Movement

We take for granted that we are moving through the world. We don’t usually think about our moving body unless we are injured or impaired in some way. We simply move. We are constantly moving mammals, and in that moving we learn, assess our surroundings for safety, and seek out connection and emotional thriving.

— Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MA, MFT

We are movement.

"We are movement. Our heart beats every moment, pulsing blood and life force through our body. The fluids in our body move, in tandem with our breath, through the rivers of our inner systems. The cell structure of our internal architecture expands and collapses with the rise and fall of our rhythmic breathing. Breath is the principal mover, sending tides of waves through the entire body with each breath cycle. We are moving even at rest, even when we appear to be still at first—yet even then, stillness, to the trained eye, is a type of movement.

We tend not to think about movement very consciously throughout our regular day, unless we do so from a functional or behavioral perspective. For example, we reach for a glass of water when we’re thirsty, we do physical exercise to release stress. In other words, we think of movement as something that we do not something that we are.

But if we shift our perspective to seeing movement as what we are, this can vastly change the way we approach treating trauma in therapy. Movement, then, is not just emotional expression; it’s something with which to engage, intervene, connect, dialogue, explore, and more.”

— Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MA, MFT

Using movement in your session can be a potent tool for self-awareness. One way this happens is when an individual is invited to slow down and explore their experience through movement. Simple instructions such as “How is this feeling of excitement right now expressed in your movement?” connect the sensing, feeling, and moving body. This direct experience can help an individual understand not only their patterns but also their potentials. It can bring greater connection with your self and with others.

Individuals who have experienced trauma in particular, movement becomes an invaluable tool to release and move trauma responses and restore nervous system function. Connecting with the moving body gets us back in touch with a deep sense of regulated, calm, and safe connection with the goodness of our body.

In addition, movement uncovers psychological themes, holds memories, and gives an outlet to express feelings that can’t be spoken. Moving first, processing, and then talking is a sequence that can help individuals to allow the thinking and fear-driven mind to calm and lift the cloudiness of faulty perceptions and assumptions.