This is a new course we are developing and evaluating ...
Momentum Course
Background
The Momentum Course is a free, internet-delivered program for people living with cardiovascular conditions (heart and blood vessel conditions), or those at increased risk of developing these, who also experience poor emotional health such as stress, anxiety, low mood, or depression.
​
We know that many people with cardiovascular conditions face challenges not only with their physical health, but also with their emotional wellbeing. These difficulties can make daily life difficult and create barriers to maintaining important health-promoting behaviours, such as eating well and being physically active. Research shows that improving both health-promoting behaviours and emotional wellbeing can bring meaningful benefits for cardiovascular health and overall quality of life.
The Momentum Course has been designed to provide good, evidence-based information about cardiovascular health and to teach practical skills for improving both health-promoting behaviours and emotional wellbeing. The strategies included are based on current models of health behaviour change and cognitive behavioural therapy.
​
We developed the Course with the hope of making these skills and strategies more accessible. We hope the Course will help people build healthy habits, improve their emotional wellbeing, and better manage their cardiovascular health.
Who is the course suitable for?
The course is suitable for:
​
-
Aged 18 and older and living in Australia
-
Who have been diagnosed by a doctor with a cardiovascular disease (CVD; such as heart disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension, transient ischaemic attack) or a condition that increases risk of developing CVD (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, elevated waist circumference or weight, diabetes or pre-diabetes);
-
Whose health condition is medically managed by a GP or specialist and is and stable (e.g., stable symptoms; no major interventions or investigations are currently planned);
-
Who are doing less than 150 minutes of physical activity per week, and/or eating less than 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit per day;
-
Who have symptoms of anxiety or depression;
-
Who want to learn information and skills to help improve their healthy habits and their emotional wellbeing.
Unfortunately, we cannot include people who are currently suicidal or have a more immediate medical condition requiring medical management. We also cannot include people who do not have access to the Internet or a tablet or laptop device.
​
We also strongly recommend people discuss their participation in this Course with their GP and other doctors. Maintaining a good working relationship with your doctors is essential when you have a cardiovascular condition or risk, and they can help you decide whether this program is going to be suitable for you.
What does the course involve?
The course involves:
​
-
Online modules that provide important information about forming and maintaining healthy habits, and about tackling common challenges.
-
Lots of additional information on difficulties related to cardiovascular health and healthy habits (e.g., poor emotional wellbeing, sleep, unhelpful eating patterns).
-
Examples of how others have worked through the Course.
-
Brief contact with a psychologist via email and telephone.
The Momentum Course aims to provide information and skills that you would normally receive from seeing a psychologist within a cardiovascular service.
What have we found so far?
This is the first time we are offering the Momentum Course. However, it provides all of the information and teaches the same skills you would learn from a psychologist face-to-face. So we expect it will be just as helpful.
What is the current trial or study looking at?
We want to understand how practical and acceptable the Momentum Course is for people with cardiovascular conditions or risk, and poor emotional wellbeing. We expect that participants will find the Course acceptable, engaging, and worth their time. We are also aiming to collect early information about the effect of the Course on healthy habits and emotional wellbeing.
​
You can read more about the current trial by reading the Participant Information and Consent Form Statement.
When is the next course being offered?
In Australia?
​We are pleased to now be taking applications for the Momentum Course. If you are interested in participating, please click on the "Apply Now" button below and follow the prompts.
The next course will start on the:
​
-
February, 2026 (date to be confirmed soon)
​​
Importantly, if the above date for our next course is not suitable for you, please check this webpage again in a couple of weeks - we'll be updating the dates of available groups regularly. Otherwise, please feel free to contact us to find out more.
​​
​