Mental Health, Wellbeing and Resilience

From StresseD Out to Thriving

Help Your Researchers Manage Stress, Enhance Wellbeing, and Build Resilience

Our Participants' Academic Homes

Managing mental health and building resilience are crucial for early-stage researchers. The pressures of academia—long hours, publish-or-perish culture, and job insecurity—often lead to high stress levels and even burnout. According to a Wellcome Trust report, 34% of researchers have sought professional help for depression or anxiety, and a Nature survey found that 53% show signs of depression. These are not just numbers—this impact is devastating for individuals and results in a significant loss in research productivity.

Effective stress management and resilience are about thriving, not just surviving. Research from the Harvard Business Review shows that individuals who practice resilience training are 27% less likely to experience burnout and 25% more likely to feel satisfied with their work..

Our training portfolio is designed to help researchers effectively manage stress, enhance their mental health and overall wellbeing, and build resilience. We offer a range of formats, from short workshops to intensive 9-week courses.

Our two lead trainers are seasoned professionals (both members of Planck Academy) who bring hands-on experience to their teaching. Paul Sinclair brings unparalleled expertise from serving in an elite military unit of the British Navy and from years of training with Dr. Gabor Maté (one of the foremost experts on mental health, trauma, and addiction). Nadine draws on her personal experiences in academia, as a project manager with McKinsey & Company and as an entrepreneur. Her scientific background and hands-on experience in thriving in the most challenging professional environments complement her qualifications in Emotional Intelligence, Positive Psychology, and Nutritional Psychiatry. Between them, they have trained thousands of early-stage researchers and mentored many from PhD to habilitation. Having lived and worked in over 30 countries and with over 40 nationalities, they excel in navigating diverse cultural contexts.

What sets us apart

Proven Track Record

Successfully trained thousands of researchers across Europe’s leading institutions, demonstrating our commitment to quality and excellence.

Expert-Led Training

Courses delivered by premier

experts with extensive real-world experience, ensuring high-quality and impactful learning.

Achieving Real Change

Science-backed approach ensuring measurable behavioural changes, translating into practical skills and career advancement.

Science-Based
Content

Rigorous content rooted in the latest behavioural change research and adult learning psychology for proven effectiveness.

Focus on Early-Stage Researchers

Tailored programs addressing the specific needs of PhD students and post-doctoral researchers for effective training

Member of Planck
Academy

Part of a select group of professional trainers vetted for their expertise and competencies by the Max Planck Society’s Planck Academy (“Project and Process Management” and “Healthy Work and Resilience”).

Training Solutions That Make a Difference

Our training offerings are specifically designed to cater to the needs of early-stage researchers, from brief, impactful presentations to comprehensive programs aimed at achieving long-term behavioural change. These formats range from short-term awareness sessions to extensive courses that provide in-depth skill development, ensuring that PhD students and post-doctoral researchers receive the targeted training they need to excel in their careers.

Each training format is available for novices (i.e., researchers who have never had training in this area) and experts (i.e., researchers who previously participated in training on the topic and want to deepen their learning and expand their skillset). We also offer tailored training solutions to meet specific institutional needs. Below is a detailed breakdown of each format, highlighting the key aspects and objectives.

Our learning formats explained (click to expand):

Talks/Seminars

Length: 1-2 hours
Format: Face-to-face or virtual
Enrollment: closed (single institution)
Objective: Create awareness
Scope: Focus on a specific area (e.g. Why resilience matters and 5 techniques you can implement today)

Crash Courses/Mini-Workshops

Length: 0.5-1 day
Format: Face-to-face or virtual interactive workshops
Enrollment: closed (single institution)
Objective: Create or deepen awareness in a specific area
Scope: Focus on a specific area (e.g. Dealing with distraction and procrastination)

Workshops

Length: 2-3 days
Format: Face-to-face or virtual interactive workshops
Enrollment: closed (single institution)
Objective: Create or deepen awareness and practice techniques
Scope: Broader topic (e.g. Time Management)

Masterclass/Fast Start Courses

Length: 30 days
Format: Blended/hybrid learning (self-paced, workshops, course community)
Enrollment: closed (single institution) or open (multiple institutions)
Objective: Provide a skill upgrade
Scope: Achieve measurable and sustainable behavioural change in a specific area (e.g. Focus Better)

Implementation Programs

Length: 6-12 weeks
Format: Blended/hybrid learning (self-paced, workshops, course
community)
Enrollment: closed (single institution) or open (multiple institutions)
Objective: Drive broader behavioural change
Scope: Achieve measurable and sustainable behavioural change in a capability (e.g. Project Management and Personal Productivity or Mental Health and Resilience)

What Participants Say:

Hands-On Experience, Real Change

Our training courses have already positively impacted the lives and careers of thousands of researchers.

Hear directly from the participants about their experiences and how our tailored training solutions have helped them achieve measurable success and personal growth.

I have really enjoyed the course and learned a lot for myself - which is more valuable than a certificate, I would say). Thanks so much for putting this course so carefully together. It is a very helpful one and one required by many of us. It has helped me so much to reconnect with myself and see myself and my character again from a positive angle.

Vanessa L.

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the chance of being a tutor. Also thanks for committing to help me grow with your replies and you Paul with the 1-2-1s.I hope that you realize how much impact you had in our lives and how much of the change we experienced has to do with your support and commitment. You are exceptional and you inspire me to be in my field as good as you are in yours.

Carolina T

I want to thank you again for gaining back control over my own life and emotions something that I have struggled with for quite a while. I am a very grateful as a person to get that trust and openness from you which also guided me to a new path to establish a life without any regrets.

Martijn T

I attended Nadine’s workshop Project Management. I pretty enjoyed the two-day course and was continuously amazed by the ideas and methods that I have never thought before. It offered me a new field of vision on how to manage your project most effectively. Nadine is an excellent expert with the unique insight and rich experience in advising and teaching. She knows a lot about how to decrease the pressure in work and create the greatest achievement using the shortest time.

Yin Wu

I am an organiser of an international student conference that every year brings 200 participants for a 4 day event. Since all the organisers of this conference are student volunteers from different backgrounds and have varied organizational experiences the most important thing for us is to make sure that the organisers learn how to work together in a team this is why we start our efforts with a kick-off workshop hosted by Nadine Sinclair. Nadine goes above and beyond to tailor make her workshop to suit our team she reached out in advance to understand our particular needs and really listened to our previous experiences. Therefore over the course of our workshop Nadine masterfully covered all of the most important aspects that we needed to produce a conference that was described as “the best organised conference I have ever been to” both by participants and the invited speakers.

Marija Liutkute

Explore our Flagship Offering

Resilience Training for Researchers

A nine week training program to support researchers in building stress resilience and increase their mental wellbeing.

learn more

Our 9-week Resilience Training program is designed to create lasting behavioural change, helping researchers build resilience to thrive in high-pressure academic environments. This comprehensive course combines the latest insights from neuroscience and behavioural psychology to equip participants with practical tools and techniques for managing stress, enhancing mental wellbeing, and sustaining peak performance. Participants will learn to transform ingrained patterns of thought and behaviour, ensuring they can navigate the challenges of their academic careers with confidence and resilience.

Ready to transform your researchers' skills with real behavioural change?

Book a 20-minute call with one of our expert trainers to explore how our tailored training solutions can drive meaningful improvements in productivity and wellbeing.

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Our trainings go beyond mere credits or a line on a CV—they create measurable behavioural change that leads to lasting success in academia and industry. Partner with us to equip your researchers with the essential skills to thrive and excel.

Many of Our Alumni Move On to Leading Companies

Meet Our Expert Trainers

At Mind Matters, our trainers are more than just instructors—they are seasoned professionals with hands-on experience in their fields. Each year, they continue building on their deep expertise, ensuring participants benefit from the latestinsights and practical knowledge. Between them, they have trained thousands of early-stage researchers and mentored several all the way from PhD to habilitation.

Our courses are designed and delivered by the experts themselves, ensuring that participants receive the highest quality of training directly from those who practice what they teach. Assisted by hand-picked tutors who are distinguishedformer participants, our trainers excel in navigating diverse cultural contexts, having lived and worked in over 30 countries and with more than 40 nationalities. This extensive experience ensures that our training goes beyond ticking a box in your training catalogue to drive real, measurable change.

DR. NADINE SINCLAIR

Nadine is a trusted advisor to corporate and academic leaders and one of the Managing Directors of Mind Matters. Before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey, she was a project manager with McKinsey & Company. A scientist by training and at heart, she conducted her doctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry. Nadine brings close to 30,000 hours of experience in managing projects for research institutions, research foundations, pharmaceutical and biotech companies (including many Fortune 500) and governments. She continues to build her expertise with over 1,000 hours of project management each year. As a neuro leadership expert, she bridges the gap between science and business practices, leveraging the latest insights from neuroscience and behavioural economics to create breakthroughs for her clients.

PAUL SINCLAIR

Paul is one of the Managing Directors of Mind Matters. He is passionate about helping high-achievers transform their resilience, emotional intelligence, and leadership style to become more authentic leaders of themselves and others. He has trained with Gabor Maté—one of the most renowned experts in trauma therapy, addiction, and the link between emotional stress and physical illness. Paul also leads train-the-trainer courses to equip other trainers, coaches, and therapists with the skills to assess and build resilience. More than 20,000 leaders, coaches, and trainers follow his teachings and shares on professional networks to learn from him. Building on his experiences as a top athlete, member of an elite military unit, recovering addict, and successful entrepreneur, he knows what it takes to change your brain and transform ingrained patterns of thought, feelings, and behaviour.

Reach out to us to help your researchers move from Stressed Out to Thriving

Book a 20-minute call with one of our expert trainers to explore how our tailored training solutions can empower researchers, boost their productivity, and enhance their wellbeing.

schedule call

Our trainings deliver more than knowledge and ticking a box—they drive measurable behavioural change that ensures sustained success in academia and industry. Partner with us to equip your researchers with the core skills they need to thrive and excel in their careers.

Read First-Hand Accounts of Our Training on our Blog

Explore the transformative experiences of our alumni on our blog. Dive into a series written by Dr. Meret Cepero Malo, one of our alumni and tutors who successfully transitioned into a career as a medical writer after completing her PhD.

BUILDING RESILIENCE:

What 9 weeks taught me about responding, rather than reacting.

THE PATH WITHIN:

How intrinsic motivation can guide us towards our purpose.

MASTERING COMPOSURE:

How to keep your cool when life
gets heated.