Why Does Your Therapist Ask How Often You Move Your Body?
The link between physical movement and emotional wellbeing is a charged topic for many. Unfortunately, it is also an area that we unknowingly invite our social media algorithms and common rhetoric into, which then loads misinformation onto us. In an effort to be brief I would like to state the facts: movement and mental health are linked. If you find the perfect fitness routine, will it play the role of a therapist for you? That is unlikely, but it is one cog in the wheel that must start turning for us to feel change. Physical movement is for your own overall health. That means the type of movement and the frequency of the movement is up to you. When I meet a new client I ask, “What are your favorite ways to move your body?” Let me tell you why those are the words I use.
What Counts as “Exercise”
Social media, chain gyms and fitness magazines would have you believing that the word exercise is reserved for “dripping in sweat, gasping for air, and moving big equipment”. When I ask individuals “Do you exercise?” I get lots of responses like “not much but sometimes I run” or “I try to follow some online workouts but I get distracted,” or I would be told “no” only to find out the client was actually going on walks 5x a week but didn’t know that walks count as exercise. Not only was I not getting the information that I needed to continue my assessment but again and again I heard feelings of guilt and embarrassment in the answers. Good therapists do not ask questions with the explicit goal of making clients feel bad, so with that in mind, I changed my question.
Why does my therapist need to know if I exercise in the first place? At Ember Wellness, we offer holistic therapy. If you want more information on what that entails, I dive deeper into that subject in this post on holistic therapy. It is important for you and your therapist to understand how much physical movement (exercise) you are incorporating into your day. Physical movement can influence the following in large or small ways: mental health, sleep, metabolism, mood stability, and chronic pain (Ratey, J. J., & Hagerman, E. 2008). If your therapist does not know your physical activity level, the treatment plan they create with you will be incomplete and will not be ideal for helping you reach your goals.
How Movement Patterns & Behaviors Affect Your Quality of Live
Your therapeutic process is one that is unique to you and built in collaboration with your therapist to identify patterns and behaviors that are helpful to improving your quality of life as a unique individual. Yes, daily physical movement will be a part of most client's journeys. That being said, you do not need to build an entire fitness regime or designate one hour every day to a crushing work out. For some, walking for 20 minutes in the afternoon is their chosen movement. Other clients enjoy dancing in their living room for half an hour and still others may prefer to join an intramural sports team, or go to gentle yoga at a local park on Sundays. The key is to find something that you enjoy doing that gets you moving. There are no mandatory minimums. Small movements can still result in big change.
The hardest part of exercise is getting started. Whether that start looks like putting on your sneakers and walking out the door, driving to the gym, or turning on the dance video in your home. Physical movement creates a positive feedback loop in our brain, leaving you wanting more. It is not a path of no resistance; it can cause discomfort. Though it may seem like a deterrent, this is actually a positive. At Ember Wellness we help clients learn to experience certain discomforts as a challenge accepted. Self esteem is built through esteemable acts, let movement be that act for you.
Why Physical Movement is Important to Wellness
If your therapist is having conversations with you about physical movement it is because she believes it will help you on the way to attaining your goals. There are so many reasons why daily movement is beneficial but lets only focus on the mental aspect. Regular physical movement, whether it be a walk in the park or a cross fit class, will very likely improve your mood (Ratey, J. J., & Hagerman, E. (Collaborator). (2008)). Depending on what form of movement you enjoy, it can bring a sense of community, self worth, pride and even passion. Regular movement also encourages our brain to be more flexible and create more neural pathways. Many common mood disorders such as depression and anxiety are often due in part to our brains using the same pathways over and over and having a hard time switching tracks. Movement helps our brains stay healthy and content and flexible. A flexible brain will have an easier time kickstarting into gear with those happy hormones. Moving each day creates a physical environment that promotes contentment, growth and flexibility - who doesn't want that!?
Exercise can be a very difficult topic. Pressures like time, capability, or looming discomfort can discourage many of us. Individuals can feel too busy, or not made for fitness, or they don’t like the idea of physical discomfort. To these clients I say “let's start small with something you think you will enjoy.” The very best way to get moving is to find an activity that you enjoy. At Ember Wellness, we can help you find your groove and move in a way that empowers you. We work with our clients from a place of understanding, with something that can be daunting in the beginning. Make your routine movements work for you in more ways than one. Reap the benefits of building a relationship with fitness that is fun and focused on self love and respect. We are ready to walk that road with you.
Ratey, J. J., & Hagerman, E. (Collaborator). (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. Little, Brown and Co.
Attia, P & Gifford, B. (Collaborator). (2023) Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity