MENTAL HEALTH & RUNNING
Mental Health
It’s no secret of the benefits in the relationship between running and one’s mental health. Ultra Series was started off the back of wanting space for the mind to be free, away from the stresses of every day life and the mental battles one has. The runs and trails give some selfish time to recharge and be free for that time out in the wilderness. Let’s be honest, I’d suggest 100% of us all have our reasons for desiring to run such long distances.
Ultra Series is a proud advocate of acknowledging mental health issues within society and equally as proud to provide an amazing platform for people to benefit from. We support many mental health charities through fundraising and raising awareness and our 24 parkruns in 24 hours across 6 states, are all aligned with 6 different charities tied in with the benefits of fitness and mental health.
Additional Counselling Available To You
Sometimes when things get overwhelming, it is OK to ask for help. It is OK to not be OK. And it is OK to reach out and have someone guide you along a path for a brighter future. Running is amazing, but it isn’t necessarily the solution to everything.
And this is where it leads us to proudly associate ourselves with the amazing Glenda Irving at Glenda Irving Counselling Services.
Glenda is a runner amongst us, an amazing volunteer too and crazy supporter of the Ultra Series community and all the benefits ultra running provides. And just like us, Glenda has her own story in life:
“Just before I turned 40, my mother passed away. When it happened, it was sudden, unexpected, and utterly devastating. My whole identity and life were structured around her care. I was lost, like a boat without a rudder. I was overwhelmed with grief and found no safe harbour after the first few months had passed.
Thus began a journey of acceptance, healing and self-discovery, acknowledging my pain, peeling back the layers of shame and saying the things I was scared to admit out loud. I discovered that people resonated with the stories I shared and the feelings I experienced. They wanted to begin their own journey, but I didn’t feel equipped to support them well.
That led to my decision to begin studying counselling. Surprisingly, I realised I already had the foundational skills and was using them. I just needed some structure so I could help others safely and ethically. I am now a member of the Australian Counselling Association and continue further studies alongside offering confidential counselling services online through Telehealth.
I offer person-centred therapy to people who want to look at challenges from their history and may face major life changes/transitions or significant loss. We all should get the chance to explore our feelings and history and determine what we would like our life to look like.”
Glenda has now made her services available to us at Ultra Series, and having built an amazing friendship with Glenda and her family over the last decade, we are incredibly proud to build this association.
Please, if you are struggling with your mental health, you owe it to YOURSELF to give yourself some care.
Feel free to visit Glenda’s website at www.growingglenda.com or call or email her on 0410 047 952 or info@growingglenda.com
