By MHEC

Award in Mental Health & Exercise Coaching


Start Date: Variable - to be agreed once booked

Total Qualification Time: 20 Hours

Guided Learning Hours: N/A

Format: Online

Course Type: CPD

Industry Area: Exercise and Fitness

Venue: National

Region: National


Mental Health & Exercise Coaching (MHEC Limited) is a Fitness Education Academy that specialises in using exercise as a tool to promote positive mental health. This evidence backed process aims to help people revitalise their mental health through exercise. 

MHEC specialise in teaching the general public, organisations, fitness professionals and their clients how to use exercise to regulate their emotions, stresses and anxiety, have earlier mental health interventions, and use exercise as a tool to promote positive mental health. This method is as opposed to conventional fitness programmes that typically centre around physical health and body image. 

MHEC have created progressive solutions for people to fall in love with exercise, and apply this new-found confidence to everyday life, helping people to exercise to feel good.



Regular price £1,499.00
Regular price Sale price £1,499.00
Tax included.
Regular price £1,499.00
Regular price Sale price £1,499.00

Training Overview


Course details

The Award in Mental Health & Exercise Coaching is a unique 2-day certification for fitness professionals and sports coaches, that teaches them how to have earlier interventions, and improve the mental health of those they work with through exercise.

Key learning outcomes:

  • Be able to explain what mental health is, discuss it’s characteristics and its role in society.
  • Use knowledge and skills to identify potential vulnerable individuals.
  • Explain the links between Exercise and Mental Health.
  • Be able to explain how to use exercise to promote positive mental health and why as coaches we should do so.
  • Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the client journey and create a 6-week training programme based on a unique individual.
  • Be able to teach correct values and appropriately practice Informal Exercise Therapy™ (IET).
  • Be able to coach character building, mindset training and independence with unique individuals.
  • Be able to implement all of the course learning and practically and safely coach individuals with poor mental health and mental health conditions.

Course features

Within the modules, learners will be trained on:

  • Addiction
  • ADHD
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Boundaries, Attachment and When to Refer
  • Endorphins and Neuroplasticity
  • Exercise Barriers and Gym Anxiety
  • How to Get Client Results Without ‘Before and After’ Pictures
  • Body Image and Body Dysmorphia
  • MHEC Coach Social Media Marketing and Advertising
  • Stress and the Nervous System (for both learners and their clients)
  • Evidence Based Research and Coaching
  • Plus, learners will be trained up in Informal Exercise Therapy (IET), the process of helping clients open up about their thoughts, feelings and emotions during or after exercise (this is totally unique to the Award in MHEC and cannot be taught anywhere else).

This course features 20 hours of online learning and both practical and written assessments via the following format:

  • 2 hours of pre-learning (within 7 days before course start date)
  • 2 x 8 hours classroom based learning (delivered virtually)
  • 2 hour online assessment
  • 5 minute practical video submission

By completing the course learners will be able to:

  • Find and sign up more clients
  • Support their clients in a deeper way
  • Prevent clients cancelling sessions, allowing them to stay on their programme for longer
  • Gain more referrals to friends and family
  • Have minimal stress and greater confidence
  • Save time, energy and resources as they will now have all the tools they need.

Prerequisites - what's required to participate?

Level 2 Gym Instructor (candidates can enrol on the Award if they don’t have this qualification to decrease barrier to entry, but will not be MHEC certified until they have completed their L2 Gym Instructor qualification).

Career Development

There is an opportunity to combine the Award with a Gym Instructor/Personal Trainer Qualification and support those on the gym floor and in their communities.

Successful participants of this course have taken MHEC into gyms, schools, corporates, local community groups and prisons. Others have liaised with councils and local authorities to set up MHEC informed initiatives or set up their own CIC’s and charities, or put on wellness workshops and retreats.

Looking for your next role in the sport and physical activity sector?