Dean's Grand Rounds - The Impact of Lifestyle Factors on Mental Health: From Evidence to Everyday Practice

Dr Mihaela Bucur

Dr Mihaela Bucuris a Consultant Psychiatrist, Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician through the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine and the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM). She is a former Chair of BSLM’s Mental Health Special Interest Group and has contributed to education, policy engagement and professional development, with a focus on the impact of lifestyle on mental health, particularly physical activity, nutrition, sleep, stress management and social connection, as well as reducing physical health inequalities among people with mental illness.

Dr Bucur has held senior leadership roles including Trustee and Vice Chair of BSLM, Director at World Lifestyle Medicine Education Services, Associate Registrar for Wellbeing and Retention,and Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Wellbeing Committee. She also has extensive NHS clinical leadership experience.

She has served as Course Lead for postgraduate psychiatry courses at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), developing educational programs and supporting the training in psychistry. She is currently Director of Education and Training at Psychiatry UK. Her work focuses on translating evidence into accessible education and embedding the principles of lifestyle medicine within contemporary psychiatric practice.

Professor Joseph Firth

Professor Joseph Firth is a Professor of Psychology & Mental Health at The University of Manchester, whose research focuses on the role of lifestyle interventions and digital technologies in treatment of mental illness. He is a four-time recipient of the Clarivate™ Highly Cited Researcher award in Psychiatry/Psychology, was named Research.com's #1 "Rising Star" in 2023 across all fields in the UK, and received the USERN Laureate in Social Sciences in 2022 for his work in digital lifestyle interventions for psychosis.

Professor Firth has published over 300 peer-reviewed publications to date, including works in The BMJ, The NEJM, Lancet Psychiatry, and World Psychiatry, and has had leading roles in major policy/guideline pieces, including chairing the Lancet Commission on Physical Health in Mental Illness, acting as expert advisor for the World Health Organization’s Physical Activity Guidelines, and the European Psychiatric Association’s guidelines on exercise and lifestyle interventions in mental healthcare.

Dr Charlotte Marriott

Dr Charlotte Marriott is a consultant psychiatrist in the NHS, a certified lifestyle medicine physician and Fellow of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Lead for Year 3 at the Three Counties Medical School, NHS Clinical Entrepreneur (Cohort 9), and a qualified coach and mentor. Charlotte has held additional voluntary roles, including as Chair of the BSLM Mental Health SIG from 2020-2023, and as an Advisory Board Member and guest speaker for Nutritank CIC.

Charlotte’s focus is on embedding Lifestyle Medicine principles, approaches and interventions into mental health care, in her own clinical work and NHS Trust, and more widely by educating and upskilling healthcare professionals. She has developed course modules, including for Peppy Health, Inspired Medics, Nutritank CIC, NHS England’s MindEd, Warwick Medical School’s Lifestyle Medicine student-selected module, and the West Midlands School of Psychiatry MRCPsych Programme. She has spoken at regional, national and international conferences, and has co-authored lifestyle psychiatry chapters for two textbooks in development.

Beverley Nolker

Beverley Nolker is the Education, Empowerment & Advocacy Manager at Psychiatry-UK, focusing on curriculum design, neurodiversity education and wellbeing. She also chairs the Neurodiversity Network as well as developing initiatives that promote psychological safety, resilience and inclusive leadership. Her work integrates neuroscience, positive psychology and lived experience to create meaningful, measurable change.

Beverley designs and delivers evidence-based training covering ADHD, autism, neurodivergence, resilience, coaching-informed leadership and mentoring. She is known for creating interactive, experiential learning environments that translate complex theory into practical strategies.

She is the founder of ADHD Sheppey and has established Divergent Brains CIC which is dedicated to empowering neurodivergent individuals, families and communities; championing inclusive, community-led wellbeing initiatives.

Beverley is a published children’s author, award-winning teacher and ADHD and Executive Function coach. She combines professional expertise with lived experience as a neurodivergent adult and parent of neurodivergent children.

As a passionate lifelong learner, she is currently studying for a Postgraduate degree in Neurodiversity at Arden University, strengthening the academic foundation of her work.

She is committed to improving understanding of neurodivergence, challenging deficit-based narratives, and creating environments where individuals feel seen, valued and empowered to thrive.

Mental health disorders are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, with rising rates of depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and severe mental illness placing an increasing burden on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Despite advances in pharmacological and psychological treatments, many people continue to experience persistent symptoms, poorer physical health and reduced quality of life.

A growing body of evidence demonstrates that lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, nutrition, sleep, stress management, social connection, and the avoidance of harmful substances, play a fundamental role in the prevention and management of mental illness, offering new opportunities to improve both mental and physical health outcomes.

In this Royal College of Psychiatrists Dean’s Grand Rounds (DGR) , Dr Mihaela Bucur, Consultant Psychiatrist and Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician; Professor Joseph Firth, Professor of Psychology and Mental Health at The University of Manchester; Beverley Nolker, Lived Experience Educator; and Dr Charlotte Marriott, Consultant Psychiatrist and Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician, will explore the evidence about the impact of lifestyle factors on mental health and the growing role of Lifestyle Medicine in contemporary psychiatric practice.

The session will examine:

• the principles of Lifestyle Medicine and the six pillars that underpin its application in mental healthcare
  the evidence supporting lifestyle interventions in mental health disorders
• lived experience perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of integrating lifestyle interventions into everyday life
• strategies for integrating lifestyle approaches into psychiatric care.

Drawing on clinical expertise, research and lived experience, this DGR aims to highlight the central role of lifestyle factors in mental health and explore how integrating evidence-based lifestyle interventions alongside conventional psychiatric treatments can improve patient outcomes and enhance quality of life.

1. Welcome and introduction - Dr Deepa Bagepalli Krishnan
2. Context setting - Dr Mihaela Bucur
3. The principles of Lifestyle Medicine and the six pillars that underpin its application in mental healthcare - Dr Mihaela Bucur
4. The evidence supporting lifestyle interventions in mental health disorders - Professor Joseph Firth
5. Lived experience of integrating lifestyle interventions - Beverley Nolker
6. Strategies for integrating lifestyle approaches into psychiatric care - Dr Charlotte Marriott
7. Q&A
8. Closing comments - Dr Deepa Bagepalli Krishnan

Find out more about the Dean's Grand Rounds, suggest your own session, and watch previous webinars on our website.

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