Student Spotlight: Eliza-Rose Gordon
PhD topic: Addressing eco-anxiety in young Australians
For better or for worse, the evidence is in: the world’s climate is changing due to the impact of humans.
Over recent years, environmental scientists have voiced growing concerns about their research outcomes, public and policy debates have intensified, and natural disasters have captured global media attention. Amid these developments, eco-anxiety has begun to emerge as a public health issue.
For those managing eco-anxiety, fear and distress can cause significant disruption to their daily lives. Much like other anxiety disorders, emotions such as guilt, anger and hopelessness can lead to behaviours that impede on a person’s ability to fully live their life.
The difference between eco-anxiety and other forms of anxiety, such as generalised anxiety disorder and social phobias, is in the cause: fear of climate change and its impacts.
At the Matilda Centre, we’re investigating new ways we can help people managing eco-anxiety to identify, adapt and manage their worries of a changing climate.
As part of this work, Eliza-Rose Gordon, PhD Candidate at the Matilda Centre, is working with young Australians to learn more about their thoughts on climate change, and how it is affecting their long-term mental health.
As part of the latest Student Spotlight, Eliza-Rose joins us to share what she’s learned so far, and what she wants to see as an outcome of her research.
Tell us about your journey to the Matilda Centre.
I originally studied a double degree in Law and Psychology at UNSW, fully expecting to become a lawyer. But during my psychology honours year, everything shifted. I realised how much I enjoyed research and that it could be a career, which appealed to me far more than clinical practice.
After completing my final year of study in the UK, I returned to Australia looking for research roles and joined the digital mental health team at the Black Dog Institute. Working there really cemented my passion for research.
When the PhD opportunity at the Matilda Centre came up, my amazing boss at the Black Dog Institute encouraged me to apply, and I was lucky enough to be accepted. The rest is history!
Photo: the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains where Eliza-Rose grew up. Supplied by Eliza-Rose Gordon
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LinkWhat’s the difference between your research area of eco-anxiety, and people experiencing poor mental health after a natural disaster?
Eco-anxiety refers to distress about the slow, long-term progression of climate change. It’s tied to uncertainty about the future and the sense that environmental conditions are steadily worsening over time.
In contrast, poor mental health after a natural disaster stems from experiencing the acute disaster event, something sudden, severe, and often traumatic. Because natural disasters have a clear onset, we typically see a spike in post-traumatic stress and other mental-health responses immediately after the event, followed by identifiable recovery patterns for most people, with a smaller group experiencing longer-term impacts.
Eco-anxiety doesn’t follow this recovery pattern. Climate change has no defined beginning or end point, so the distress is ongoing and often linked to existential concerns about the future and the loss of certainty or security in the world people expected to live in.
As these two forms of distress arise from different events, we need tailored approaches to support people experiencing climate-related anxiety versus those recovering from disaster-related trauma.
Photo: Eliza-Rose Gordon shares updates on her research at the Society for Mental Health Researcher Conference 2025 in Adelaide. Supplied
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LinkWhy are we seeing more people expressing concern about the changing climate?
We’re seeing more people express concern about the changing climate largely because climate exposures are increasing. These exposures can be direct, such as living through extreme weather, or indirect, including constant coverage in news and social media as well as conversations with friends, family, and other social connections.
Because climate information is now so present in people’s daily environments, those who are already concerned can experience this as a persistent, ongoing worry.
This doesn’t mean we should stop talking about climate change, but it does highlight the need for thoughtful communication so that essential information is shared without unnecessarily adding to people’s distress.
Photo: An example of posters Eliza-Rose Gordon has been sharing to ask for young people's feedback on climate change and their mental health.
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LinkWhat would you like to see as an outcome of your research?
We want our research to pinpoint which young adults in Australia are most vulnerable to climate-related anxiety or distress. While younger people generally show higher concern, it’s not experienced evenly across the group.
By identifying who is most at risk, we can begin developing targeted interventions to support those whose distress is affecting their daily lives. Importantly, climate-related worry is a rational and even motivating response to the existential threat of climate change. For some however, it becomes overwhelming or maladaptive.
Our goal is to design an intervention that supports those individuals manage their distress in healthier, more sustainable ways.
Interested in learning more or contributing to Eliza-Rose Gordon’s work? Check if you’re eligible to join the study today!