“It’s More Than Just Exercise”: Tailored Exercise at a Community-Based Activity Center as a Liminal Space along the Road to Mental Health Recovery and Citizenship.

Mental health care policies call for health-promoting and recovery-oriented interventions, as well as community-based programs supporting healthier habits. The purpose of this study was to explore how individuals facing mental health challenges experienced participating in tailored exercise at a community-based activity center, and what role tailored exercise could play in supporting an individual’s process of recovery. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with nine adults experiencing poor mental health who engaged in exercise at the activity center. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using systematic text condensation. Participants spoke about the…