Jim has just completed Practical Mental Health Skills for Outdoor Leaders, led by Mia Walker, founder of Leading in Nature.
He was encouraged to attend the course because our work often sits at the intersection of outdoor activity and mental health. Also, because his achilles injury is preventing him from the usual practical adventures.
As leaders, the role is not to fix people, but to create meaningful experiences, hold space responsibly, and know how to respond when someone is struggling.
With mental health challenges becoming more visible, and the value of nature-based work increasingly recognised, this training felt essential.
The course focused on recognising signs of distress, responding calmly and practically in outdoor settings, supporting anxiety or panic, and integrating mental wellbeing into risk assessment, moving beyond reaction to a more proactive approach.
Jim said:
It was a thoughtful and practical course, with some wonderful candidates (also outdoor leaders) who were all grateful for the learning together with sharing experiences and knowledge.
Thanks go to Mia for leading the course so effectively, and to Richard Fish Outdoor Adventures for making it all happen.