1) = 0.21,

p = 0.648

…but I am concerned about my own potential overload from treating patients with climate change-related thoughts and feelings.

73.7 (306) / 26.3 (109)

69.1 (183) / 30.9 (82)

82.0 (123) / 18.0 (27)

χ² (1) = 8.29,

p = 0.016*

Views on required resources for addressing climate change-related concerns in therapy

I consider the topic important for my therapeutic work, …

…and inform or educate myself accordingly on how I can work therapeutically with patients expressing climate change-related thoughts and feelings.

46.3 (192) / 53.7 (223)

34.0 (90) / 66.0 (175)

68.0 (102) / 32.0 (48)

χ² (1) = 44.64,

p < 0.001***

…but I don’t know where I can find information/further training on how to deal with patients expressing climate change-related thoughts and feelings.

49.5 (205) / 50.5 (209)

46.4 (123) / 53.6 (142)

55.0 (82) / 45.0 (67)

χ² (1) = 2.83,

p = 0.092

I do not consider the topic important for psychotherapy and I am not interested in further information on how to work therapeutically with patients expressing climate change-related thoughts and feelings.

80.3 (335) / 19.7 (82)

89.5 (238) / 10.5 (28)

64.2 (97) / 35.8 (54)

χ² (1) = 38.83,

p < 0.001***