Trina Clayeux explains the connection between physical and mental health

One of the many reasons people get into fitness and training is because they're trying to work through something. Whether it's something from the past that haunts them, Overcoming self-esteem issues, or using weights as therapy, physical health has been an outlet to help people with mental health for decades. Whether it was obvious or subconscious, the effort put into training does just as much for the brain as it does for the muscles.

Trina Clayeux Ph.D., is the CEO of Give an hour, a non-profit organization focused on helping patients struggling with various mental health issues. According to its website, Give an Hour's mission is to "develop resilient individuals and communities." They do not offer emergency services, but their efforts have helped numerous people overcome various mental barriers to reach new levels of personal success. In her work, Clayeux, who received her Ph.D. in leadership studies, has seen time and time again that the ties between physical and mental health are profound.

“If you can’t control parts of your physical health, your Mental health starts to go downhill. This also works the other way around. When your mental health is going downhill, your physical health is usually right behind it," Clayeux said. Many of the patients Give a Hour serves are veterans of the United States Armed Forces, and she can attest to the enormity of the problems that can come with mental health and the lack of attention that has been given to it.

“I have worked with military families for 20 years,” Clayeux said. “One of the biggest gaps in supporting individuals was that there was a complete disconnect from mental health for them.”

Clayeux also shared that the military has been working to close this gap with the transition from active duty to retirement or discharge. It's worth noting that she doesn't just speak from a professional standpoint. She herself is the wife of a 26-year veteran, and that gave her an advantage when it came to helping other veterans in their professional lives.

“With that came an adjacent view of the importance of physical health that is prevalent in the military, and a development that results in mental health becoming so normalized.”

A misconception that many people have believed is that you have to focus on one before you get the other. Clayeux believes this is not the case, and her experience and real-world knowledge have confirmed these feelings.

“As people in the [military] community have connected the dots between physical readiness and mental readiness, you really start to see the synergy of that coming together and how they are interdependent,” she explained. Other forms of validation that can confirm this can be seen in the form of veterans and family members who have shared their stories on M&F, such as Melanie Branch, Charles Eggleston, Kionte Storey, and Matt Cable. Clayeux himself is also committed to fit. She has competed in numerous races, including an Ironman and two half Ironmans.

“I have played sports my whole life and every year I learned a new sport,” she says. "Paying attention to the process outside of sport was important and helped me. This connectivity was a huge boost both mentally and physically."

Aside from addressing mental health issues that can be traced back to the past, Clayeux hopes athletes, veterans and everyone will look forward and Focus on physical health and is also dedicated to the aspect of mental health, because an injury can occur at any time. Being mentally prepared can make a big difference in recovery.

“It helps to be prepared by leaning on a psychologist rather than relying on a place of reaction,” Clayeux suggested. “You can look at it a little differently so that you don't ignore both Your mental and physical goals.”

A necessity to train body and mind

It can be really easy to focus on a practice or game and not pay attention to anything else. While this is great for the physical component, the mental health aspect also needs to be trained and training or performing is a great time to do this. Clayeux offered a way to do just that without losing time from the session you are in.

"When you're physically active is a good time to pay attention to your thoughts and feelings," she said. "Look for signs of emotional well-being that accompany this activity. Some of these might include being out with friends, feeling more energized, feeling less stressed, etc.

Clayeux believes this can extend far beyond a veteran's personal self. Focusing on emotional well-being during exercise or activity can impact the immediate community.

“This physical activity and emotional connection can not only improve your well-being, but also impact the people around you.”

When it comes to mental health, Give an Hour helps connect veterans and others to a variety of resources that can help them directly in their area. This includes various programs, counseling and more. While there are options for people who need them, Clayeux believes much more can be done.

“A lot of it is that these mental health providers need access to these populations,” she shared. "Every community has its own culture and its own nuance. Even the bodybuilding community has its own ecosystem and language. It's really important that providers are exposed to that and know what really works in a community."

Break down obstacles

The biggest obstacle for many people, including veterans, is not knowing what to do. Current military members and veterans are literally trained to be at peak physical readiness and focused on the task at hand while being aware of what could happen. It may not even be a diagnosed psychological distress like PTSD that is holding them back. Many feel that they are not worthy of improving. Doing so would be selfish in their minds. Another point Clayeux wants to emphasize is that not only can they give themselves the grace to focus on self-improvement, but it is actually a form of self-responsibility that they should. Dr. Trina Clayeux believes this can go far beyond your personal self. Focusing on emotional well-being while exercising or being active can impact your immediate community.

"This physical activity and emotional connection can not only improve your well-being, but also impact the people around you. When I'm having a really stressful day, the best thing I can do for myself is run or go to the gym. I notice how much better I perform when I come back. You have to put the effort into the change or routine."

How can veterans do this for themselves? They can apply the principles they learned in the ministry to their lives today. PT was a requirement that came with the job of serving. Dr. Trina Clayeux wants veterans to be as committed to physical and mental wellness now, knowing it puts them in the best position to thrive for themselves and those they love.

"I do certain things that are non-negotiable and fitness is one of them. I've seen it in my life and others will see it too, the practice is so important because of the compound effect."

For more information about Give an Hour or to register as a provider, visit www.giveanhour.org.