Fitness Professionals Get Access to Landmark Mental Health Certification
The groundbreaking new cert teaches an evidence-backed, psychological perspective on exercise, nutrition, connection and mindfulness
The Mental Wellbeing Association has just launched the world’s first Mental Well-Being Certification for fitness professionals, available for pre-purchase now. The certification aims to bridge a major gap between mental health and the fitness industry by comprehensively training fitness professionals in the latest evidence-based mental health practices.
The physical aspect of program and class design is only one part of a grounded, holistic approach to helping clients reach their goals. According to the Mental Wellbeing Association, 94% of personal training clients talk to their trainer about nutrition, stress, sleep, and injury. Almost 80% report that they exercise for their mental/emotional well-being, and 89% of peer-reviewed research found a positive, statistically significant relationship between exercise/physical activity and mental health.
The certification is the flagship initiative of the newly formed Mental Wellbeing Association, an offshoot of the John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation, which seeks to challenge traditional notions of mental health treatment through research and training.
Lynne and Victor Brick, co-founders of both organizations, have termed the certification launch a “game changer” for both the fitness sector and mental healthcare at large. They say it will deeply “empower” both fitness professionals and clients.
The 20-hour certification curriculum is online and covers the science behind behavior change, mindfulness practices, social connection, eating well and nutrition, combating discrimination, and more. Instructors hail from leading institutions like Harvard Medical School and Columbia University.
Groundbreaking in its scope and instruction, experts say the certification reflects an accelerating recognition of the link between physical and mental health – and the fitness industry’s potential role.
“Everyone knows we are in the middle of a mental health crisis but we are also at the beginning of a mental well-being Renaissance,” said Lynne and Victor Brick in a statement. “With the launch of the Mental Well-Being Certification for Fitness Professionals, a much needed, positive shift is underway for the future of mental well-being and fitness.”
Early access to the new certification is available now via the Mental Wellbeing Association website ahead of an expected full launch early next year. Organizers believe the program has potential not just to improve a national mental health emergency, but to energize and grow the global fitness industry by training its professionals to support overall lifestyle and wellness goals.
This certification announcement mirrors efforts by other organizations in the fitness industry to address the “softer” interpersonal skills side of personal training and the multidimensional aspects of programming that go above and beyond exercise design. The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) launched its Fostering Inclusivity in Fitness course in July, with the aim of raising “awareness of inequities, exclusion and disservice” in the fitness industry.
Similarly, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) released a recertification requirement focusing on professional conduct and ethics, and it also offers several equity, diversion and inclusion education resources, including courses, webinars and LGBTQIA+-specific live conversations