A Milestone Moment: Anna De Jong Leads Wellness Impact Lab’s First Published Paper

We’re so excited to share that the Wellness Impact Lab has officially published its first peer-reviewed paper. This is a big moment not just for our team, but also for the broader field of climate and mental health.

The focus of the study is climate cafés, which are welcoming spaces where people can openly share and discuss the climate crisis. The lead author is Andy (Anna) De Jong, one of the first researchers in the world to publish academic work on this topic.

The paper, titled “Climate Cafés as a Space for Navigating Climate Emotions: A Scoping Review,” has been published in the Journal of Climate Change and Health. It explores how climate cafés have been used around the world as safe, supportive spaces for people to share and process their emotions about the climate crisis. It also highlights key gaps in the current research and points to where we can go next.

This is the first academic paper on climate cafés, and it is also the first project that was fully developed, executed, and published right here in our lab. We’re especially proud of Andy and the way she brought this project to life. She approached every step with care, thoughtfulness, and a strong sense of what it truly means to create space for others.

Andy’s work is helping shape how we understand the emotional landscape of the climate crisis, and how we can care for ourselves and each other in the process.

Here’s the full article: Check it out