Mental Health

Exercise Therapy for Psychiatry and Mental Health

Research shows that exercise and physical activity can be as effective as anti-depressant medication in treating mild to moderate depression. It can also decrease pain and improve sleep patterns.

Here are a few of the benefits:

Less tension, stress and mental fatigue
A natural energy boost
Improved sleep
A sense of achievement focus in life and motivation
Less anger or frustration
A healthy appetite
Better social life and fun!

Why Physical Activity is Important for Mental Health?

Exercise releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. Regular exercise can also boost your self-esteem and help you concentrate, sleep, look and feel better. Being active doesn't have to mean going to the gym or taking up jogging. There are lots of ways to be active – and they don't need to cost much money. Give yourself that space. Realise that being active is important – make it a priority. (Reference: Mental Health Foundation: Website www.mentalhealth.org.uk)

Basic Body Awareness Therapy

Basic Body Awareness Therapy (BBAT) focuses on basic movement principles and the phenomenon of movement quality. It is evidence- and experienced-based and aims to mobilise a person`s resources for health through movement. The physiotherapist guides the person, to be present in the here-and now situation, experiencing simple everyday movements, lying, sitting, standing and walking. Massage, relational movements and use of the voice are included. Integration of balance, free breathing and awareness into daily movements and actions are central elements in this process. Therapeutic Factors, the Movement Quality Model and the Movement Learning Cycle are core elements in the movement pedagogy that is used by the therapist.

BBAT is suitable for people suffering from muscle-skeletal problems, eating disorders, physical and/or psychological problems, for stress management, health promotion and personal development.

Relaxation Strategies

Stress, anxiety and specific lung conditions may cause your muscles to tense up, especially around your neck and shoulders or your rib cage to feel tight. This means that even when you sit down to relax the muscles may be in a slightly higher state of tension. In this way they can begin to ache and fatigue. If you can be educated to relax them you may experience a positive benefit both in terms of your muscles and also your breathing pattern.

Psychomotor Therapy

A dysfunction in the sensorimotor control of the neck may be present after a whiplash type injury or a period of prolonged pain in the neck. In other words, there is a dysfunction in the proprioception/balance of the neck that may lead to further neck pain and dizziness. There are specific rehabilitation exercises such as strengthening of deep neck stabilisers and retraining the balance/proprioception of the neck to restore normal sensorimotor control of the neck.

Pressure Biofeedback for Rehabilitation of Stabilisers and Motor Control

Pressure Biofeedback is a device used to provide feedback to ensure quality and precision in exercise performance and testing. It is used during retraining and strengthening of the deep neck stabilisers and abdominal stabilisers.

Healthy lifestyle changes

Your Physiotherapist can help you to make healthy life style changes. This may consist of compiling a general health exercise program or weight loss exercise program for you and/or include education on stress-relieving and management techniques.