Understanding Climate Trauma: Mental Health Impacts of Wildfires & Collective Healing - Dr. Jyoti Mishra

In this episode of the Delgado Podcast, Dr. Jyoti Mishra, a neuroscientist and associate professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego, discusses the growing field of climate trauma and its effects on mental health. Dr. Mishra provides an in-depth analysis of how environmental disasters like wildfires contribute to collective trauma, impacting entire communities with symptoms such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunctions, including decision-making challenges and difficulty maintaining focus. Drawing from her research, Dr. Mishra explains how the brain's threat response, often referred to as "fire brain," becomes hyper-aroused in the aftermath of trauma, leading to short-term and long-term psychological and neurological effects.

This episode offers practical strategies for mental health professionals and community leaders to address climate trauma effectively. Dr. Mishra highlights the importance of interventions such as psychological first aid, mindfulness practices, and physical activity to build resilience during the acute and chronic phases of recovery. She also explores the role of eco-therapy in helping survivors reconnect with nature to promote healing and discusses the need for community-wide approaches to address collective trauma. For clinicians, this conversation offers evidence-informed insights into understanding and treating the unique mental health challenges posed by climate-related disasters.

Learn more about her work:
https://neatlabs.ucsd.edu/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyoti-mishra-neatlabs/

Books referenced:
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Brain-Jyoti-Mishra/dp/B0B3Q5BRRM/
https://www.amazon.com/Listen-Kids-Our-Climate-Changing/dp/B0CVK8SN9M/