Mental health program for riders

Male riders will soon have a chance to learn more about their motorcycle and their own state of mind thanks to a 12-week mental health pilot program.

The idea is the brainchild of mental health trainer, Brisbane Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride co-ordinator and Triumph Thruxton fan Jeff Gough (pictured above).

He is developing his Mind Moto course thanks to being one of 18 worldwide to score a Research & Development grant through the Movember/DGR Social Connections Challenge. 

Jeff is now seeking to be one of the eight to get full funding. 

“If not, I will go chasing sponsors,” he says.

Mind Moto is a 12 week mental health pilot program that uses common motorcycle skills, components and practices as analogies for thought processes and deeper mental health understandings. 

Or as Jeff says: “We are putting the cog into cognition.”

“This is a highly adaptable and novel approach to men’s mental health, designed to circumvent many of the traditional barriers, and enhance psychological well-being. 

“This is achieved by utilising a known place of action, camaraderie, and learning – the workshop – to give men the confidence and security to explore mental health related ideals and issues.”

Jeff says the practical motorcycling course will be analogous for beneficial behaviours, thought processes, and mindsets. 

It’s sort of a Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for the new age!

“Mind Moto uses a trusted environment and existing knowledge to facilitate understanding, discussion, and new learning around better mental health and mindset practices,” Jeff says. 

“It is expected that the program will not only provide a higher level of understanding of motorcycling, making better riders, but provide a platform for deeper comprehension of cognitive processes and outcomes, creating healthier minds.” 

Participants will not only learn practical tools for maintaining and riding their bike, but also to improve relationships, social connection and life-satisfaction.

Jeff says this will, in turn, minimise feelings of loneliness and isolation in the male motorcycling community. 

The pilot program is targeted at male motorcyclists aged 30-49 years which is statistically the most at-risk group from both suicide and motorcycle crash fatalities. 

“Improving the mental health and motorcycle skills for this age group will have the most benefit for male motorcyclists and the greatest potential impact for the pilot program,” Jeff says. 

The pilot program will have a minimum of 20 participants and a maximum of 50. Click here to email Jeff.

Proposed program 

Topic	Presenters	Moto	Mind
1	Good Pressure	Tyre Specialist / Clifford Morgan Consulting	Tyres and performance	Stress and good pressure
2	Shock Absorption	Suspension Supplier / Clifford Morgan Consulting	Suspension	Resilience and bouncing back trauma
3	Balanced Set-up	Race Rider / Qualia Psychology	Good bike setup	Not too high, not too low
4	Long Way Home	Henry Crew / Clifford Morgan Consulting	About the ride – Preparation, planning,	The journey not the destination
5	See the Line	Q-Ride Trainer/ Think Straight	Cornering basics	Look for the right way through
6	Attentional Riding	Q-Ride Trainer / Qualia Psychology	Being aware and wary	Mindfulness – present in the moment
7	Customising	Skinny’s Garage / Think Straight	Changing away from the standard	Adaptation and adversity
8	Staying Protected	Brittany Morrow / Quialia Psychology	Good protection	Not letting it get to you
9	Slow vs Fast	Q-Ride Trainer / Clifford Morgan Consulting	Control – Traffic vs Track	Emotional control when things are easy vs tumultuous
10	Air ,Fuel, Spark – Essence of Life	Skinny’s Garage / Qualia Psychology	What makes the engine work well	Three essential components of beneficial thinking
11	Persistence and Practice	Q-Ride Trainer / Clifford Morgan Consulting	There’s only one way to get experience	It’s okay to get it wrong – Just keep going
12	Essential Tool box	Skinny’s Garage / Qualia Psychology	Most practical tools for a motorcyclist	Most practical tools for everyday life