The Gamers vs. Depression Team
MEET THE GAMERS VS. DEPRESSION TEAM
Gamers vs. Depression is a Movember project led by an international team of psychologists. Our goal is for every gamer to have support available during a crisis without the need to ask for help. Learn more about our team below.
DR JOHN MILLS
John is a Chartered Psychologist and the founder of Gamers vs. Depression. He holds a BSc in Psychology and Childhood Development, and a PhD in Social Cognition and Leadership from the University of Birmingham. He has published 25 peer-reviewed articles to date, most of which have been within the top ranked journals (as ranked by SJR, Jan 2022) in the fields of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Medicine. John is also the founder of SportRxiv, STORK, and until 2023, he was the Developing Young People through Sport Research Group Lead at the University of Essex. You can read more about John's work here.
What is your all time favourite video game?
Easy, The Champ Manager/Football Manager series. I first played Championship Manager Italia in the 90s and haven't looked back. Favourite all time version is CM01/02. One of my career highlights was working with the Sports Interactive Management Team (The makers of Football Manager series) and visiting their HQ in 2017 (photo).
HENRY TITLEY-WALL MSC
Henry works as a Lecturer and Course Lead at UA92 and brings a wealth of experience in both sport and the third sector. He has a master’s with distinction in sports coaching, an undergraduate degree in sports development, and multiple industry qualifications. You can read more about Henry's work here. From 2024, Henry will act as our Regional Training Lead for Great Britain.
What is you all time favourite video game?
Tough question. There are a few but I would have to say Call of Duty 4. That game was a big part of my life!
DR KYLE PARADIS
Kyle joined GvD in the summer of 2023 and works full-time as a Lecturer at Ulster University in Northern Ireland. Moving from Canada in 2019, Kyle is affiliated with Ulster's Institute of Mental Health Sciences and is a qualified Sport and Exercise Psychologist. Kyle’s expertise focuses on how social processes influence mental health outcomes. You can read more about Kyle's academic experience here. Beyond his impressive academic record and experience, Kyle is a keen curler and has represented Ireland at the European Championships. From 2024, Kyle will act as our Regional Training Lead for Ireland.
What is your all time favourite video game?
FIFA. It is one of those games that feels like it has been around forever, but it's still great.
DR STEWART VELLA
Dr Stewart Vella is a worldwide thought leader in the field of mental health in sport. He is the most published scientific researcher in world on the topic. His mental health programs have been adapted and scaled across the globe. His flagship ‘Ahead of the Game’ program is the official mental fitness program of the Rugby League World Cup 2021. He is the Leader of the Global Alliance for Mental Health and Sport at the University of Wollongong, Australia. You can learn more about Stewart and his research via his personal website or here.
What is your all time favourite video game?
Championship Manager 03/04. I don't want to think how many hours I played the original version.
NANCY BORLEY
Nancy brings a wealth of experience in supporting the running of Play Aid and is a former Human Resources manager in the NHS and insurance companies. Nancy is also a Director of our parent organisation -- Play Aid CIC.
What is your all time favourite video game?
Maybe Wii Sports. The Wii was great for spending time together as a family. My husband and I still occasionally play Wii bowling now.
