“Ecopsychological Development and Maternal Ecodistress in Matrescence” 🌱
A new article in The Journal of Ecopsychology coauthored with Dr. Aurelie Athan.
Attention helping professionals!
Aurelie Athan and I are delighted to share exciting news from the Matrescence Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University. We recently published our peer-reviewed article, "Ecopsychological Development and Maternal Ecodistress in Matrescence."
We published in The Journal of Ecopsychology, the only peer-reviewed journal that places psychology and mental health in an ecological context to recognize the links between human health, culture, and the planet's health. The Journal seeks to reshape modern psychology by showing that it cannot stand apart from an intimate human connection with the natural environment and that we need that connection with nature to do well mentally and physically (let alone to flourish, as individuals and as a species).
Ecopsychology's special issue on ecotherapy (putting ecopsychology into practice), edited by Dr. Susan Bodnar (also from Teachers College), was the perfect home for our article exploring the intersection of ecopsychology and the transformative period of matrescence.
"Matrescence" refers to the transformative journey of becoming a mother, encompassing biological, psychological, social, ecological, and spiritual changes. This article investigates how ecological factors intersect with maternal experiences during matrescence, explicitly examining the concept of "maternal ecodistress." Ecodistress refers to the emotional and psychological distress experienced by mothers when confronted with environmental issues, such as climate change, pollution, or loss of biodiversity.
This article helps illuminate the nuanced relationship between ecopsychological development and maternal ecodistress. With important implications for practitioners and advocates, it highlights the significance of considering the eco-contextual factors that shape maternal experiences and offers insights for supporting mothers' well-being while fostering ecological awareness… even when maternal distress doesn't foreground themes of environmental concern.
Reader feedback has emphasized the following:
Model of matrescence domains
Non-pathological approach to distress in matrescence
Practical guidance for incorporating the natural world in clinical work with mothers
I'd love to hear your thoughts if you can read it!
To access the open-access full article, please visit the journal's website here.
I want to thank Aurelie Athan for the beautiful collaborative experience writing this paper. I look forward to sharing our more recent scholarly endeavors that contribute to the transformative field of matrescence studies and the emerging area of maternal ecopsychology.
Until next time!
Maternal ecopsychology, as introduced in this article, is a “think and do” theory since it seeks to undo ideas that undermine maternal mental health such as the human/nonhuman and mind/body binaries. Below, I’ve shared some reflection questions on this emerging concept to help you start to practice it in your work with mothers. Please share any answers you want to with me by replying to this email!
1. What is maternal ecopsychology and how does it differ from traditional psychological theories?
2. How does maternal ecopsychology incorporate ecological factors into the transition to motherhood?
3. What is matrescence and how does it relate to maternal ecopsychology?
4. Why is it important to reintroduce the ecological domain into the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model of the transition to motherhood?
5. How can maternal ecopsychology help mothers develop a more ecocentric worldview?
6. What are some unique developmental tasks that mothers must undertake in order to become more ecocentric?
7. How might maternal ecopsychology impact our understanding of motherhood and parenting?
8. Are there any criticisms or limitations of maternal ecopsychology as a field of study?
9. How might maternal ecopsychology be applied in practical settings, such as therapy or counseling for new mothers?
10. What further research needs to be done in order to fully understand the implications of maternal ecopsychology?