University Mental Health Day 2025
'Climbing for Wellbeing' with Andy Cross from the University of Cumbria as part of #UniMentalHealthDay
About
UMHAN is pleased to welcome Andy Cross, a mental health practitioner and member of the Mental Health & Wellbeing Team at the University of Cumbria to speak as part of our #UniMentalHealthDay 2025 celebrations.
Andy will be talking about the 'Climbing for Wellbeing' programme:
Traditional therapy can be uncomfortable for some individuals, which may hinder their recovery. In response to this challenge and the increasing demand for mental health support among university students, my colleague Tess Tilbe and I developed the programme 'Climbing for Wellbeing'. A programme available twice a year to all current students at the University of Cumbria.
This course combines therapeutic interventions with bouldering. Each session begins with a focus on a mental health skill, followed by practical bouldering activities that incorporate the skills just covered. Our goal is to improve mental health and encourage participation in bouldering among students who may not typically engage in this activity.
Andy's talk will cover:
the influences behind our project, the evidence base supporting it, the evolution of our course, our outcomes, and what the future holds for us moving forward.
This session is open to UMHAN members and to interested staff and students in Higher Education.
