Learn how to prevent and manage mental illness with practical frameworks to use in services that provide mental health care
Explore the use of lifestyle medicine in the prevention of mental illness
There is now considerable evidence for using lifestyle interventions as a pivotal approach to prevent and treat common mental illness.
On this three-week course, you’ll discover the benefits of using lifestyle medicine in services that provide mental health care and gain practical skills to use in your context.
This course has been developed by mental health clinicians, academics, and those with lived experience. With their expertise, you’ll be supported in implementing lifestyle medicine to aid in the assessment and management of mental illness, recovery, and wellbeing.
What is lifestyle medicine?
Lifestyle medicine uses the evidence-based application of nutrition, movement, sleep, mind-body practices, reduced substance use, connection with the natural world and more. This is then combined with enhanced behaviour change and health coaching, new models of care, and digital health to prevent and treat disease and lead to whole-of-person wellbeing.
You’ll gain an understanding of lifestyle medicine from both a lived experience perspective and as a foundational part of care.
Explore the importance of behaviour change
Next, you’ll uncover how behaviour change and health coaching is crucial in lifestyle medicine approaches. You’ll explore communications skills, behaviour change frameworks, coaching guides, digital tools, and built environment optimisation.
With this knowledge, you’ll have a better understanding of how to care for others and yourself.
Develop as a mental health clinician with Deakin University and James Cook University
Finally, you’ll gain the practical skills to successfully implement clinical lifestyle programmes.
Guided by the experts at Deakin and James Cook universities, you’ll finish the course with the knowledge and confidence to use lifestyle medicine in your mental health practice.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to…
- Describe the role of lifestyle medicine approaches in people with mental illness
- Examine medication optimisation in people with moderate-severe mental illness to reduce the risk of comorbidities
- Explore behaviour change approaches in people with mental illness
- Deliver the implementation and evaluation of lifestyle medicine models of care and programs across health service settings
Who is the course for?
The course is designed for health professionals working in services that provide mental health care, such as psychiatrists, general practitioners, allied health, nursing staff, community workers, and peer support workers.
The course is also relevant for families and carers of those with lived experience of mental illness.
Syllabus
Week 1: Introduction to life and mind
Meet your teachers
Meet your teaching team and other learners, and find key information about this course, including useful tips and links to help you get the most out of your learning.
Learn about the pillars of Lifestyle Medicine
Take a closer look at the main pillars of Lifestyle Medicine for physical and mental health including diet, exercise, sleep and social connection.
Reflect
Reflect on the key ideas presented this week, ask questions and engage with your peers.
Week 2: Introduction to behaviour change in Lifestyle Medicine
Learn the foundations
Learn the essential foundations of behaviour change including communication skills, positive psychology coaching and built environment optimisation.
Review the impact
Review the impact of psychotropic medications on physical health, consider self-care and explore educational strategies and digital tools to support your practice.
Reflect
Reflect on the key ideas presented this week, ask questions and engage with your peers.
Week 3: Clinical lifestyle programs implementation and evaluation
Examine
Examine program implementation, models of care and co-design and hear from a range of experts about their work in Lifestyle Medicine.
Explore the main methods
Explore the main methods and steps to conducting and disseminating research in Lifestyle Medicine.
Reflect
Reflect on what you’ve learnt throughout the course to consolidate your knowledge and areas you may need to review.
Start dates
Who will you learn with?
You will learn from a team of mental health clinicians, academics, and those with lived experience led by:
FAQ's
When can I start Life and Mind?
Life and Mind is open for enrolment throughout 2026. You can enrol and start learning at a time that suits you.
How much time do I need to dedicate to the course?
Life & Mind is designed to be completed across 3 weeks with approximately 7 hours of study each week. It may take you more or less time.
There are additional resources and readings within the course. These resources and readings are complementary to course material and are not included in the study hours.
How long do I have to complete the course?
You will have unlimited, ongoing access to the course content from your start date. If you wish to claim CPD hours from the RACGP, you will need to complete all requirements within the calendar year.
Is there someone available to answer my questions during the course?
Life & Mind is moderated by lead educator, Dr Tetyana Rocks. There will be 4 periods throughout the year Tetyana will be available to answer your questions in the course. For 2026 these are:
- January 26, 2026 – March 6, 2026
- April 27, 2026 – June 5, 2026
- July 20, 2026 – August 28, 2026
- October 19, 2026 – November 27, 2026
Are there any live components of Life and Mind?
There are no live components to Life and Mind. The entire course is designed for you to work through at your own pace.
You will find discussion boards throughout the course where you can interact with other learners should you wish.
Can I claim Continuing Professional Development?
This course is accredited for 21 hours of study with the RACGP.
To claim RACGP CPD points you will need to complete all of the following steps:
Complete tasks in steps 1.10, 2.3, 3.4, 3.15 (evaluation form)
Complete the course assessment (part 1 and 2).
Email your documentation, FutureLearn certificate, together with your name and RACGP number (e.g., Jenny Smith (123123)) to Tetyana Rocks tetyana.rocks@deakin.edu.au.
You may be able to claim self-reported CPD hours with other organisations.
What do I need to do to receive a Certificate of Achievement through Future Learn?
To receive your Certificate of Achievement you must:
- Complete 90% of the steps (using the “Mark as complete” button).
- Attempt the multiple-choice test questions at the end of Week 2 and 3.
- Achieve an overall score of at least 70% on the multiple-choice tests.
I have another question.
You can email the Food & Mood Academy team at foodmoodacademy@deakin.edu.au with any further questions.