STAND for Mental Health Care
Strategies for Translating Accessible Nature-therapy into Mental Health Care Delivery
Partner with Us on a Groundbreaking Mental Health Initiative
We invite you to become a partner or supporter of an innovative initiative that is set to change the face of mental health and community care in Australia. This pioneering project integrates nature-based interventions into mainstream services - addressing a critical and often overlooked gap in care.
A Landmark Collaboration
Led by the Rural Health Research Institute at Charles Sturt University under the guidance of Professor Julaine Allan, and delivered in partnership with NatureFix, this initiative brings together Australia’s leading researchers and practitioners to co-create a powerful, evidence-based approach to mental health.
With funding being pursued through the Medical Research Future Fund – Rapid Applied Research Translation (MRFF RART), we need your support!
I have to be honest, the idea of having Elders involved in making recordings as a way to share story of significance and connection to Country, raises the hair on the back of my neck, so exciting!
Nigel Smith, MHDA Services Coordinator for Aboriginal Peoples
A Scalable Solution to Mental Health
The NatureFix Translation Study brings an evidence-based nature therapy program to life across six diverse community settings, aiming to tackle rising mental health challenges across
Public hospitals, inpatient mental health services, Indigenous health, private allied health services and staff wellbeing.
Nature is proven to boost wellbeing and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression - yet access to structured, therapeutic nature programs still remains limited. This study will bridge that gap!
Using a scientific framework this study will evaluate how NatureFix works in real-world conditions. Partnering with researchers, health practitioners, and communities, we’ll assess the feasibility of nature prescription, its impact, and potential for wider adoption.
This APP is just a gem
it completely changed my life!
Meet the
Research Team
Prof. Julaine Allan
Charles Sturt University
Dr Nicole Snowden
Charles Sturt University
Assoc. Prof. Alfred Wong
Charles Sturt University
Dr Hazel Dalton
Charles Sturt University
Prof. Thomas Astell-Burt
Sydney University
Dr Katarzyna Olcon
University of Wollongong
Assoc. Prof. Ali Chauvenet
Griffith University
Chaired by Jim Burt
Executive Director Strategy UK National Academy for Social Prescribing
Meet the
Delivery Partners
Pending funding success, this project will evaluate the impact of the NatureFix program across six diverse mental health settings in urban, regional, and rural NSW.
Working with…
We thank our
ambassadors
Costa Georgiadis
Gardening Australia
Costa Georgiadis is a landscape architect who has an all-consuming passion for plants and people, and takes great pleasure in bringing the two together. Costa believes in embracing and celebrating mother nature's cycles and seasons and nurturing her balance, beauty and bounty organically. His holistic approach is all about gardening the soil and the soul.
Website: www.abc.net.au/gardening
Gina Chick
Author of we are the stars
Gina Chick is an Australian adventurer, writer, and rewilding facilitator, best known for winning the inaugural season of Alone Australia in 2023. Gina survived 67 days alone in the Tasmanian wilderness. She continues to inspire many through her storytelling, workshops, and public speaking engagements, emphasising resilience, authenticity, and a deep connection to nature.
Website: www.ginachick.com
Dr Jenny Brockis
MB ChB (Brist) FASLM
Dr. Jenny Brockis is a former GP and a Board-Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician, as well as an award-winning speaker and best-selling author of five books, including The Natural Advantage. Drawing on over 30 years of clinical experience, she is passionate about helping people thrive through science-backed, practical strategies that promote lasting health and wellbeing.
Website: www.drjennybrockis.com
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Help us find more champions to support this work…
We value
your partnership and support
Let’s create a future where access to nature is recognised as a vital part of mental health and wellbeing.
NatureFix has taken my anxiety away and calmed my soul. Everyone should have access to these benefits. I now have the tools to motivate myself towards my own self-care, to which I have such gratitude.
Six week program participant