Exercise Improves Therapy Outcomes

Research has consistently shown that exercise benefits overall mental health. Jaime Espinoza

Working out before sitting down with your therapist may help make your therapy session more effective, according to a new study from UW–Madison researchers.

The study was part of a five-year project funded by the National Institutes of Health to support the treatment of major depressive disorder, which affects roughly eight percent of U.S. adults and 20 percent of adolescents between 12 and 17 years old. It was led by Jacob Meyer MS’11, PhD’15, an associate professor of kinesiology in the UW’s School of Education, with support from Simon Goldberg PhD’17, an associate professor in the school’s Department of Counseling Psychology and a faculty member with the Center for Healthy Minds.

“Research has consistently shown that exercise benefits overall mental health,” Meyer says. “This work aims to see how directly linking exercise and therapy could support better therapy outcomes for millions of people around the world.”

The team assessed two groups of 18- to 65-year-old adults with major depressive disorder. One group watched a 30-minute segment from a nature documentary immediately before therapy; the other group watched the same segment while completing a moderate-intensity cycling workout before therapy.

Results published in the Journal of Affective Disorders indicated that 30 minutes of moderate exercise before a therapy session was associated with a stronger therapist-client connection and greater client initiative.

“So far, we’re seeing that exercise priming could be a low-cost way to support psychotherapy,” Meyer says. “This work reflects UW–Madison’s strength in bringing exercise science and mental health treatment together to solve real-world problems.”

Published in the Fall 2026 issue