Mental Health & Exercise Research Group
Exercise in the treatment and management of mental health and illness
This research group is exploring exercise in the management of physical and mental health outcomes for those living with, or at risk of, mental ill health. Exercise is beneficial and therapeutic for patients across multiple areas of health and wellbeing, but how to support individuals to be active, improve health outcomes and embed exercise within care pathways is yet to be established.
Furthermore, the mechanisms by which exercise impacts outcomes across varied disorders and settings is yet to be established.
Specific projects include substance use disorders and addiction rehabilitation services; severe mental illnesses in inpatients and community healthcare services; supporting the mental wellbeing of tertiary students; mental health of at-risk children and young people; and exercise and eating disorders, and exercise and gender diversity.
Current projects include:
- Move your mind: exercise to support the physical and mental health outcomes of individuals living with severe mental illness
- Exercise and substance use disorders
- Sport-based mental health intervention for children at risk of mental illness
- Stride: An on-campus referral-based exercise program from students with mental health problems
- Exercise and gender diversity
- Human Thriving in Recurring Potentially Traumatic, Elevated Threat and High Stress Work Environments
- Exercise interventions to support youth with mental illness transitioning between child, adolescent, and adult mental health services.
- Exercise for those with disordered eating.
- Eating Disorder Treatment Models for Trans and Gender Diverse People.
Current PhD students:
- Felicity Austin
- Kai Schweizer
- Aaron Simpson
- Sally Edmonson
- Ben Kramer
- Caleb McMahen
- Anna Hilyard
Completed PhD students:
As part of these projects the successful PhD applicant may:
- Investigate the role of exercise in the management of physical and mental health outcomes in individuals with common and sever mental illness (in various settings)
- Establish evidence-based practices for the promotion and delivery of exercise programs for mental health/illness in varied settings (e.g community health care, hospitals, universities, workplace rehabilitation
- Develop innovative strategies and programs to support the health and wellbeing outcomes of individuals at risk of, or living with mental illness
Suggested readings
- Furzer, B., Rebar, A., Dimmock, J., More, A., Thornton, A., Wright, K., Colthart, A., & Jackson, B. (2021). Exercise is medicine… when you enjoy it: Exercise enjoyment, relapse prevention efficacy, and health outcomes for youth within a drug and alcohol treatment service. Psychology of Sport and Exercise (52).
- Furzer BJ, Wright KE, Edoo A, Maiorana A. Move your mind: embedding accredited exercise physiology services within a hospital-based mental health service. Australas Psychiatry. 2020
- Furzer BJ, Rebar A, Dimmock J, Thornton A, Wright K, Colthart A, Jackson B. Exercise enjoyment, relapse prevention efficacy and health outcomes for youth within a drug and alcohol treatment service. Psychol Sport Exerc, In press, 2020
- Fibbins H, Lederman O, Morell R, Furzer B, Wright K, Stanton R. Incorporating exercise professionals into mental health settings: an Australian perspective. J Clin Exerc Physiol. 2019; 8(1): 21-25
- More A, Jackson B, Dimmock J, Thornton A, Colthart A, Furzer B. “It's like a counselling session… but you don't need to say anything:" Exercise program outcomes for youth within a drug and alcohol treatment service. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2018; 39; 1-9
- More A, Jackson B, Dimmock JA, Thornton AL, Colthart A, Furzer B. Exercise in the Treatment of Youth Substance Use Disorders: Review and Recommendations. Front Psych. 2017; 8: 1839
- Austin, F., Wright, K., Jackson, B., Lin, A., Schweizer, K., & Furzer, B. (2024). A scoping review of trans and gender diverse children and adolescents’ experiences of physical activity, sport, and exercise participation. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 26, Article 100576
- Almarjawi, A., Wright, K., Buist, B., Cairney, J., Ton, T., & Furzer, B. (2023). Reliability of Fitness Assessments in Children With Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties. Pediatric Exercise Science, 35(4), 206-213
- Jeftic, I., Furzer, B., Dimmock, J., Wright, K., Boyd, C., Budden, T., Rosenberg, M., Kramer, B., Buist, B., Fitzpatrick, I., Sabiston, C., de Jonge, M., & Jackson, B. (2023). Structured exercise programs for higher education students experiencing mental health challenges: Background, significance, and implementation. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1104918. Article 1104918
- Jeftic, I., Furzer, B., Dimmock, J., Wright, K., Budden, T., Boyd, C., Simpson, A., Rosenberg, M., Sabiston, C., de Jonge, M., & Jackson, B. (2023). The stride program: Feasibility and pre-to-post program change of an exercise service for university students experiencing mental distress. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 69, Article 102507
- Buist, B., Kramer, B., Wright, K., Edwards, P., Petrofes, A., & Furzer, B. (2024). “It’s a Very Good Second Option”: Older Adults’ Experience of Telehealth. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 21(7), 668-674
- Wright, K., Jackson, B., Licari, M., Dimmock, J., & Furzer, B. (2023). Thriving families: The feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a multi-component physical literacy program for children with neurodevelopmental, emotional, or behavioural problems. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 25, Article 100558
- McMahen, C., Wright, K., Stanton, R., Lederman, O., Rosenbaum, S., McKeon, G., & Furzer, B. (2022). Outcome assessments used in studies examining the effect of prescribed exercise interventions for people living with severe mental illness, a scoping review. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 22, Article 100438
- Furzer, B., Rebar, A. L., Dimmock, J., More, A., Thornton, A., Wright, K., Colthart, A., & Jackson, B. (2021). Exercise is medicine … when you enjoy it: exercise enjoyment, relapse prevention efficacy, and health outcomes for youth within a drug and alcohol treatment service. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 52, Article 101800
Research team leaders:
Dr Bonnie Furzer – Accredited Exercise Physiologist
- Associate Professor and Course Coordinator - UWA Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology (School of Human Sciences)
- CEO - Thriving Exercise Rehabilitation Inc.
- Senior Exercise Physiologist and Service Coordinator - Fremantle Hospital Mental Health Service
- Research focus area Head, Brain and Behaviour
- Co-Director - Psychology of Active, Healthy Living Group
- Associate Professor - UWA School of Human Sciences
- Senior Lecturer and the Program Authority for Exercise Physiology in the School of Health Sciences
- Director/COO - Thriving Exercise Rehabilitation Inc.
Funding and Collaborations
External Collaborators:
- Fremantle Hospital Mental Health Service (South Metropolitan Health Service)
- Mission Australia
- Next Step Drug and Alcohol Youth Service
- Psychology of Active, Healthy Living Group
- Thriving In Motion
- Telethon Kids Institute
- James Cook University
- UWA Exercise and Performance Centre
- Perth Children's Hospital
- UNSW
Media
- UWA media article - Exercise physiology students use telehealth to help community
- Exercise & Sport Science Australia's Move Magazine - Exercise outcomes for youth within a drug and alcohol treatment service
- Perth Now -Thriving DAYS program proves successful in helping a 19yo with drug addiction
How to Apply
Check criteria
- To be accepted into the Doctor of Philosophy, an applicant must demonstrate they have sufficient background experience in independent supervised research to successfully complete, and provide evidence of English language proficiency
- Requirements specific to this project:
- Highly desired: Allied health training with relevance to working in the area of mental health (e.g. exercise physiologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, clinical psychologist)
Submit enquiry to research team leader
- Contact the research team leader by submitting an Expression of Interest form via the button below
- After you have discussed your project with the research team leader, contact [email protected] to proceed with your application
Scholarships
- Domestic students
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All domestic students may apply for Research Training Program and University Postgraduate Awards (UPA) scholarships
- International students
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A range of scholarships are available from international organisations and governments. The full list, organised by country, is available on the Future Students website.
In addition, all international students may apply for International Research Training Program scholarships.
- Indigenous students
- Indigenous students are encouraged to apply for Indigenous Postgraduate Research Supplementary Scholarships.
- Forrest Foundation scholarships
- All international and Australian students who wish to study towards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at The University of Western Australia may apply for Forrest Scholarships.
