Nature-based psychological approaches for mental health and well-being

The symposium explores innovative pathways in leveraging nature-based and ecologically oriented psychological practices to address contemporary challenges in mental health and well-being. With the global climate crisis and anthropocenic changes shaping individual and societal health, there is a critical need to reframe psychological interventions to incorporate ecological thinking and sustainability principles. This symposium brings together three contributions that highlight the potential of ecopsychology, nature-based self-care, and nature-based approaches for higher education.The topicality of this symposium lies in its alignment with emerging global health challenges. Health psychology increasingly recognizes the interplay between environmental and human health, particularly in the context of climate change and rising eco-anxiety. In response, this symposium underscores the need for interventions that bridge individual and planetary health, offering practical strategies for fostering mental well-being and sustainability among diverse populations, including university students and academic staff.The first contribution emphasizes the transition from ego-centred to eco-centred thinking, and discusses the role of the International Ecopsychology Society over two decades. The second contribution examines the attitude-behaviour gap in nature-based self-care, identifying strategies for better alignment between self-care attitudes and practices among adults. The third contribution examines the role of nature connectedness in enhancing the mental health of university students and academic staff, offering insights from a needs analysis that informs the development of a digital tool grounded in ecological thinking.The presentations underscore the importance of ecological thinking in psychology as a response to global crises,offering practical frameworks for integrating nature-based solutions into therapeutic and educational contexts. By combining empirical evidence with innovative applications, the symposium demonstrates the potential of ecopsychology and nature-based approaches in health psychology to promote mental, physical, and planetarywell-being. The symposium concludes with a forum for exchanging ideas among psychologists, enriching the dialogue on integrating ecological paradigms into therapeutic and educational frameworks.