by Jackie Davis
Dr. Srini Pillay, a contributor to the Harvard Health blog stated in a piece entitled, How simply moving benefits your mental health, “When you feel tired and sad, you may move more slowly. When you feel anxious, you may either rush around or become completely paralyzed. But recent studies show that the connection between your brain and your body is a “two-way street” and that means movement can change your brain, too!”
Movement is a powerful tool for self-care and can be as simple as stretching your neck or as involved as participating in a triathlon. Dr. Pillay says, “Changing your posture, breathing, and rhythm can all change your brain, thereby reducing stress, depression, and anxiety, and leading to a feeling of well-being.”
Knowing the positive impacts of movement on one’s mental health is why MHC partnered with the Judy Dworin Performance Project to create, Moving Stories, an artistic workshop designed to improve the mental health and wellness of individuals who have experienced trauma and/or a mental health condition. Through evidence-based approaches that uses a combination of physical and spatial expression, visual arts, words, individual and group activities, and positive problem solving, Moving Stories helps individuals develop an improved sense of wellbeing, connection to others, and a more grounded stance to face everyday life. Moving Stories promises to open up new avenues of healing that will free up energy for constructive expression, interaction, and relaxation in the moment.
Check out the below video to learn more about this program and visit us on social media @MentalHealthCT to share how you utilize the self-care tool, Movement.
