Do you remember the last time you moved your body in a way that was different from everyday activities? Maybe you walk your dog or every once in a while you go for a longer walk. Maybe it’s been some time since you got in the gym or did something that required a bit of strain.

In any scenario, moving your body in everyday life has the potential to mimic a less intensive form of body psychotherapy. Body psychotherapy interventions are forms of therapy that can help us to understand what is happening in our thoughts and emotions.

Maybe you’ve heard of some of these interventions such as breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation. This type of proven therapy has been shown to be beneficial for managing stress, anxiety symptoms, releasing stored bodily tensions, decreasing sleep disturbance and leaving longer lasting positive effects following these therapies.

What we’re really saying here is that movement promotes mental health and wellness at multiple levels. Our bodies can help us recenter our minds and hearts. Movement therapy and body-oriented therapies allow us to regulate emotions and behavior. An example of this can be dance therapy, where you are doing some form of physical activity that requires you to focus, but is innately expressive.

Have you ever taken a walk with someone you recently met? Perhaps you walked with a co-worker or your boss, maybe you remember going on a field trip and you got to see a side of your boss or teacher in these settings that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. There is something profound that happens as we move our bodies: we become aware of the present as well as ourselves and those around us.

When we become overwhelmed, we may not realize that our breathing slows or stops periodically. Tension in the neck and upper back may begin, and we start to lose our appetite or get a stomach ache. In one study, it was discovered that combining some form of movement with psychotherapy can help clients not only reduce anxiety, but actually enhance wellness (Rosendahl, Sattel, & Lahmann, 2021). This study also revealed that these positive changes were sustained longer. We all want change that lasts, right?

Another example of how this can work is simply becoming more active in combination with regular psychotherapy. In other words, get moving and get to therapy! The goal is to reconnect with your body through physical sensations, helping those with anxiety or dissociation engage with their internal experience, which can be further explored in your next session.

You may be thinking, “well, I’m no athlete, so what about me?” I’m so glad you asked because the point isn’t to become a professional athlete or run a marathon. The goal is to go play something that requires you to use your body and break a sweat. If that feels intimidating or maybe you have an injury or illness that restricts that much movement, play with legos, build something with toothpicks, try to conquer the card tower. You may not break a sweat, but you are doing something that requires the anxiety or thought cycle to break.

Remember, the ultimate goal here is to get you into experiencing your internal world in a more tangible way. Do you lean towards doing a puzzle over running a couple miles? Perhaps that tells us something about how you like to process. Maybe when you come into therapy we can talk about how we can implement that with your communication style.

References:

Bloch-Atefi, A., & Smith, J. (2015). The effectiveness of body-oriented psychotherapy: A review of the literature. Psychotherapy and Counseling Journal of Australia. https://pacja.org.au/?page_id=2246

Rosendahl, S., Sattel, H., & Lahmann, C. (2021). Effectiveness of body psychotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 709798. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.709798