This is an ongoing and emerging area of research interest for me. Through my dissertation work, I came across Aurelie Athan’s use of the term “maternal ecodistress.” This concept—that with the assumption of the parenting role, mothers develop a heightened desire to protect the environment for future generations—was supported in my dissertation findings as well, as mothers shared the way that natural and built outdoor environments (particularly public spaces) fostered their development and their children’s. It also fit with Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model of Human Development, which influences my research, my practice, and my worldview. Since doing my dissertation work, I’ve become increasingly interested in studying more about the interactions between family development, culture, and the natural world.

Recently, I was excited to learn about and become a part of the new Environmental Physical Therapy Catalyst Group within the American Physical Therapy Association. This small group of scholars and providers around the country is working to develop resources to address the impact of environmental issues—things like air quality and natural disasters—on individuals’ health across the lifespan. As I continue to engage in and support research endeavors within the intersecting fields of health and human development, I hold in my mind the development of the human family and the health and sustainable development of Mother Earth.