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Robbie Joseph says the Thrive app helps him to ‘feel energised’.
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Former Kent fast bowler Robbie Joseph, who featured 116 times for the county across all formats, spoke to the PCA about the positive impact Thrive has had on his mental health.
The 39-year-old has found the app useful and is now recommending it to others. He said: “I would definitely encourage other PCA members to use this. Even if it is just for meditation or if it is just to keep a diary of what exercise you need to do.
“It is so easy and simple and it works wonders. You feel more relaxed and you get more clarity. You get out of your own head for a little bit to a little quiet place.”
Thrive is the only NHS-approved app designed to prevent and detect mental health and wellbeing issues and the PCA has provided it for its members since 2015.
The app provides cognitive behavioural therapy programmes as well as mindfulness techniques including meditation and deep muscle relaxation. Early in 2021, the PCA announced that the app had expanded its offering to include coaching with qualified therapists. The intention is to help PCA members to be more proactive in improving their mental wellbeing.
Speaking to the Association about the benefits he has found when using the app, Joseph added: “I find it very useful, it gives you perspective, it gives you the ability to write down goals.
“Even if there is a time when you don’t feel like doing anything it gives you exercise goals or relationship goals. Such as encouraging you to make two phone calls per day.
“It also helps to rationalise your irrational thoughts.”
The former fast bowler explained to the PCA how he gets the most out of the technology. He said:
“You can set out how many times a week you would like to use it. You can set out what time of day you would like to use it and set an alarm to remind you.
“I use it at least three times per week. I find myself doing it first thing in the morning, especially the meditation and the breathing exercises because it wakes you up and you feel energised and ready to go.
“The exercise is a massive part of what I enjoy the most about it. It helps to give me a clear set plan. It is not that I necessarily like the exercise while I am doing it, but when I am on the app I feel more compelled to follow it.
“Also, having the app there while I’m working helps me if I feel overwhelmed. If I get a spare 15 minutes then I will go into the app and do a couple of breathing exercises or meditation.”
"I find it very useful, it gives you perspective, it gives you the ability to write down goals."
ROBBIE JOSEPH
The Association is committed to helping its membership combat difficulties with mental health and wellbeing. The Professional Cricketers’ Trust has supported 460 individuals in the last 5 years.
The Trust is the PCA’s registered charity that supports the lifelong health and wellbeing of PCA members and their immediate families. Since 2015 the number of mental health cases the Trust has supported has steadily increased. In 2020, new data revealed, the Trust had helped 94 members in the area of mental health, a record-breaking year for the charity.
The PCA is actively encouraging its members to download the Thrive app as a proactive way of keeping on top of their mental health and wellbeing. Thrive is easily available to download from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
For further support members can contact their Personal Development Manager.
Find out more about the PCA’s Personal Development and Welfare Programme (PDWP).
