From eco-anxiety to eco-paralysis: A case study on behavioral responses to climate change in healthcare professionals

TL;DR

This case study examines how a dermatologist's climate-related distress evolved into eco-paralysis and how therapy helped her regain professional engagement.

Contribution

The paper introduces a personalized therapeutic model combining CBT, ACT, and nature-based interventions to address eco-anxiety in healthcare professionals.

Findings

Climate-related distress can lead to eco-paralysis, impairing emotional and professional functioning.

Integrated psychological interventions can reduce eco-paralysis and foster renewed professional engagement.

Nature-based and meaning-centered practices help transform climate-related distress into adaptive behavior.

Abstract

This case report explores the psychological effects of climate change on healthcare professionals through the experience of a dermatologist suffering from climate-related distress.

The participant developed severe eco-anxiety that evolved into eco-paralysis, impairing her emotional well-being and professional functioning. Her strong commitment to environmental causes contributed to emotional overload, ecological grief, and feelings of helplessness, exacerbated by limited social support and professional isolation.

A personalized therapeutic approach was developed, integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and nature-based interventions such as forest bathing. The therapeutic process was focused on grief processing, increasing self-efficacy, and reconnecting with nature, while psychoeducation supported the reframing of environmental concerns and addressed conflicts between personal values and social norms. These strategies reduced eco-paralysis and fostered renewed professional engagement and advocacy.

This case highlights how integrated, evidence-based psychological interventions can address eco-anxiety and its behavioral consequences in healthcare professionals. Enhancing self-efficacy and cultivating emotional resilience through nature and meaning-centered practices can transform climate-related distress into adaptive engagement. This model may inform future clinical practice and case studies; its effectiveness could be investigated in future research.

Image, graphical abstract

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