Lively Minds

It's easy to assume that proximity to greenery or stretches of water (rivers, lakes, the sea) is good for your mental health…. Not so fast… Ellie dismantles some of Will's assumptions in this episode!They discuss Ellie's new PhD at the University of Cumbria, funded through an NIHR-supported Mental Health Leaders Award focused on mental health inequalities in Cumbria.Ellie’s research explores how disabled young people living rurally or coastally in Cumbria perceive green and blue spaces (parks, woodlands, gardens, seas, rivers, lakes) and other “third spaces” outside home and work/school as affecting their mental health and wellbeing.She critiques romanticised assumptions and lab-based or map-proximity studies that ignore access and infrastructure barriers, sharing personal experiences of feeling excluded from nature and reframing the issue as accessibility. 00:00 Welcome Back Update00:49 Podcast Return Intro01:25 Ellie PhD Overview02:30 Defining Green Blue03:19 Why Disabled Youth05:07 Nature Access Epiphany07:23 Research Questions Approach08:21 Critiquing Nature Studies12:55 Access Versus Proximity17:48 Romanticizing Landscapes20:45 Colonial Rurality Debate22:44 What The PhD Hopes24:15 Subscribe And GoodbyebOur content does not constitute medical advice and should not be considered a replacement for seeking professional support. Signposting to resources can be found on our website livelymindspod.comPlease subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching Lively Minds in your favourite podcast app.Please consider leaving us a rating or review, it really helps others to find the show!