FAQ: “How do I train to become an ecopsychologist?”
With no complete training available in this field yet, the first stage for most ecopsychologists is to train, and gain working experience, in fields such as: psychotherapy, counselling or the caring professions; outdoor education or environmental work of some kind. The second stage is to use the wide range of courses now available to help integrate ecopsychology into your practice and ways of seeing. An important, ongoing element in an ecopsychology training is to find and develop a personal practice of one’s own which nurtures and supports our capacity to come into alignment with the earth.
The many diverse routes into ecopsychology are illustrated on our practitioners pages.
For short courses see Ecopsychology Ning Website. Longer courses are listed below; each course has a different emphasis.
Ecopsychology Courses 6mths to 1 yr
Natural Change Facilitator Training: A one-year programme to train facilitators to lead Natural Change style programmes. Based around four wilderness residentials, mentoring, seminars, self-guided reading, development of a personal ‘wild practice’, and project work, the programme will include training in outdoor leadership, bushcraft, psychotherapy, mindfulness practice, creative process and facilitation. Contact Margaret Kerr and Dave Key for details.
Re-Vision Ecopsychology Training: a 6 month course in Cotswolds and London for 1) those in the helping professions who want to integrate the challenge of ecological awareness into their work and 2) those engaged in ecological action who wish to deepen their understanding and to learn a relational craft. Taught by Chris Roberston, Joan Crawford and Mary-Jayne Rust.
Ten Directions: Certificate in Other-Centred Environmentally Based Therapies. This programme consists of: three seven day training blocks run at our centre in rural France; five practice-based Distance Learning units; an optional second year involving a mentored practicum and one further training block. Course Leader: Caroline Brazier, head of Amida psychotherapy training programme and author of six books including Acorns Among the Grass – Adventures in Eco-Therapy (required reading); Other Centred Therapy, both published by O-Books and Buddhist Psychology published by Constable Robinson.
Wild Therapy: A course of three four or five night residentials spread over six months, two of them camping in a secluded valley, facilitated by Nick Totton. An exploration in depth, and a celebration, of therapy’s wildness, its capacity to transcend the limitations we place on our own creativity and connectedness.
WTR Facilitator Development Adventure: a one year-long facilitator training and development group journey starting May 2012 for people already facilitating The Work That Reconnects and similar eco-psychological processes, or those who wish to do so. Venue: Bath. Facilitators: Jenny Mackewn and Chris Johnstone (author of “Find Your Power” and in 2012 his book ”Active Hope” written with Joanna Macy).
There are more longer ecopsychology courses listed within ‘Academia’ below (eg see the CHE module)
Ecopsychology within Psychotherapy and Counselling trainings
Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling The Ecological Self 2011, taught by Kelvin Hall, is an optional part of the training for the Diploma in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy. We will study the theorists of eco-psychology and eco-therapy and the ways they complement or contrast with the more familiar therapeutic theories. We will be making extensive use of access to animals and landscape available at the site of this course.
Brighton University: Martin Jordan, Chris Wilton and Sue Sully teach aspects of Ecopsychology on the psychodynamic counselling training.
Re-Vision Ecopsychology Training As above.
Embodied Relational Therapy: A 3 yr post-qualification course which includes an earth-centred perspective with Nick Totton and Allison Priestman.
Surrey University: Dr Martin Milton lectures and writes on the restorative power of the natural world. He is Senior Lecturer on the University of Surrey Practitioner Doctorate in Psychotherapeutic and Counselling Psychology.
ACADEMIA:
Undergraduate Ecopsychology
Bournemouth University: Paul Stevens teaches an ecopsychology and environmental psychology module within the psychology degree.
Brighton University: Ecopsychology module run by Matt Adams and Martin Jordan.
Keele University: offers a Psychology Bachelor’s degree with a module in Ecopsychology taught by Dr John Hegarty.
Postgraduate Ecopsychology
Central Lancashire University: International School for Communities, Rights and Inclusion. Warwick Fox is Course Leader for the MA in Values and Environment.
Centre for Human Ecology is a network for ecological and social transformation, offering courses for people who want to “be the change,” help organisations pursue greener, more ethical practices, and work towards tackling the root causes of global issues. CHE offers a module in ecopsychology in Brighton, Sussex taught by Martin Jordan and Jane Glenzinski.
London South Bank University: Paul Maiteny tutors and writes for the MSc programme in Education for Sustainability. His units are informed by ecopsychology. This distance learning course has been running since 1995.
Nottingham Trent University: David Kidner ’s research and teaching interests are focused around the conflict between the natural order and industrialism, and include the shaping of selfhood in industrial societies, the effects of industrialisation on psychological well-being, and the relationship between culture and the natural world.
Schumacher College, Devon: Offer an MSc in Holistic science as well as short courses in Ecopsychology taught by Dave Key and Mary-Jayne Rust.
Wales University, Lampeter: Patrick Curry ‘s ongoing project concerns enchantment as a common but little-mentioned human experience – one which touches on and connects a wide range of strange bedfellows: nature, erotic communion, art, divination and spirituality. He is also very interested in related issues such as the nature of truth, metaphor, embodied phenomenology, pluralism and post-secularism.
Warwick University: John Pickering lectures on ecopsychology and related subjects in the Dept Psychology to PhD level.
Courses and Trainings outside the UK
USA: Naropa University, Boulder, Colorado offers both undergraduate courses in ecopsychology, the Psychology of Wilderness Experience, and more. Also on offer is an ecopsychology degree via distance learning.
California Institute for Integral Studies offers an MA in ‘Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness’ as well as doctoral programmes in Social and Cultural Anthropology, East-West Psychology; Transformative Studies (online program). Faculty and associates include Joanna Macy, Brian Swimme, Susan Griffin, Charlene Spretnak, Starhawk, and more.
Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, CA a post graduate programme in Depth psychology with emphasis in commuity psychology, liberation psychology and ecopsychology Faculty includes Mary Watkins.
Friday Harbor, WA: Educating, Counselling and Healing with Nature at Project NatureConnect with Michael Cohen. “Akamai University in Hawaii now offers online, a new, nature-connected, sensory science. It empowers caring individuals to make the changes necessary to increase personal and global well being.”
University of Wisonsin Superior: Susan Loonsk and others offers an expressive ecopsychology module within visual arts: http://www.uwsuper.edu/acaddept/art/studio/ecopsy.cfm
Lewis and Clark Graduate School, Portland: Thomas Doherty runs an ecopsychology course as part of the counselling programme at Lewis and Clark graduate school.
Antioch University, Seattle: masters in Psychology specialising in Ecopsychology;
Holos Institute, San Francisco.
A list of further ideas is on: http://ecopsychology.athabascau.ca/0197/ecostudy.htm
AUSTRALIA: University of Western Sydney: offers a Masters Programme in Social Ecology taught by Stuart Hill.
La Trobe University: Ecocriticism and environmental psychology see David Tacey; and Freya Mathews teaches ecological philosophy on Philosophy Program
The Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU, Canberra
Queensland University of Technology, School of Human Movement Studies: Dr Eric Brymer
Australian Association for Bush Adventure Therapy Australia