Background Besides classical approaches for treating depression, physical activity has been demonstrated to be an effective option. Bouldering psychotherapy (BPT) combines psychotherapeutic interventions with action-oriented elements from the field of climbing. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of BPT compared with a home-based exercise program (EP - active control group, superiority trial) and state-of-the-art cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT – non-inferiority trial). Methods The study is being conducted as a multicentre randomised controlled intervention trial at three locations in Germany. Participants are being randomised into three groups: BPT, CBT, or EP, each with a 10-week treatment phase. A power analysis indicated that about 240 people should initially be included. The primary outcome of the study is the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) directly after the intervention. Additional measurement points are located three, six, and 12 months after the end of the intervention. The data are being collected via computer-assisted telephone interviews. Statistical analyses comprise regression analyses to test for the superiority of BPT over EP. To test for the non-inferiority of BPT and CBT, a non-inferiority margin of 1.9 points in the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and two non-inferiority margins for the MADRS (half of the two smallest Cohen’s d values from the current meta-analyses) was predefined. The mean difference between CBT and EP is being used as a supplementary equivalence margin.

Background Many patients with chronic diseases use complementary therapies, often provided by their physicians. In Germany, several physician-provided complementary therapies have been reimbursed by health insurance companies as part of health benefit programs. In most of these therapies, the patient has a predominantly passive role. In eurythmy therapy, however, patients actively exercise specific movements with the hands, the feet or the whole body. The purpose of this study was to describe clinical outcomes in patients practising eurythmy therapy exercises for chronic diseases. Methods In conjunction with a health benefit program, 419 outpatients from 94 medical practices in Germany, referred to 118 eurythmy therapists, participated in a prospective cohort study. Main outcomes were disease severity (Disease and Symptom Scores, physicians' and patients' assessment on numerical rating scales 0–10) and quality of life (adults: SF-36, children aged 8–16: KINDL, children 1–7: KITA). Disease Score was documented after 0, 6 and 12 months, other outcomes after 0, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and (SF-36 and Symptom Score) 48 months

The Institute of Movement Therapy and Movement-oriented Prevention and Rehabilitation at the German Sport University Cologne deals with research and teaching on the influence of physical activity and sport on health. The research areas range from the prevention and promotion of health to rehabilitation and therapy. The Institute of Movement Therapy and Movement-Oriented Prevention and Rehabilitation at the German Sport University Cologne is divided into two departments and one working group: -Movement-oriented Prevention and Rehabilitation Sciences -Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychiatry -Working Group Physical Activity-Related Prevention Research

Dance Movement Therapy is the evidence-based use of dance and movement in therapy for promoting physical, emotional, cognitive, social and spiritual integration of individuals and systems of individuals. As an arts therapy approach it has the potential to contribute to activation, stabilization and recovery in the context of prevention, acute intervention, and rehabilitation. In both research and clinical practice, there is an increasing interest in dance movement therapy approaches as an significant enhancement to standard care. Dance movement therapists do not work exclusively in traditional settings such as psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine, or special education. Dance Movement Therapy is also applied in neurology, oncology, cardiovascular medicine, etc. and increasingly in preventive care. Dance movement therapists work in the following fields: -Psychiatry Psychosomatics and psychotherapy -Neurology -Geriatrics -Forensic Contexts -Pediatrics -Intensive medicine centers (for example neurology, oncology, pain) and sub-acute care facilities -Psychosocial institutions for children and families with special needs, disabilities and early intervention -Institutions of prevention and education (e.g., schools, youth offers, kindergardens) The applied master’s degree in dance movement therapy at the SRH University Heidelberg was developed within the framework of European alignment and recognition of university degrees (the Bologna Process) and accredited in 2012. It offers graduates of artistic or psychosocial study programs a qualified education in dance movement therapy. In contrast to other master’s degrees in Germany ...this program is designed as a two-year full-time program and generally begins in the winter semester on October 1st. The program details can be found in the official program handbook. The program consists of 120 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) points, and students earn an accredited degree that gives access to world-wide access to doctoral programs. The language of the program is English.

• In Austria and Germany in particular, climbing as therapy is well-established, with educational courses on the topic, books and even hospitals boasting climbing facilities. Scientific research into the positive effect of climbing in the areas of physiotherapy, ergotherapy and psychotherapy is growing, to provide solid evidence for its use as an alternative therapy. • In ergotherapy (the treatment of a disease or injury through appropriate physical effort) we work mostly with children and focus on something called sensory integration, a concept within ergotherapy. We work mostly with children with ADHD and those with learning disabilities. These courses are always full. If you start a course in a big city there are waiting lists since so many children are diagnosed with ADHD, perhaps even overdiagnosed. The next largest group within ergotherapy is rehabilitation for patients who have suffered from a stroke. • In physiotherapy there is a really wide range of patients, because we have the advantage in climbing that the whole body is working - no limb is neglected - you can train the abdominals, back, hands, arms and legs and so on, there is no specific focus. It's not only for orthopaedic patients though, some therapists are specialised in neurological programs and this is the area with the most scientific proof that climbing therapy works.

• About the Institute for Climbing Therapy History It all started when we opened our Climbing Gym in the town of Salzburg (Austria) in 2005. We commenced with ordinary courses but soon we began to teach climbing instructors (in Austria this is a matter of the State). And two of us where psychologist/Psychotherapist (Alexis) and an experiential educator (Albert) which inevitably lead us to use climbing in our fields. It worked so well in both of these areas that after some years we began to give courses (in Austria in German Language) for interested practitioners from very different psycho-social fields. And after some years we also offered courses in the realm of physiotherapy and occupational therapy, finding experienced therapist who wanted to share their expertise. And every year after we got more and more emails from around the world asking if there will be courses taught in English. So here are we now, starting the first english course in August of 2018. Theory & Practice of Teaching We think a lot about the pedagogic concept of our courses and try to adept our contents respectively methods to every specific group. A basic method is that we alternate constantly between theory and practice, so that you won’t sit for a long time and the combination of learning something and to experience it will be possible. Another concepts that we count on is the neurobiology of learning and John Hattie´s scientific findings. Goal of the courses Qualifying the participants to plan and conduct programs using climbing as a psychological or pedagogical tool, including the choice of exercises and the verbal interactions before, during and after the action. “climbing helps with depression, anxiety disorders, ADHD...”

Knowledge about potential protective factors against mental health problems is highly needed. Regular physical activity (PA) in an outdoor environment, like mountain exercising, might reduce psychological distress. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of mental health problems in mountain exercisers and to detect factors associated with psychological distress. In a cross-sectional design, we collected self-reported data of 1,536 Austrian mountain exercisers. The prevalence of mental health problems and psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), the level of PA International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and affective valence during PA (Feeling Scale) were obtained. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to assess factors influencing psychological distress. The prevalence of mental health problems in Austrian mountain exercisers was 14%. Health-enhancing PA level and higher affective valence during PA were significantly associated with lower psychological distress. Minimal PA level was not significantly associated with lower psychological distress compared to inactive PA level. Marital status, education, alpine association membership, and body mass index did not show a significant influence on psychological distress. The prevalence of mental health problems seems to be lower in Austrian mountain exercisers compared to the European population. A health-enhancing PA level and affective valence increasing forms of PA were shown to be associated with lower psychological distress. Results might lead to interventional studies focusing on the potential of outdoor PA, e.g., mountain exercise, as an adjunct treatment in people at risk or with mental health problems.

OBJECTIVE: The following crossover pilot study attempts to prove the effects of endurance training through mountain hiking in high-risk suicide patients. METHOD: Participants (n=20) having attempted suicide at least once and clinically diagnosed with hopelessness were randomly distributed among two groups. Group 1 (n=10) began with a 9-week hiking phase followed by a 9-week control phase. Group 2 (n=10) worked vice versa. Assessments included the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Scale of Suicide Ideation (BSI), and maximum physical endurance.

Purpose of the Study Although the potential benefits of sport and exercise seem promising, little is known about how these benefits may be gained in people with mental health illness (Faulkner et al., 2015), particularly in people living with PTSD. There is a need to understand holistically and in-depth how sport and exercise should be facilitated to meet individual and collective needs, which precautions are to be considered, how potential benefits toward recovery can be gained, and which processes relate to which effects (cf. Caddick & Smith, 2014; Day & Wadey, 2016; Fetzner & Asmundson, 2015; Levine & Land, 2016). Understanding these issues would increase the possibility of effectively and adequately planning and implementing sport and exercise programs in this population. In response to this paucity of knowledge, this study aims to describe and explain therapeutic processes and effects taking place in a sport and exercise program with war and torture survivors. War and torture survivors face serious health issues with a high prevalence of PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorders due to their experiencing traumatic events, forced migration, and acculturation challenges in a new, culturally and linguistically different society. Therefore, we conducted a holistic, single case study attempting to provide an in-depth and nuanced account of a single participant, and construct a more holistic understanding of the complex phenomena of diverse processes and effects of sport and exercise in relation to specific individual needs and recovery processes (cf. Day & Wadey, 2016; Stake, 1995; Yin, 2014). Intervention: Sport and Exercise Therapy Program Movi Kune Since 2013, the sport and exercise psychology department (University of Vienna, Austria) and the care center for torture and war survivors Hemayat have been working together in this project, offering sport and exercise therapy as an adjunctive offer to psychotherapy. Each year, war and torture survivors in the care of Hemayat participated in gender-separated groups (on average 5–10 participants per group). The male group of 2014 was facilitated by two trainers/facilitators and one sport and exercise therapist, and was accompanied by a trauma-expert. The intervention was conducted for 3 months, with two weekly sessions of 90 minutes each. The contents and strategies were multimodal in nature and were documented up-front and revised after each session, as the program was continuously adapted to the needs and interests of the participants to augment motivation and adherence to physical activity. For example, in the intervention group of this study, the participants often expressed their wish to play basketball, although different sports and games (Tchoukball, Ultimate Frisbee, and other ball games) were introduced. The program was based on sport, exercise, and movement therapy principles, including the dimensions of training, learning, and experiencing, a perspective on Salutogenesis and health literacy (see Ley, Lintl, & Movi Kune Team, 2014). Various tools were applied, including modified sports, dance, and games; respiration and relaxation techniques; movement tasks, body awareness and grounding exercises; and endurance, resistance, coordination, and mobilization exercises. Nonverbal methods were combined with verbal techniques, applying mainly person-centered communication. Group processes were managed by regulating the degree and method of social interaction and physical contact, by providing the individual choice to opt-out and opt-in, and by fostering self-regulation of the training load, own level of engagement, and role in the team. The continuous participation of a trauma-expert in the intervention was crucial to work within the limits of competences and to deal in the best possible way with potential trauma triggers and exposure to negative experiences (Ley, Krammer, Lippert, & Rato Barrio, 2017; Ley & Rato Barrio, 2017).

The European Network of Active Living for Mental Health (ENALMH) established network which aims to promote the use of Sport & wider context of Mental Health. It is seated at Brussels, Belgium and operates under the Belgian Law with the legal form of an international not for profit Association (AISBL members from 11 countries (IT, UK, SP, GR, CZ, PT, IE, HR, LI, SI and TR). ENALMH as a European umbrella organization doesn’t provide direct services to beneficiaries or doesn’t develop interventions at national level. It focuses at  -the development of policies and tools co (ALMH)  -the establishment of campaigns and other communication activities to promote the overall ALMH movement  -the support of its members to spread the messages and implement policies at national level within their Within this context ENALMH cooperates with  -EU institutions and Agencies  the public sector (state, regional or local authorities and NHS),  -Education and Research institutions  -EU and international Networks and Federations of the Health  -Non profit and for profit entities of the private sector  -Health and Sport professionals ENALMH is a member of “Mental Health Europe” and “Sport & Citizenship” and cooperates closely among others with International Sport and Culture EUFAMI, GAMIAN-Europe and a large range of Universities Europe wide and beyond. Recently ENALMH has been registered in the EU Public Health Platform and the Agora Network operated by the EC / D.G. Health.

European Awareness Campaign Connecting Mental Health with Sport& Physical Activity ''Life is like a bike"

Quality of life and physical exercise in caregivers of patients with mental illness: The chronic stress experienced by caregivers of persons with mental illnesses has been shown to be associated with adverse effects on their own mental health and overall quality of life, increasing the risk of severe symptoms of anxiety and depression, and sleep disorders.