Maternal Ecodistress: Holding Space for the Full Spectrum of Motherhood’s Emotional Landscape
Lately, my social media feeds are filled with posts about “ecoanxiety,” especially as it relates to motherhood. This rise in climate-related distress captures the growing concern mothers feel about the world they’re bringing their children into. In this complex landscape, we find a kindred concept in “maternal ecodistress”—a term Aurelie Athan and I use to describe this increasing phenomenon of challenging climate concern in the lives of mothers that acknowledges the full range of emotions mothers experience in the journey of becoming.
Unlike clinical terms that categorize perinatal mental health, maternal ecodistress encompasses the spectrum of feelings mothers encounter, including both acute anxieties and subtler, ongoing concerns. In our Ecopsychology article where we define the term, we draw on Emmanuel and St. John’s (2010) description of this transition to motherhood as one where mothers respond to stress, adapt, and find balance along a continuum.
It’s an invitation to recognize that mothering isn’t simply about highs or lows but an evolving, nonlinear path that holds moments of connection, resilience, and meaning.
Personally and professionally, I heavily lean into this approach from a positive psychology perspective—focusing not only on the challenging emotions but also on the connective and supportive ones that rise alongside them.
A Wider Lens for Motherhood’s Climate Emotions
In recent years, climate change has added a unique layer to maternal distress. Ecoanxiety, the sense of grief and fear around environmental degradation, is pervasive among mothers who feel an immense responsibility to protect their children’s future.
Climate emotions, while often defined by fear and dread, also include deeply connective feelings—compassion, a sense of duty, and solidarity with others who share these worries. These emotions may open pathways to community and proactive resilience, connecting people in a collective commitment to steward the earth.
For mothers, these positive climate emotions bring forth what I wrote about last week as the new snap back—a shift from focusing on things out of our control to reconnecting with what we can influence in our immediate environments. Maternal ecopsychology’s positive perspective encourages us to hold both the challenging and connective aspects of ecoanxiety, recognizing that these emotions can spark conversations, strengthen bonds, and fuel compassionate action.
Embracing the Full Spectrum of Maternal Ecodistress
Maternal ecodistress, with this broader understanding, becomes more than an experience of personal strain—it’s an opportunity to explore the ways that collective climate emotions can help mothers find meaning and support in community. Rather than viewing ecoanxiety as a solitary burden, it can be seen as part of a shared human experience. While ecoanxiety often stems from a place of helplessness, it also can transform into a sense of connection, uniting mothers who feel similarly in a common purpose of nurturing both their children and the earth.
This spectrum-based understanding of maternal ecodistress aligns closely with Copeland & Harbaugh (2019), who emphasize that motherhood is not a singular experience but one that varies widely, even within each mother’s journey. In this fuller view, maternal distress isn’t only about the weight of worry but also the way in which mothers rally together to support each other, holding space for both individual concerns and shared efforts toward environmental care.
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Finding Ground in Maternal Distress Through Positive Climate Emotions
So, how can we find grounding within the spectrum of maternal ecodistress and climate emotions? For me and the groups I facilitate, the answer lies in embracing positive climate emotions as both sources of support and pathways to meaningful action. These emotions can foster a sense of purpose and belonging, reminding mothers that they aren’t alone in their fears or their hopes. A simple act—joining a local environmental group, sharing knowledge with their children, or even connecting with other mothers through community programs—becomes a way to embody this hope.
In these small but significant ways, mothers can navigate maternal ecodistress with a sense of agency, compassion, and resilience—honoring the challenges while leaning into the supportive climate emotions that offer strength and purpose in the face of uncertainty. Climate emotions, when held with intention, can be transformative, guiding mothers to reconnect with both themselves and their communities, helping them to embody the grounding, nurturing role they seek for their children and the world they hope to protect.
If this exploration of maternal ecodistress and eco-consciousness resonates with you, consider deepening your understanding through our Maternal Ecopsychology Certification. Designed for professionals looking to support mothers on their journey, this program dives into the full spectrum of maternal experience, from ecoanxiety to resilience and beyond. Join a community dedicated to nurturing mothers’ mental and ecological well-being. 🌍🌱