Purpose
The primary goal of the Special Interest Group for Addressing Climate and Environmental Emergency (SIG-ACEE) is for the public benefit, to help raise awareness of climate change and the environmental emergency and how psychology can help us understand and resolve these issues.
Psychology & Climate Change
Psychological factors in the creation of climate change, e.g., a destructive ‘resource ownership’ relationship to nature vs a stewardship relationship, and the psychological factors inherent in our social and political context.
Psychological factors as barriers to addressing climate change or engaging in climate change mitigation e.g., paralysis, guilt or shame, information avoidance, fear, psychological distance, disavowal/denial, bystander effect, confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, other cognitive heuristics, ‘dragons of inaction’ etc
Psychological factors in the momentum towards behavioural, organisational, and social change: confidence we can make a difference, social momentum, leadership, visible modelling of behaviour change, incentives, maintaining hope and perspective, collective efficacy, providing opportunities for meaningful contribution.
Psychological impacts of climate change e.g., eco-anxiety, shame, depression, suicide risk, trauma etc.
Psychological factors in how we connect with nature, the environment and planetary health.
We seek to be outward facing and engaged; to educate and inform, facilitate behavioural change at various levels in society and promote a sustainability agenda in any services being delivered by psychologists.
We seek to communicate and influence key stakeholders in Ireland and overseas; to create alliances with similar groups of psychologists, environmental scientists, and others.
This will involve creating a platform for dialogue across a wide section of society.
We seek to expand our individual and professional zones of influence; to walk the walk and establish an Eco-Code for psychologists.
We seek to establish a tone and messaging that includes:
- Frank and robust recognition of the immediate and catastrophic peril we are all facing
- Proactive engagement across media and politics
- Respectful, diplomatic, scientifically based, and thoughtful disposition
- Acknowledges our collective societal ownership of both the problem and the solutions (seek to avoid ‘othering’ or divisive language, we are all part of the problem and all part of the solution)
Email: climatechange@psychologicalsociety.ie
Membership
- SIG-ACEE is a member of the Irish Health and Climate Alliance. More information on their work can be found here.
Documents
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING GROUP MEMBERSHIP CHARGES:
You will be charged the full membership fee upon application. Should your membership be approved, this will cover your group membership for the rest of the calendar year. Your group membership will renew automatically during the renewal period (between 01 January and 31 March), along with your general PSI membership. Please note, should your application be declined, there are no refunds for your groupapplication fee, as per PSI T&C's: https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/footer/Terms-and-Conditions. Thus, please ensure to read the membership criteria very carefully before making an application to join a PSI group (div or SIG).
Prices to join SIGACEE as a member
Full Membership - €10
Associate Membership €10
Officers
Dr. Odhrán McCarthy
Chairperson
Dr. Marica Cassarino
Secretary
Dr. Thomas Millane
Ordinary Member
Dr. Theresa Ryan-Enright
Ordinary Member
Dr. Christine Mullan-Jensen
Ordinary Member
Dylan MacDonald
Ordinary Member
Open to all members of PSI with an interest in climate change and environmental issues from a psychological perspective.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING GROUP MEMBERSHIP CHARGES:
You will be charged the full membership fee upon application. Should your membership be approved, this will cover your group membership for the rest of the calendar year. Your group membership will renew automatically during the renewal period (between 01 January and 31 March), along with your general PSI membership. Please note, should your application be declined, there are no refunds for your groupapplication fee, as per PSI T&C's: https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/footer/Terms-and-Conditions. Thus, please ensure to read the membership criteria very carefully before making an application to join a PSI group (div or SIG).
Prices to join SIGACEE as a member
Full Membership - €10
Associate Membership €10
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the Grandparenting Rule is to enable Full and Associate members of the Special
Interest Group in Coaching Psychology, who are experienced coaching psychologists and
professional coaches, to gain membership of the Division of Coaching Psychology during a
transition period.
The Grandparenting Rule acknowledges that due to the emerging and evolving nature of coaching
psychology qualifications and professional pathways, some current members may not meet all the
requirements of the new Full or Associate membership criteria of the Division of Coaching
Psychology.
This Rule seeks to recognise the prior learning, qualifications, and experience of coaching
psychologists and professional coaches who are current members of the Special Interest Group in
Coaching Psychology, ensuring inclusion of those established practitioners in the Division of
Coaching Psychology, while maintaining standards for new entrants into the profession.
WHO CAN APPLY:
This Membership Route is only open to those who are Full or Associate Members of the
Special Interest Group in Coaching Psychology as of 18th October 2025.
Thereafter all applications (lapsed or new) for Full or Associate Membership of the Division of
Coaching Psychology must meet the new Membership criteria as set out in the Rules of the
Division of Coaching Psychology.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
The below criteria are outlined in greater detail in the Grandparenting Rules.
Please read the Grandparenting Rules before completing the Application Form.
Thereafter, applicants should complete the attached Grandparenting Application Form in full and upload below.
Applicants for Full membership must hold PSI Graduate or Chartered membership.
Applicants for Full and Associate Membership must hold membership of the Division of Coaching
Psychology and meet each of the following four criteria demonstrating professional experience
and contribution to coaching psychology.
- Coaching Experience
- Qualifications and Training
- Contribution to the Field of Coaching Psychology
- Commitment to Professional Ethical Standards, Reflective Practice and Supervision
TIMEFRAME AND DEADLINE:
The Grandparenting Route will be open for a limited transition period from 20 October 2025 to 1st
March 2026.
After this period, all applicants (lapsed or new) must meet the Division of Coaching Psychology
New Membership criteria as defined in the Rules of the Division of Coaching Psychology and
adopted by membership at the AGM on 18th October 2025.
PLEASE NOTE:
There is no additional fee required to transfer via the Grandparenting Route to the Division of
Coaching Psychology.