The role of school counsellors in response to eco-anxiety

Abstract

Today’s children are born into a climate crisis and are increasingly exposed to its effects. Eco-anxiety is an emotional response to climate crises. Numerous recent studies have shown that the prevalence of eco-anxiety is increasing among children. School counsellors are uniquely positioned to lead educators, parents, and students on how eco-anxiety can be addressed within schools. However, this phenomenon has not yet received attention in the school counselling literature. This conceptual article aims to convey the importance of school counsellors’ knowledge and consciousness of the relationship between ecological crises and mental health and to discuss their roles in schools in this context.