See a profile of Thomas Doherty in Life Coach Magazine.
Thomas Doherty, Psy.D. is a clinical and environmental psychologist based in Portland, Oregon and one of the most experienced climate-conscious therapists in the US. He has multiple publications and his groundbreaking paper “The Psychological Impacts of Global Climate Change,” co-authored with Susan Clayton, has been cited nearly 1000 times. Dr. Doherty is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), Past President of the Society for Environmental, Population and Conservation Psychology, a member of the original APA Task Force on Global Climate Change, and Founding Editor of the journal Ecopsychology. He also founded and directed the Ecopsychology Certificate program at Lewis & Clark Graduate School, where he educated mental health counselors and therapists in outdoor and nature-based therapies. Dr. Doherty has directed and run his own therapy and counseling practice, Sustainable Self, since 2004.
“Early in my career, I realized that issues regarding the natural environment were important for mental health and therapy disciplines, and I have held space for this for many years, as the general public and the professions have caught up.
In my consultation work, I draw on a wealth of personal experiences, from my working-class upbringing in Western New York, to my early career work as a professional fisherman in Alaska, river guide in Grand Canyon, and counselor on a therapeutic wagon train traveling the American West with inner city teens. I integrate my dissertation research in health psychology, treating anxiety and depression in cardiac rehabilitation patients, and also my training in mindfulness meditation and behavioral medicine at the UMass Medical School. My formative research experiences were with noted environmental psychology scholars on the American Psychological Association’s first Climate Change Task Force, and as founding editor of the Ecopsychology journal.”
— Thomas Doherty, Psy.D.
Publications
Doherty T. J., Lykins, A, (2024) “Mental Health Impacts” in B. Levy & J. Patz (Eds.) Climate Change and Public Health (2nd. Ed.). Oxford University Press
Doherty T. J., Lykins, A, Piotrowski, N., Rogers, Z., Sebree, D.D. & White, K. E. (2022) Clinical Psychology Responses to the Climate Crisis in G. Asmundson (Ed.) Comprehensive Clinical Psychology (2nd Ed.). Elsevier.
Harper, N. & Doherty T. J. (2020) An Introduction to Outdoor Therapies in N. J. Harper & W. W. Dobud (Eds.). Outdoor Therapies: An Introduction to Practices, Possibilities, and Critical Perspectives. New York: Routledge.
Doherty, T. J. (2016). Theoretical and Empirical Foundations for Ecotherapy. In M. Jordan & J. Hinds (Eds.). Ecotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice. London: Palgrave
Doherty, T. J. & Chen, A. (2016). Improving Human Functioning: Ecotherapy and Environmental Health Approaches. In R. Gifford (Ed.). Research Methods in Environmental Psychology. John Wiley & Sons.
Doherty, T. J. & Clayton, S. (2011). The Psychological Impacts of Global Climate Change. American Psychologist, 66, 265–276
Writings for the General Public
- Climate Change and Grief – A Dual Process Approach
- Nature-based Stress Reduction
- Have You Packed Your 10 Essentials for Mental Well-being?
- Why You Love the Earth
Articles, Webinars and Podcasts
Climate Change and Happiness Podcast — Co-hosted by Thomas Doherty and Panu Pihkala
American Psychological Association Speaking of Psychology Podcast (April 22, 2021): How to cope with climate anxiety, with Thomas Doherty, PsyD, and Ashlee Cunsolo, PhD
Continuing education article quoting Dr. Thomas Doherty: Addressing climate change concerns in practice, Monitor on Psychology March 1, 2021
Webinar “Nature, Climate Change and Mental Health” American Psychological Association Psychologist’s Toolbox, October 15, 2020
Coach’s Circle Podcast: How Dr. Thomas Doherty weaves a focus on nature and climate change into therapy and coaching