What Is Movement Therapy? & How Does It Restore Wellbeing?
- Lina
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Many people here the word Movement and the roll their eyes.
Another plug for exercise…Another fancy way of saying, “Get Off the Couch.”
"Use it or Lose it."
Here me out….we aren’t talking about hitting goals on your fitness watch, we aren’t counting steps, we aren’t logging or tracking numbers on a performance chart.
While yes, on the outside it looks like movement, and it sure is, our focus is on our INTENTION, and that is a GAME CHANGER?
WHY?
Well, we are shifting the concept of performance-based movement, to movement that aligns with our core values, that soothes and nurtures our nervous system, and that stimulates an inner sense of self that we may feel disconnected from.
We move with awareness.
We move with softness.
We move with how our body feels in the moment.
How Does This Help Restore Wellbeing?
Let’s start by talking about a 6-letter word called STRESS.
We all know it, and live with it every day.
Many of us can feel what stress does to the mind, but can we also feel what it does to our bodies? Stress is a WHOLE PERSON physiological response, and then some.
It affects the subtle layers of our beings is ways that we can’t always recognize.
We can feel the more obvious signs:
Overwhelm
Anxiety
Depression
Physical and mental exhaustion
Muscle and body pain
Every difficult conversation, deadline, family responsibility or unexpected challenge triggers an array of biological changes in our entire being. Heart rate increases, stress hormones rise, muscles tighten up, our thoughts are ready for action.
This is the nervous system going into “GO” mode to get us through the task at hand.
The challenge is that our nervous system wasn’t meant to be in this state for long periods of time. Our modern-day life, has most of us living our daily lives from this nervous system state.
Many of us are masters at functioning through Chronic stress. On the outside everything may appear fine. However, the body is absorbing and processing EVERY unresolved stress response.
THE BODY ALWAYS KEEPS THE SCORE!
Over time, these symptoms creep deeper into our bodies in ways like:
Chronic muscle tension
Chronic inflammation
Insomnia
Brain Fog
Chronic overwhelm
Chronic metabolic syndrome
Chronic cardiac issues
Dysregulated Nervous System
Dysregulated digestion
AND BURNOUT!
The nervous system isn't always able to distinguish between a difficult conversation, an overflowing inbox, or a physical threat. Our brain may see them as different situations, but the nervous system often sends the same “Fight or Flight” signal to the body.
Over time of receiving this repeated signal, the body adapts to this chronic state of "Activation," as the new normal.
Have you ever had an experience where, you are dealing with a stressful situation, but the brain understands it as you are moving through it. After the situation passes, you notice physical exhaustion, a sick feeling in your stomach, or bizarre agitation in your body. The brain can RATIONALIZE the situation, but the nervous system isn’t designed to rationalize. This explains these visceral reactions that we feel in our bodies, when we say to ourselves, “But I understand what happened.”
YES, we understand it, but the body still has to process it.
Why Movement Therapy Changes the Stress Response:
One of the most overlooked phenomena of our Modern-day health is that the human body was designed for movement. We wouldn’t be built the way we are built if we weren’t meant to move. For example, the sole purpose of a joint is to allow for movement. We wouldn’t have them, if we didn’t need them.
In many ways movement is one of the body’s primary ways of maintaining health. Think about it, every bodily system depends on movement. It supports the lymphatic system, circulatory system, glucose regulation, joint health, digestion, mitochondrial function, detoxification, nervous system regulation and more.
Nowadays we are experiencing a mismatch between how the body was designed to be used, and how we are using it So many of us spend the majority of the day sitting down. Not only are we sitting, but we are exposed to a stream of constant stressors that keep the nervous system on high alert. Whereas, years ago periods of stress were more often followed by physical activity. The body would understand the stressor, mobilize energy, respond to the situation, and then return to a state of recovery.
That is a healthy stress response from the body, and how it was designed to function.
However today, stress often accumulates without a physical outlet, so the stress response cycle never returns to recovery.
MOVEMENT HELPS COMPLETE THE STRESS CYCLE.
This is why people feel better after movement.
The benefits are not just psychological; they are deeply biological.
SO WHAT IS MOVEMENT THERAPY AGAIN?
As mentioned, it may be misinterpreted as exercise, and on one level it is, but the purpose is different. Movement therapy is much broader than counting reps and sets. The "Gain" is restoring the nervous system. It may include mobility work, guided stretching, appropriate yoga postures, appropriate pilates techniques, corrective exercise, mindful movement practices, breathwork, body awareness techniques, self awareness techniques all designed to support stress recovery and build resilience.
It may even include, music to help restore the rhythm within the body.
This is a deep therapeutic experience for the body, mind and soul.
What about Mental and Emotional Health?
Generally speaking, when our bodies feel well, our minds feel well.
When our mind doesn’t feel well, our body often doesn’t feel well.
There is no separation between the two.
When Movement Decreases, Many Notice:
Increased anxiety
Dysregulated mood
Poor sleep
Low energy
Greater emotional reactivity
Reduced concentration
WHY?
As noted above, movement influences ALL of the bodily systems, which have a big impact on cognitive function, mood and overall emotional resilience.
We are not one-dimensional beings and we require multidimensional care to maintain health and harmony within.
How Does Movement Therapy Support Chronic Stress Recovery ~ Burnout Recovery?
YES, we need to slow down and do less to support stress and burnout recovery.
However, therapeutic movement, done with pure intention is a critical part of
Chronic Stress Recovery.
WHY?
The nervous system responds very well to soothing movements.
It learns to regulate through repetition.
The brain and the nervous system function as a team.
They are constantly adapting to repeated experiences.
This concept works both ways, positively and negatively.
This is why it's so crucial to understand our wiring. We can rewire. It is possible.
The neurological pathways are physically formed through repetition.
The West refers to this as neuroplasticity.
The West refers to this as Somatic movement.
The East refers to this as an Integration to the self.
Either way you look at it, the recipe is the same.
Consistent movement, breathwork, mindfulness practices and nervous system focused therapies can teach the brain and body new patterns.
The research is all there to support this.
Through repetition, the body learns safety, which is a critical step in nervous system regulation.
We can learn to become more adaptable to with how we respond to stress.
THIS IS A CONTINUAL PRACTICE.
Over time...
The nervous system will start to regulate
Sleep Quality will improve
Physical Tension in the body will reduce
Energy will increase
Emotional resilience will improve
The Body Heals Through Movement, Not Just Mindfulness.
YES, it is important to understand stress, recognize burnout, and learn about nervous system regulation. However, the body needs more than just mindfulness alone.
It needs physical experiences that reinforce SAFETY.
It needs safe space to release tension, restore mobility, regulate breathing and improve circulation.
It starts with the body, but it’s a ripple effect. Movement affects everything!
Healing happens when we give the body the tools and space it needs to function as it was intended. Sometimes the path forward isn’t about just sitting quietly and waiting,
or about pushing harder.
Sometimes the path is about:
Moving while verbalizing our emotions
Moving while processing what’s been stuck
Moving while feeling
Moving while visualizing
Moving while there is resistance
Moving while there is grief
Holistic MOVEMENT THERAPY is an INTEGRATIVE approach to recovering from
Chronic Stress and Burnout.
Let's move beyond Survival Mode and reconnect with the YOU that is IN THERE!
This is MOVEMENT THERAPY at LLWS.
The goal is to understand what is contributing to stress, and create a personalized path toward restoring the body's systems.
How does Movement Therapy Work in a group setting?
In groups, every person’s needs and limitations are honored and accounted for. The sessions are designed with each participant in mind. There’s an understanding that the program is an broader interpretation of what a personalized session would look like.
To schedule a Personalized Movement Therapy session, click the link below:
Let's RECOVER ~ RESTORE ~ and be RESILIENT!
~ Leelah Lakshmi ~
