#51: Prof. Katharina Luttenberger - Researching Bouldering Psychotherapy

Prof. Katharina Luttenberger chats about why fear is so beneficial, what exactly is Bouldering Psychotherapy, and her journey researching the role climbing can take in treating mental health conditions. 

Katharina is a psychological psychotherapist, bouldering therapist, and climbing coach. She has spent a decade researching the impact bouldering psychotherapy can have on depression, anxiety, and the wellbeing of young refugees. 

Katharina also shares how her own personal journey with climbing has impacted the way she relates to her patients, and why it set her on the path of researching a new treatment model.

Huge thanks to our sponsors for supporting this episode and series 5 of the podcast Urban Climb and Climbing Anchors

www.bouldering-psychotherapy.com ( research homepage)

www.climbaid.org (organisation Katharina worked with in Lebanon)

Papers

A psychosocial bouldering intervention improves the well-being of young refugees and adolescents from the host community in Lebanon: results from a pragmatic controlled trial | Conflict and Health | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)

Bouldering psychotherapy is more effective in the treatment of depression than physical exercise alone: results of a multicentre randomised controlled intervention study | BMC Psychiatry | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)

Bouldering psychotherapy is not inferior to cognitive behavioural therapy in the group treatment of depression: A randomized controlled trial - Luttenberger - 2022 - British Journal of Clinical Psychology - Wiley Online Library

Content Warning: infrequent strong language

Disclaimer: Content, commentary, and opinions shared on the Mum's Gone Climbing podcast are for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for medical and/or health advice from a professional, and should not be substituted for care based on the facts/circumstances of your individual situation.