Physical health and mental health are so intertwined. I 100% believe that movement is necessary to heal our bodies and our minds.
I recently invited psychotherapist, Amy Olsen, to speak about trauma and movement
Catch the FB Live Interview: "When Movement Brings Up Feelings" chat with Amy Olsen
You can watch it here on YouTube!
0:00 Introduction
10:45 Amy teaches us how to "Orient" our nervous system to the present
16:30 Amy discusses how trauma impacts nervous system development
37:00 Amy leads us through an interactive creative movement & orienting experience
So what is Orienting?
Orienting is a simple strategy to calm your nervous system by focusing your senses on the present.
1. Scan your environment and notice what is around you.
2. Choose an object to focus on.
3. Notice your breathe.
4. Become aware of your body surfaces that are in contact with the ground/chair, etc.
Repeat this process as many times as you would like; choose a new object each time.
I felt more relaxed after 3 rounds and have been doing this a few times a day since learning this technique. Amy says she Orients for about 10 minutes each morning while drinking her tea.
Did you try Orienting? I challenge you to try it once more today and again tomorrow.