Save the natural world

As a professor in Family Mental Health, I believe that the increase in mental health problems that we now see in youth and young adults, is partially the result of human neglect of the natural world. Also, the increase in chronic somatic problems in humans we are facing, results from how we have treated the natural world. Our bodies and the world are one. We cannot expect to be healthy and happy in an unhealthy world. On the other hand, meditation teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said: “If you want to bring peace and happiness to the world, bring peace and happiness to your family”. While my work focusses on bringing peace and happiness to families, and reducing (mental) health problems, as best as I can I minimize my carbon footprint while doing so. I organize international teacher trainings online, so that teachers don’t need to fly given how bad flying is for our natural world. I live car-free and avoid flying as much as possible.

“If you want to bring peace and happiness to the world, bring peace and happiness to your family”

(Thich Nhat Hanh)