The BMC is running three free evening webinars around the broad theme of Mental Health. These are for members of the BMC. The workshops will be:

1. Introduction to Mental Health First Aid - 10th February at 19.00

2. Mental Health and Climbing: A Case Study - 24th February at 19.00

3. Coping with Covid - 2nd March at 19.00

Information and a link for booking onto each workshops is below. Once you have booked on  to the webinar you will receive an email with a link to the Zoom 24 hours before it starts. Please check your spam folder in case the email arrives there.

Introduction to Mental Health First Aid 10th February at 19.00

BOOK HERE   SORRY, THIS EVENT IS FULLY BOOKED

Often, it can feel quite overwhelming to consider the many nuances of mental health issues, especially if we have an individual who is suffering in our care. The workshop is designed to offer reassurance about mental health matters in our outdoor setting. Just as in physical first aid, we will look at how we can spot the signs of the more common illnesses, what we can do about them, and what we can encourage the individual to do. We do not have to be experts in the field of mental health to be able to support someone, just as in physical first aid. We will look at common misconceptions, help and support available, tools and practical applications, and the need to look after ourselves above all.

In these difficult times, we are ever more likely to come across someone (even ourselves) who is having a really hard time, and doesn't know what to do about it. We do not have to be qualified to be able to reach out, or indeed find where to look for available help. Sometimes, knowing and accepting our limitations in a situation will be the most helpful thing to the individual. Importantly, the workshop will allow us to explore the line between us helping, and seeking further support, just as in physical first aid.

Dr Samantha McElligott will be leading the Introduction to Mental Health First Aid session

Mental Health and Climbing 24th February at 17.00 

BOOK HERE

Melissa Bacon and Dez Dover look at how positive climbing can be for mental health related to the journey and challenges towards being an instructor. How do goals and ambition help us through the anxiety and challenges on our journey, does it give us the direction we need. Do we feel we have purpose and meaning? Let us speak to Dez who will be in the hot seat with Mel asking the questions we all want to know. Does climbing help us with mental health? We leave our comfort zones with climbing, does this help us learn to do this in other situations? Let's ask Dez and find out, climbing has done wonders for Dez’s mental health and confidence, lets find out his secret to it all! You will be able to ask your own questions at the end of our talk. 

Coping with Covid: 2nd March at 19.00

BOOK HERE

Dr Rebecca Williams will discuss the impacts the Pandemic has had on our lives and the resources that are available which can help as well as how to access these. There has been a huge amount of isolation over the last year and combined with rising unemployment and often less exercise due to lockdowns there is widespread concern for people's Mental Health.

About our session hosts:

Dr Rebecca Williams  (BSc DClinPsy CPsychol MCMI)  

Rebecca worked as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and within the NHS for 19 years, before moving to private practice in 2019, and has been working as a Psychological Performance Coach for the last 15 years. She works with climbers of all ages from grassroots to elite level, and specialises in the management of anxiety for climbers and the development of healthy coping skills.

Rebecca has run workshops on the psychology of climbing and mountaineering for many different audiences, from Mountain Training’s Performance Coach ‘Coaching the Mind’ module, the Diploma in Mountain Medicine, NICAS, Youth Climbing Symposium, to various climbing clubs, as well as presenting the psychology keynote speech at the International Rock Climbing Research Association congress in Chamonix in 2018.

http://www.smartclimbing.co.uk

Melissa Bacon (CWI, CWDI,RCI,DCA,ML)

Mel is assistant manager at Brookes Climb, a member of the NICAS coach development team and director of MB Mountain Adventures. Mel runs the talent and development squad and is director of NICAS at Brookes Climb. Mel runs various trips outdoors climbing and mountaineering including rock skills and the assistant climbing award. Mel is part of the MTA mentoring scheme and is deeply passionate about supporting other instructors on their journey through their qualifications. Mel has been climbing for around 10 years indoors, outdoors trad and sport climbing and winter mountaineering travelling to different parts of the UK with her husky Shadow and abroad climbing in Chamonix, Spain, Portugal, Crete, Tenerife, Morocco, and India.

Dez Dover (CWI, CWDI)

Dez is a climbing instructor at Brookes Climb, Head Instructor for the Coasters mental health group and patients who attend from the NHS trust and mental health care. Dez is involved with running various sessions at Brookes Climb from beginners’ courses, NICAS sessions, lead courses and birthday parties. Dez is passionate about helping others on their journey becoming climbers and instructors. Dez shadows and helps Mel on outdoor climbing days from day trips to weekend events. Dez has been climbing for three years indoors and now is starting to adventure into the outdoors with Mel.

Dr Samantha McElligott

Dr Samantha McElligott is a Leadership Consultant, Expedition Leader and Mental Health First Aid England Instructor. She has a Ph.D in Sports Psychology from Bangor University (Leadership) and has been active as an Outdoor Practitioner for 20 years. She loves any kind of walk that ends in tea and cake with friends.

WATCH: Uncomfortable on BMC TV

WATCH: Wild Swim on BMC TV

« Back