Readings and Discussion Post: Ecopsychology Theory and Therapy

Chalquist, C. (2009); see recommend readings on Ecopsychology,

Pope and Wedding, pp 570 – 600

Discussion Post:

What is Eco-psychology and what is involved in the practice of Eco-therapy

HERE IS THE RESPOND TO THE MAIN POST

Kian

We have finally made it to the end of semester. Congrats! We are ending our module with a discussion about eco-psychology and how it is involved with therapy today. This was a new topic for me to divulge in as I have not been exposed to this type of psychology before.

Eco-therapy consist of mutual healing and growth as it pertains to relationships in the natural world (Chalquist, 2009). In other words, it is a deep connection with the earth and the environment that surrounds you. The environment and the connection that an individual has with it can greatly affect the psychological, social, and physical well-being. The premise behind this unconventional method is that it promotes an emotional connection between humans and the world. It also aids in encouraging sustainability.

Types of Therapy

Since there is a disconnection from the natural world, a intrapsychic or intra-familial can cause psychosomatic symptoms (Chalquist, 2009). The benefit of eco-therapy is it relies heavily on a nature-based approach to healing. After all, everyone is surrounding with the world and can become interconnected with it. One method of therapy that had completely fascinated me was how horticulture therapy (HT) can assist with managing stress and obesity. Reconnecting with the world allows an individual to alleviate symptoms that is caused outside of the unnatural world (Chalquist, 2009). These symptoms can bring a larger capacity for health such as joy or social connection. Taking a walks or gardening can help improve psychological symptoms. In fact, gardening can be become cathartic for individuals who feel a sense of isolation. This is a great way to lessen those effects especially in an elderly population.

Another type of treatment modality that aids in reconnection with the world are animal assisted therapy. This type of therapy aids in rehabilitation, recovery, and healing in clients with different diseases (acute or chronic). Since animals provide a calm sensation, this will distract the attention from the distressing situation and move toward providing a comforting and pleasurable feeling.  Like horticulture therapy, animal-assisted therapy has been positively effective with the elderly as well. According to Chalquist (2009), Alzheimers patients who were aggressive, and hostile had a decrease in these negative traits when a dog came visiting them.

This emerging field of eco-psychology and eco-therapy has benefits to the individuals that incorporates a connectedness and oneness with nature. This holistic view in psychotherapy will help foster mood improvement and an overall positive mental well-being.

Reference

Chalquist, C. (2009). A look at the ecotherapy research evidence. Ecopsychology, 1(2), 64-74. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2009.0003

Find a news article about a microeconomic issue published after Aug 23, 2020 in a reputable newspaper or magazine, like the Financial Times, New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Business Week, The Economist, Dollars and Sense.

Requirements:
Your news analysis should contain data, not just pure opinion; for example, the news cant be simply about what some prominent person thinks. You can discuss the data provided by the author; if the author provides no data, you need find some supporting evidence by yourself. The topic can be non-US economies.

1. Make clear reference of the news article at the beginning of your report: author, date, source, etc.

2. AUDIENCE: Write as if writing for the general public as if writing for a blog of an organization for which you were an intern. Students often write for their professors, and so leave out important facts and principles which are exactly what we want you to practice writing about.

3. SUMMARY: What part of the article do you want to comment on? Summarize it briefly.

4. RELATION to MICROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES: Note any concepts and/or cause-effect relationships in the article that illustrate OR seem to contradict something you learned about the microeconomics in this class. If possible, use equations and/or graphs to discuss such concepts or relationships. Explain any such equations or graphs, and how they relate to the article.

5. CRITIQUE & QUESTIONS: Do the authors claims seem valid, and supported by the evidence offered? What questions/objections about the authors claims do you have? Do you think the author is mistaken? Why? Are you aware of conflicting evidence? Is the logic flawed? Be clear and specific. If you ask questions, what evidence might help you answer them? Be as specific as possible. Or some type of comparative data for the US and other countries?

6. NEW: Whats new or interesting to you in the article? Is the new part convincing?

7. FORMAT: 12-point or 11-point font; 1 inch margin; 1.5 line spacing; 400 – 600 words (apart from
citations). Max 3 pages, counting any diagrams you draw and Works Cited.

8. WORKS CITED: List Works Cited the article itself and any others used; cite the source of any facts, using a standard citation system consistently (not just the URL) Help: www.chicagomanualofstyle.org; click on Quick Citation Guide (on the right).