Joanna Macy, who pioneered ‘despair work’ on climate grief, dies at 96
Joanna Macy, whose workshops and books helped people confront grief over environmental destruction and turn it into activism, died at her Berkeley home at 96.
Trip Gabriel reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- Macy developed “despair work,” later called “the work that reconnects,” to help people process eco-anxiety and motivate environmental action.
- Her approach combined Buddhism, systems theory, and grief stages, influencing climate-aware therapy movements that emerged decades later.
- The Work That Reconnects Network and the Joanna Macy Center at Naropa University continue to share her methods worldwide.
Key quote:
“When we take it in our hands, when we can just be with it and keep breathing, then it turns. It turns to reveal its other face, and the other face of our pain for the world is our love for the world, our absolutely inseparable connectedness with all life.”
— Joanna Macy
Why this matters:
Psychologists now recognize “eco-anxiety” as a real response to environmental threats, linked to grief and feelings of helplessness. This emotional toll can lead to depression or disengagement, but it can also spur activism and community building. As more people confront the psychological weight of a warming world, approaches like Macy’s that frame grief as connected to love for the planet offer a way to process despair without denial.
Related: One of the most overlooked consequences of climate change? Our mental health
