Halcyon Stress & Anxiety Clinic

There has been a lot of research in recent years, proving that, for some people, the introduction of a very specific kind of exercise program enhances the therapeutic process and improvement of depression and anxiety. Below you can find details of some of the papers discussing this.

With this in mind, I have developed a therapy model incorporating many CBT and Mindfulness therapies with the use of a Specialist Personal Trainer to add exercise as part of the therapy plan.

I have called this the Halcyon Clinic.

I stress again, that not all clients are suitable, or indeed want, this kind of therapy.

Here is what you can expect from this model. Please note that the time scales given are a guide only and it greatly depends on the client’s commitment to the process.

What to Expect When

Session 1

How does this work?

• What to expect and is this the correct clinic for you.
• What do you want from attending this clinic and how much are prepared to put into what will be required from you.

What Results Should You See and When?

Milestone 1. Week 1.

Psychological Assessments as well as an assessment of your current fitness levels, introducing joint mobility routines and basic breathing methods.
Milestone 2. Week 3.

Getting your head around the therapy plan and starting to experience improvements in both mood and movement.
Milestone 3. Week 6.

Beyond Suffering both Psychologically and Physiologically i.e. Both your body and your mind is used to regular training and this is starting to be reflected in your willingness to change. Here we start introducing low intensity strength exercises and stretching you a bit more in terms of psychological change.
Milestone 4. Week 10.

The ability to choose the way your thoughts are reflected in your behaviour, both physiologically and psychologically. Now you will start to notice the changes physiologically in both posture and strength and psychologically in the way you react to your thoughts.
Milestone 5. Week 12.

Psychologically the real you is starting to emerge. Things are becoming a lot more intense and you are feeling the results in your body. Progress to more challenging joint mobility routines with intermediate breathing methods and moderate intensity strength exercises, while introducing low intensity cardiovascular work.
Milestone 6. Week 12.

Finding out who you are and where you are psychologically. Physiologically you will be achieving significant adaptations in body composition and general strength and conditioning.
Milestone 7. Week 18.

Leaving the distorted you behind and learning to enjoy your ‘new shoes’. You start to look for other areas in your life to feel as good as you are starting to taste now for the first time.
Reaping the substantial physical and psychological rewards of performing moderate intensity interval training while developing intermediate breathing methods.
Milestone 8. Week 20.

Discovering the real you and relishing your new abilities. By now you are able to stay in control when under stress through implementation of advanced breathing methods and applying all the cognitive change that you have learnt so far.
Milestone 9. Week 24.

By now you have learnt who you really are, what you really value and are committed to actioning these in your daily life. You will have commenced high intensity interval training and be using advanced breathing methods.
Milestone 10. Week 40.

Now you will have developed both short term and long term goals and will actively be making them happen through action. Now for the first time you have the choice to live a vital life every day.

Academic Papers:

1. Impact of exercise on patients with depression and anxiety. Oeland AM, Laessoe U, Olesen AV, Munk-Jorgenson P.
2. Reducing anxiety sensitivity with exercise. Smits JA, Berry AC, Rosenfield D, Powers MB, Behar E, Otto MW.
3. Feasibility of exercise training for the short term treatment of generalised anxiety disorder: a randomised controlled trial. Herring MP, Jacob ML, Suveg C, Dishman RK, O’Connor PJ.