LEAF Lab welcome showing healthy lifestyle behaviors

The Lifestyle, Environment, and Flourishing lab is interested in studying how lifestyle choices impact mental health and well-being. We conduct quantitative and qualitative research to explore…

  • how common lifestyle behaviors predict mental health in daily life
  • how lifestyle behaviors cluster together
  • the role of engaging with nature for mental health and well-being
  • how people make sense of the relationship to nature and the outdoors
  • what factors contribute to disparities in engaging in health behaviors

The team is located at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

There is an opening for a doctoral student to join the team for Fall 2023. Please see the Counseling Psychology Doctoral program website for more details.

Latest News

The Great Outdoors: Engaging with Nature for Mental Health

Check out the freely available clinician manual and self-help guide “The Great Outdoors: Engaging with Nature for Mental Health." These products were developed to help improve the mental health and well-being of Veterans by increasing their healthy engagement with nature, but they could likely be used by anyone. Free guided audio exercises are included. Our team will be investigating this approach to improving well-being in the near future.

The Great Outdoors Manual