this blog was originally featured on permie.net as a resource list companion to The New York Times Magazine article featuring Thomas Doherty about the field of Ecopsychology.

The Ecological Unconscious – Links for Further Exploration

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Artwork by Kate MacDowell; photograph by Dan Kvitka for The New York Times
Artwork by Kate MacDowell; photograph by Dan Kvitka for The New York Times

Rather than do a commentary on the article, I wanted to offer a sort of annotated list of links of people and concepts mentioned in the article. Here they are, in no particular order:

There was one part of the article that really struck me:

So what to do? How do you go about rebooting human consciousness? Bateson’s prescription for action was vague. We needed to correct our errors of thought by achieving clarity in ourselves and encouraging it in others — reinforcing “whatever is sane in them.” In other words, to be ecological, we needed to feel ecological. It isn’t hard to see why Bateson’s ideas might appeal to ecopsychologists. His emphasis on the interdependence of the mind and nature is the foundation of ecotherapy. It is also at the root of Kahn’s notion that “rewilding” the mind could have significant psychological benefits. But it also isn’t hard to see how the seeming circularity of Bateson’s solution — in order to be more ecological, feel more ecological — continues to bedevil the field and those who share its interests.

While reading it, I realized that this is exactly what part of the Ecology of Leadership program does…gives us a prescription for rebooting our operating systems through the daily sit spot practice and by creating a space for us to develop our awareness of our interconnectedness…we ARE nature.

It’s very encouraging to see mainstream approaches to this topic appearing![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Published by Thomas Doherty

Psychologist Thomas Doherty's work on environmental sustainability and health has been featured in publications like the New York Times and in talks worldwide. Thomas consults with individuals and organizations through his business Sustainable Self. He was the founding Director of the Ecopsychology Certificate Program at Lewis & Clark Graduate School and Founding Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed academic journal Ecopsychology. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

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