Content information: In this episode, Richard talks about his young son dying from cancer, and the impact of that traumatic experience on his mental health. He also describes how climbing has helped him recover and manage PTSD.
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In this one we sit down with climber and mountaineer Richard Chapman, who’s changing the way trauma is treated in mainstream healthcare. He has lived experience of trauma and PTSD, and says climbing outdoors helped him recover. He’s now helping develop NHS trials of ‘social prescribing’, where patients are offered non-medical, community-based interventions – including climbing – as a pathway to recovery and hope.
Being introduced to the mountains by his DadRichard losing his young son to cancer in 1998, at the age of 14 monthsThe dangers of telling people about losing a child, the intensity of the emotions and the negative impact on Richard’s mental healthGetting a diagnosis of PTSD and why grief counselling didn’t workThe physical, psychological and emotional benefits of climbing outdoorsThe power of Nature ConnectionThe neurological basis of traumaThe reality of being ‘triggered’Emotional agility and activities that can help you experience powerful emotions safelyYoga, singing, theatre…and climbing?Richard’s seven principles of why climbing is so therapeuticHow this work has changed how Richard climbs – the appeal of the aesthetic line & scramblingManaging risk for people who are vulnerableWhat is social prescribing, why we need it, where it’s being rolled outCompleting the NHS Peer Leadership Development ProgrammeHow this is a story of recovery, hope and being defined not just by what happened to you, but by what could happen next.Show notes and full transcript available at www.thebmc.co.uk/finding-our-way-podcast-rich-chapman-grief
Follow Richard on twitter - @elchipmeister @climbingmatters
