As an outdoor professional, you know that supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of the people you lead is essential. This CPD course gives you the vital knowledge and practical skills to confidently manage situations where clients experience emotional distress, anxiety, fear and panic. You'll learn to monitor for signs of distress, communicate effectively, and de-escalate situations in dynamic outdoor environments. This fosters a safer, more positive environment during the outdoor activities you lead, from lowland walks to mountain adventures and paddlesports pursuits.

Practical Mental Health Skills for Outdoor Leaders gives you:

• The underlying science: You’ll gain clear understanding of the brain and nervous system's fear response, and why it varies from person to person.
• Proactive client management: You’ll learn to monitor for signs of distress, prevent escalation, and support clients who experience emotional overwhelm, anxiety, or panic during an activity – including panic attacks.
• A practical outdoors focus: You’ll leave with a set of quick, non-intrusive techniques rooted in modern psychological models.

Participants consistently praise this engaging, practical course for its clear theory and hands-on activities. This blend makes the learning effective and directly applicable to real-world outdoor scenarios.

This course is a suitable complement to standard Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. While MHFA courses provide skills for identifying mental health conditions and supportive conversation, this course is squarely centred on proactive crisis management in dynamic outdoor settings.

Who’s the course for?

This course is suitable for all outdoor professionals who are responsible for people in outdoor settings, for instance:

• Outdoor instructors of all kinds
• Outdoor activity providers and centres
• Expedition and adventure travel leaders
• Forest school and bushcraft leaders
• Paddlesports leaders
• Trainee or qualified members of MTA, BAIML or AMI (current members get 1 CPD point; see “CPD credit” below)

If you have additional learning needs or accessibility requirements, please let us know in confidence when you book via our secure website.

What can I expect from this course?

First, we’ll explore the kinds of emotional distress and mental health problems that outdoor leaders are most likely to encounter. We’ll examine behavioural, verbal, and physical signs of distress so that you can monitor situations effectively and identify potential problems early on.

Next, we delve into how the brain, nervous system and body responds to threat. This grounds you in evidence-based basic neuroscience, including how age and trauma impact our ability to regulate our emotions. We also cover the basic principles of Polyvagal Theory to help you understand how nervous system regulation works.

Then it’s time for hands-on skills! You’ll learn to communicate effectively with distressed clients and deploy simple, effective calming techniques. We’ll also cover up-to-date, evidence-based guidance on managing panic attacks, along with how to signpost clients to sources of professional help.

We use a number of real-life case studies throughout the day to ground your learning in practice. You’ll have plenty of time for discussion with fellow outdoor leaders, and plenty of breaks.

CPD points & booking

The course confers 1 CPD credit for current members of the Mountain Training Association (MTA), Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) and BAIML (BAIML Peripheral). You’ll need your membership number in order to book, and your membership must be current. Your points are automatically added on Tahdah once you complete the course. You will also receive a Certificate of Completion.

If you have any additional learning needs or accessibility requirements, please let us know in confidence when you book via our secure website.

Full learning outcomes

On this day-long course, you’ll learn to:

• Identify the signs of emotional and mental distress in the context of an outdoor recreational activity, including:
  • How to assess a participant's level of mental and emotional wellbeing
  • How to assess whether a participant is able to continue the activity
• Develop the skills, knowledge, and attitude needed to support someone who is emotionally distressed, anxious, or experiencing a panic attack, including:
  • What happens in the nervous system when someone is outside of their physical or emotional comfort zone
  • How to respond effectively when a participant discloses a mental health problem or previous trauma
• Implement practical and psychological interventions that are appropriate and realistic in a dynamic outdoor environment, including:
  • How to have a supportive conversation with a distressed participant
  • The relationship between practical physical care and the psychological wellbeing of a participant
  • Practical techniques to support someone to recover from an episode of anxiety or a panic attack
• Integrate mental health and wellbeing factors into an outdoor activity risk assessment, including:
  • Risk factors to consider before, during, and after the activity
• Promote a positive mental health culture in outdoor recreation and take preventive measures before an activity, including:
  • Questions to ask before the event
  • How to help participants feel emotionally safe right from the start
• Signpost participants to further sources of post-activity assistance

What you'll receive

You’ll get everything you need to apply your knowledge after the course and to demonstrate your competence to clients and employers.

• Full course slide deck: A complete reference for reviewing the theory and the practical techniques taught on the course.
• Signposting guide: A clear, one-page tool for pointing clients to sources of professional help.
• Certificate of Completion: This verifies your attendance and completion of the course.

Credentials & expertise

This course is delivered by Mia Walker of Leading in Nature. Mia is a Mountain Leader, educator, and entrepreneur. She holds a certificate in Polyvagal Theory and is a trained NatureWell Nature & Health Facilitator.

Mia’s background as a trained social scientist and former lecturer in research methods at the University of Westminster underpins all Leading in Nature courses and workshops. This academic foundation ensures that course content rests on a trustworthy evidence base.

Mia specialises in absorbing the content of complex research papers and using her expertise to critically analyse the credibility of the evidence that informs her approach. She then distils this complexity into manageable, easy-to-digest training for outdoor leaders. This ensures the courses are scientifically current and immediately applicable to the unique challenges of outdoor leadership.

As a member of the Mountain Training Association and the British Mountaineering Council, Mia demonstrates her commitment to professional standards by regularly attending relevant CPD courses.

What to bring

Please bring a notepad and pen, water bottle, packed lunch, and snacks. You may also want to bring a laptop or tablet so you can follow along with the slides on your own device. If the weather permits, we may spend some time outside: you’ll need  warm layers, waterproofs, and a sit pad.

Depending on the venue, you can either purchase warm beverages or we’ll provide instant coffee, a selection of teas, and oat/cow milk.

What happens after the event

You'll receive your Certificate of Completion within five working days of the event. If your attendance counts as CPD, your CPD point(s) will automatically be added to your Tahdah record at in the same time frame.