What is therapeutic movement?
Much of what is modeled for us as a “healthy” relationship to the body looks something like:
controlling your body
exercise as punishment
treating your body as if it is a problem
pushing through pain
mind over matter mentality
“no pain, no gain”
viewing compassion for your body as “weakness”
perfectionism
The problem with exercise as punishment or treating your body as a problem that needs to be solved is that this leads to a disconnect from the body, rather than partnership with the body. For instance, if you “push through” pain in your ankle and that pain was your body’s cue to tell you to take a break, you risk damage or injury because you overrode your body’s signals with “mental toughness.”
We want movement that works with the body,
not against it.
PILLAR 1:
Foundations of Movement & Biomechanics
Create a foundation for movement that makes it accessible, sustainable, and practical.
Accessible movement is movement you can turn to easily and without obstacles and movement that is adjusted to your moment-to-moment needs.
Sustainable movement is movement you are happy to engage with on a regular basis, movement that doesn’t burn you out, and movement that helps regulate your nervous system.
Practical movement is movement you incorporate into your everyday activities and movement you can take with you anywhere or anytime even without equipment.
PILLAR 2:
Create a Connection To & With Your Body
Connecting your self awareness to your body awareness gives you a superpower like no other. Train to listen for your body’s cues, adjust accordingly, build trust with its wisdom and over time - rely on that wisdom.
Your body’s wisdom will be a reliable resource you can turn to when you have big decisions to make, when your judgment is clouded or when you have doubts. In fact, it can even let you know if you are psychologically and physically safe.
The more you listen to your body, the more choices you have for how to move or even whether to move at all. For instance you might find that your body is telling you to rest. Once you build trust, you may actually choose to heed that warning and actually rest. Resting is often part of the work. But in our society, we’d be hard-pressed to hear that message and we would typically not trust that message. But with your growing connection, you will tune into your body with less and less effort and you will hear its messages with more and more clarity.
Safety and comfort are key to a sustainable relationship with movement.
The problem with most fitness spaces is that they don’t feel good to every body. Judgments about size, focus on weight loss, unsolicited advice, being surrounded by mirrors—these are just a few of the things that can make being in these spaces uncomfortable. It’s no wonder many of us don’t want to go to the gym!
If engaging in typical fitness activities doesn’t feel safe, reconnecting to movement and our bodies can feel impossible.
My work is to help you:
explore past and current experiences with exercise and movement
uncover mental/emotional roadblocks that get in your way
learn to deeply listen and respond to your body’s cues
bring compassion to your relationship with movement
shift from seeking to have power over your body to working with your body
foster body acceptance
This is a process of co-creation.
You and I will work together to build a solid foundation for a fulfilling and affirming movement practice—one that evolves with you over time.
the tools I use include:
Motivational Interviewing
a Trauma-Informed approach
Compassionate Inquiry
Body Trust® Coaching
Pilates
Pelvic Floor and Core Strengthening
Therapeutic Yoga
Breathwork
Balance, Vision and Coordination Exercises
Tennis
Biomechanics
I would love to talk with you about how I can help. Reach out to me for a free 30 minute consultation.