- [A] Shell (Hell) T-shirt #Project/Art Ambiguous loss is a psychological concept describing a type of loss that lacks closure or clear resolution, making it challenging to process and grieve. Developed by Dr. Pauline Boss, this idea identifies two main types: 1. Physical absence with psychological presence: For example, a person goes missing, but their loved ones continue to feel their emotional presence because the loss is unresolved. 2. Physical presence with psychological absence: A person may be physically present but emotionally or mentally absent, such as in cases of dementia. ![[tmoulson_A_person_may_be_physically_present_but_emotionally_o_cbaae5a0-8ba0-432c-b80f-38bccdced89e_2.png]] #### Relation to Climate Change Ambiguous loss can manifest in the context of climate change as [[Ecology|environmental]] grief, where individuals or communities experience loss tied to [[Ecology|environmental]] degradation or change, but lack clear endpoints or solutions. For example: • Vanishing landscapes: People who live in regions where glaciers are melting or forests are being destroyed might mourn these losses deeply. Even if they move away, the emotional [[Connection]] to the landscape remains unresolved, as it’s unclear whether these changes can ever be reversed. ![[live_in_regions_where_glaciers_are_melting.png]] • Loss of species: The [[Extinction]] of a species can evoke [[Hope|grief]] that’s hard to reconcile, as the absence is both permanent and abstract for many people who never interacted with the species directly. • Future-oriented loss: Many experience a sense of mourning for a world that’s increasingly at risk—clean air, stable weather, or thriving ecosystems. This can lead to feelings of powerlessness and existential despair. Example: Communities in low-lying coastal areas face ambiguous loss as they grapple with the prospect of losing their homes to rising sea levels. The land may still exist for now, but its future is uncertain, forcing people to mourn both the possible physical loss and the erosion of a place they call home. Ambiguous loss in these contexts is especially challenging because it intertwines with broader systemic issues, and the lack of closure often leaves individuals feeling stuck in prolonged cycles of [[Hope|grief]] and anxiety. --- ![[A Unifying Method#^831aa1]] ![[IMG_Dark Sea.jpeg]]