photo: Andrew Keefe
It’s important for gyms to start responding to people’s need for mental health support because it’s already happening. Many people are joining gyms to help with their anxiety and depression and are often more inclined to do this as their first port of call, rather than seek out a therapist.
PTs are often good listeners, so it’s a natural progression for them to learn some counselling skills.
The idea that there’s a distinction between physical health and mental health is completely arbitrary. I encourage colleagues on both sides to talk to each other more because there’s an enormous amount to gain.
Eventually I’d like us to get to a point where we don’t have PTs and psychotherapists, but one training that incorporates both the body and the mind.
I chose to train as a personal trainer because of my own experience. Twelve years ago I was the clinical director of a charity that rehabilitated survivors of torture. It was stressful and I got very unfit, so I started going to BMF’s bootcamps. By the time I’d done the workout and cycled home I felt so chilled it inspired me to introduce physical techniques with my own clients.
I also started working with EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) which is about processing trauma stored in the body and noticed that when people were reliving memories of assaults, or other trauma, they wanted to move and often to throw some punches.
Movement can help with all the body’s stress responses: fight, flight and freeze. With fight or flight it releases the adrenaline created when the sympathetic nervous system is activated. Although the freeze response is mainly parasympathetic, it also contains sympathetic activity as it’s a result of the fight or flight response: adrenaline is released and instructions are sent from the brain to the body to fight or flee. If the brain decides neither of these will work the body freezes.
The theory is that to fully bring someone out of freeze and resolve trauma, you need to complete the instruction to fight or run, as that’s the only way to switch off the signal. Once the movement is completed, the brain will be satisfied they’re safe and the freeze state is lifted.
This idea comes from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, the work of Pat Ogden. She recommends having a client punch a cushion or run on the spot. My view is why stop there, which is why I use Boxercise and running in my work.
Although I’d love to see colleagues in fitness and mental health broaden their skills, it’s a big commitment for a PT to become a psychotherapist. However, there are levels of counselling that can be undertaken, as well as Mental Health First Aid training. Other options are to make friends with local psychotherapists: wouldn’t it be great if every gym had a therapist coming in one day a week?
The idea that there is a distinction between physical health and mental health is completely arbitrary