Testimonials
“Conservation South Africa found that both the written and video materials were of a high standard. In the final stages Andrea was not hesitant to make adjustments to ensure that we as her client were satisfied.
We will certainly make use of her services in the future.”
“Andrea’s seriousness, dedication and enthusiasm has made a valuable contribution to the board and to the life of the association. She is a very valid speaker at congresses, with presentations of a high scientific standard.”
“Andrea’s particular strengths are her dedication and creativity which enabled her to design innovative research, use creative approaches when conducting qualitative fieldwork, as well as presenting research findings in a creative and visually appealing way. She has strong analytical skills and deep insight into the psyche of the research respondents. She used these to marry client business needs and consumer needs together into actionable and strategic business recommendations.”
“Throughout our collaboration, Andrea consistently demonstrated exceptional expertise and commitment to delivering high-quality results. Her research endeavours spanned various regions in Africa, allowing us to gain profound insights into the perspectives of diverse populations, their cultural values, daily experiences, and challenges. It is a rare skill that Andrea possesses to analyse and uncover human truths”
“Andrea is not only a stellar professional but also an individual of great integrity. Her authenticity, ethical approach, and a zealous commitment to deadlines further endorse her credibility and trustworthiness”
“Andrea has shown herself to be profoundly dedicated to environmental causes, combining exceptional intellectual insight with keenness and a fearless approach to daunting issues. Environmental problems invariably involve other people, and her understanding of human behaviour endows her with a rare empathy that has enabled NEAG to perform at a better level than it has ever done.”
“I have found Andrea to be responsible to feedback and to be able to handle critique in a sensitive and timely manner. She has demonstrated the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. Personally, I have found Dr Marais-Potgieter to be easy to work with. She is cooperative, collaborative, friendly, responsible, and engaging. If I had a position for her in my department, I would have no hesitation in recommending her for the position.”
“Over the past 6 years as we struggled through the complicated public participation process, and in her role as Chairperson of NEAG and as a trained academic, Dr Marais-Potgieter has brought deep insight and provided us with invaluable support.”
Who am I and what brought me here?
Hello, I’m Andrea. Thank you for visiting my site. I’m a researcher, conservation psychologist, and applied ecopsychology practitioner. I express my interests and passions through various avenues, including being a ToadNUT, writer, speaker, amateur Ukulele and Orbaphone player, author, and eco-socio activist. My primary focus is exploring the connection between people and nature and finding ways to rekindle our inherent bond with the natural world for the betterment of mental health, biodiversity protection, and planetary well-being.
It’s important to clarify that my passion for conservation extends to urban areas as well. With an estimated 60-70% of people living in urban areas by 2030, it is crucial to conserve nature and animals in these spaces too. This conservation is not only beneficial for their well-being but also for ours.
However, my journey started differently. I spent many years working as a consumer psychologist for large corporations, where my role was to understand the human psyche in the context of motivational psychology. While I enjoyed my job and my business thrived, I became increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of consumerism. It was during a study in Ethiopia that my perspective shifted dramatically. Witnessing the streets covered in plastic sachets and delving into the insecurities of mothers to sell them more products, I had a profound realization. In a moment of empathetic connection with the tears of a young mother, I knew I was in the wrong line of work. Subsequently, I made the decision to close my business and pursue further studies, focusing on the relationship between people and nature and its implications for climate change.
Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.
What is Conservation Psychology?
Psychology needs to get involved in the discussions about environmental issues because these issues are a result of human psyche and behavioural choices, so we need to understand people to understand our environmental crisis. We also need to understand the impact our environmental crisis is having on the psychological well-being of people.
Conservation psychology and ecopsychology are both fields that explore the relationship between humans and nature, whereas environmental psychology typically focuses on the broader influences of the physical environment (including built environment, design, and aesthetics) on human behaviour and well-being. My area of interest is in the conservation-ecopsychology nexus. My focus lies in exploring the interplay between the psychological determinants of human behaviour, attitudes, and perceptions towards conservation, as well as the deeper emotional and spiritual connections between humans and the natural environment.
Conservation psychology came about in the late 1990s and early 21st century. Mainstream psychology focussed on the individual and the social world, but there was no focus on the natural world. Conservation psychology primarily examines the psychological processes underlying human behaviour in relation to the conservation and preservation of nature. It explores how individuals perceive, value, and interact with the natural environment, and seeks to understand the factors that influence pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. Conservation psychology aims to develop strategies for promoting sustainable behaviour and fostering environmental stewardship. Conservation psychology asks what is the human place in nature, and what is nature’s place in the human being?
Theodore Roszak was a key figure in the development of the field of ecopsychology. Roszak’s book “The Voice of the Earth,” published in 1992, played a significant role in introducing ecopsychology to a wider audience and exploring the psychological dimensions of the human-nature relationship. Ecopsychology explores our affective (emotional, spiritual, psychological) connection or disconnection with the natural world and how that impacts our well-being. At the core of the field is the understanding that human health and environmental health are interconnected. It explores the therapeutic benefits of connecting with nature and advocates for the restoration of this connection to improve personal and societal well-being. Ecopsychology asks what is a human being deprived of contact with nature?
As a conservation psychologist I am interested in reconnecting individuals with nature on a deeper level, fostering a sense of awe, wonder, and emotional connection that will make people realise that there is a reciprocal relationship between humans and nature and that we need to conserve nature and biodiversity for its intrinsic value, but also for our own well-being.
