Wounding in Nature
Section Overview

One of the ground stones of ecopsychological practice is understanding the connection between our own wounding and the wounding in nature. How does the grief felt for loss of biodiversity or environmental devastation mirror the grief or trauma we may have experienced in our own lives?

To understand more about nature’s wounds and the connection between our own wounding and the wounding in nature, read a short but moving story written by a first year undergraduate new to ecopsychology, Karen West. Through her reflection Living in Cages, she illustrates the truth of the proposition that what we are concerned about tends to mirror what we struggle with inside. This truth helps to highlight that we are nature; and that the rest of nature’s suffering touches us somewhere. Recognising these connections and working in the field with them shows us that connection is a pathway to sustainable activism for the earth and for ourselves.

Claire Mouser was brought up going hunting. In Sustainable Hunting she argues that hunting is about more than killing or macho-identity building. At its heart, it is about the relationship between humans and animals.

Asthma is affecting more and more people in our modern society, particularly children. Cinnamon Evans looks at her own asthma and recovery through an unexpected link with trees and sadness in Breathe.