Public Health - Planetary Health - Eco-health - Environment and Health - Climate change - Environmental change and mental wellbeing
Valesca Venhof MD, MSc PH
As a Medical Doctor, Public Health specialist and researcher, my specialization lies in the intricate nexus of Environment and Health.
I firmly believe that everything and everyone is interconnected and that we can only find solutions for the complex challenges we face, by respecting and integrating diverse perspectives.
About Valesca Venhof
Trained as a Medical Doctor with clinical expertise in Rehabilitation Medicine (currently non-practising), my work has entred on integrating active lifestyles, exercise, and sports into both treatment modalities and preventive healthcare. Building on this foundation, I have specialised in Public Health, with a focus on Environment and Health (LSHTM).
In recent years, my work has increasingly focused on advocacy and educational initiatives at the intersection of climate change and health, Planetary Health, and Eco-Health.
Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Planetary Health at Maastricht University, the Netherlands, my dissertation titled Navigating the Storm: Towards Coexisting Ways of Knowing in Approaching Environmental Distress (expected completion: 2025) examines mental wellbeing in the context of environmental change. This research aims to bridge diverse perspectives, including Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science.
More details on the research, including a link to the underlying publications can be found under 'Posts,'
My beliefs
Holistic approach to wellbeing
The various aspects of a person's life, including physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions, are interconnected. Instead of focusing solely on one aspect, such as physical health, a holistic approach recognizes that all these dimensions are interrelated and influence each other.
Planetary Health
This emerging interdisciplinary field recognizes that human health is intimately interconnected with the health of the planet's ecosystems, biodiversity, climate, and other environmental factors.
Key aspects of planetary health include:
- Systems Thinking
- Sustainability
- Global Perspective
- Preventive Approach
Diverse perspectives
To create a more comprehensive understanding of the complex problems we face as humanity, we need to embrace diverse perspectives and sources of knowledge.
Two eyed seeing
This concept emphasizes the importance of integrating both Indigenous knowledge and Western scientific knowledge to gain a better insight in the world.
Focus
- Public/Planetary health research
- Education (healthcare) professionals
- Health communication
- Patient education
- Publications for (non-peer reviewed) journals, or professional audiences
Skills
- Communication and writing
- Academic scientific research and writing
- Literature searching
- Professional ethics
- Medical terminology
What can I do for you?
Public/Planetary Health Consultancy, research and Word Smithing
As an independent Public Health Specialist and Researcher, I can offer expertise in Public/Planetary Health research, writing, assessments and strategic development.
I can help you in conducting thorough research, crafting effective health education and communication strategies, fostering collaboration and networking, and delivering comprehensive training sessions for healthcare professionals, community workers, and other stakeholders.
I’m a creative thinker who enjoys turning complex information into clear insights and pays close attention to detail when solving problems.
Need more information? Send me an e-mail or reach out via LinkedIn.
Posts
Navigating the Storm: Towards Coexisting Ways of Knowing in Approaching Environmental Distress.
🌍 Bridging ways of knowing in Planetary Health
At this year’s Planetary Health Annual Meeting, the theme “for all and in all” calls for truly inclusive approaches to health and sustainability.
Current practices in Planetary Health still lean strongly on Western frameworks. To build the urgency, agency, and resilience needed for real systems change, we must give equal value to diverse ways of knowing.
My Ph.D. research, guided by the principle of Two-Eyed Seeing, explores how Indigenous and Western worldviews can coexist and inform one another in approaching environmental distress. I was able to share these ideas through a poster contribution at #PHAM2025.
#PlanetaryHealth #TwoEyedSeeing #KnowledgeSystems #EnvironmentalChange #IndigenousKnowledge #Interdisciplinarity
Environmental Distress Among Dutch Young Adults: Worried Minds or Indifferent Hearts?
Our natural environment is changing rapidly—and young people feel it deeply. Growing awareness of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation is taking a toll on the mental wellbeing of adolescents and young adults. In this study, we explored how these concerns manifest as environmental distress and solastalgia among Dutch young adults aged 16 to 35.
Using an adapted version of the Environmental Distress Scale (EDS), we surveyed a representative sample of 1006 participants across the Netherlands. While most previous research on solastalgia has focused on older populations in areas directly affected by resource extraction or environmental disasters, our study offers a first look into how young people in a Western, urban context are mentally affected by environmental change. We also investigated whether factors such as place attachment, perceived control, trust, and personality traits (BFI-10) play a role in how intensely this distress is experienced.
Published in EcoHealth, this study highlights the urgent need for a deeper understanding of how environmental degradation impacts mental health. It calls for closer collaboration between researchers, mental health professionals, and environmental advocates to develop strategies that enhance mental resilience, build environmental awareness, and empower young people to engage meaningfully with the future of our planet.
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