E67 - Mental Health Awareness Week Special with Heather Lewis

The Christians in Sport Podcast

This year's Mental Health Awareness Week is themed around movement, including sport and this week we have a special episode with Heather Lewis, project manager at the Mental Health Foundation. Alongside her work, Heather has a specific academic interest in elite sport, having completed a Master's at St. Mary's Twickenham on mental health within a Rugby World Cup context.
The Mental Health Foundation is there for people of all faiths and none, this conversation includes Heather's reflections on her personal faith and how that plays out in her work, sport and research.
Find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week 👉 https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week
Download the Sports Mission Pack 👉https://christiansinsport.org.uk/2024
(0:00) Intro and Heather's bio
(2:34) What is Mental Health Awareness Week all about?
(4:28) Moving more for mental health
(6:23) How did Heather come to work at the Mental Health Foundation?
(7:57) Why amateur sport can be so good for mental health
(12:14) How Heather's faith shapes her approach to work
(13:55) Researching mental health in elite sport
(16:52) What was surprising in your research?
(18:53) The tension between performance requirements and player care
(22:53) Key recommendations for performance
(26:34) What was the response to your research?
(28:50) How will your faith shape your actions based on your findings?
(30:28) What Heather learnt from years as a chaplain in elite sport
(32:38) What do you do now with elite athletes as a lifestyle advisor?
(35:46) How can we learn from this in amateur sport
(38:19) How does your faith shape what you long to see in your work?
(39:43) Outro