I recently published an article called Mental Health & Circus; The Elephant in the Room– Crucial Resources and a Call for Action in which I discussed the sadly limited research available about mental health and circus. In this follow up article with Dr. Fleur van Rens, one of the few academics doing research on the topic, it is our aim to provide some advice for circus students, coaches, and others in the field about dealing with mental health issues in the context of circus spaces and communities.

Dr. van Rens is a lecturer in sports psychology at Murdoch University in Australia. She holds a PhD in sport and exercise psychology. She teaches and creates evidence-based programs that facilitate the mental health of professional performers, such as circus artists and professional athletes. Her circus research focuses on artists’ mental health, well-being, and safety. Dr. van Rens is an amateur circus artist herself, and discusses potentially relevant mental health concerns within the circus industry in blog posts on her website  Circus Psychology. I was able to speak with her about some of the mental health concerns specific to circus performers and about practical advice she has for circus schools, coaches, and performers. Fiona B...