September 29, 2025 • 26 mins
To become a client, visit me at catiaholm.com or leave an anonymous question for the show by calling or texting 956-249-7930.
Movement isn't just for physical health—it's powerful medicine for our mental wellbeing too. Science shows that just 30 minutes of moderate movement 3-5 times weekly can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by releasing mood-enhancing brain chemicals.
• Movement helps regulate the nervous system and process trauma stored in the body
• Trauma becomes stored as "implicit memories" when we lack language to process experiences
• Movement allows processing of emotions without needing conscious awareness of their origins
• Shifting from self-control to self-compassion transforms our relationship with movement
• Different types of healing movement include mindful movement (yoga, tai chi), creative movement, grounding movement, rhythmic movement, and social movement
• Each type of movement taps into different parts of our nervous system, helping regulate mood
• Movement doesn't have to be grueling—it can be gentle, playful, and joyful
• Our relationship with movement often needs updating as we age and our needs change
Call the anonymous question line at 956-249-7930 or visit catiaholm.com to connect. If Couch Time with Cat has been meaningful to you, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others find this community of care.
Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:
- US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
- UK: Samaritans at 116 123
- Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
- Or find local resources through findahelpline.com
You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.
Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.
Show hosted by:
Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A
Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S
You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com
and
To become a client visit- catiaholm.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 00 (00:00):
Welcome to Couch Time with Cat, your safe place
for real conversation and gentlecheck-in.
KWVH presents Couch Time withCat.
Hi friends, and welcome toCouch Time with Cat, mental
wellness with a friendly voice.
I'm Cat, therapist,best-selling author, TEDx
speaker, and endurance athlete.
But most of all, I'm a wife,mama, and someone who deeply
(00:24):
believes that people are goodand healing is possible.
Here in the hill country ofWimberley, Texas, I've built my
life and practice around onepurpose to make mental wellness
feel accessible, compassionate,and real.
This show is for those momentswhen life feels heavy, when
you're craving clarity, or whenyou just need to hear, you're
(00:46):
not alone.
Each week we'll explore theterrain of mental wellness
through stories, reflections,research, and tools you can
bring into everyday life.
Think of it as a conversationbetween friends, rooted in
science, guided by heart, andgrounded in the belief that
healing does not have to feelclinical.
It can feel like sitting on acouch with someone who gets it.
(01:07):
So whether you're driving,walking, cooking, or simply
catching your breath, you'rewelcome here.
This is your space to feelseen, supported, and reminded of
your own strength.
I'm so glad you're here.
Let's dive in.
Today we're diving into asubject that has shaped my own
life and the lives of so manyclients.
The healing power of movement.
(01:30):
You know I have been waitingfor this episode.
Movement has a piece of myheart forever.
We'll get into that in a littlebit.
We live in a world that oftenframes movement as a means to an
end, to burn calories, to hit agoal weight, to sculpt the
(01:51):
body.
But what if we reimaginemovement?
Not as a punishment, not asperfection, but as medicine for
the mind and nourishment for thesoul.
Think about this.
Have you ever had one of thoseheavy days where everything
feels overwhelming?
(02:12):
And then a simple walk outsideor swaying to the music in your
kitchen shifted your entiremood?
That is not coincidence,friends.
That's your body showing youits wisdom.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about why movement
(02:33):
matters, not just for yourphysical health, but for your
mental well-being.
We'll explore the science,debunk some myths, and I'll
guide you through a shortpractice you can try right where
you are.
Together, we'll reframemovement as a way to come back
(02:54):
home to yourself.
And if you hear a little extrawhimpering or puppy running
around, know that my 11-week-oldpuppy Chip is here in studio
with me.
He's our Couch Time with Catdog.
You're listening to Couch Timewith Cat.
(03:16):
I'm Kat, and today we'reexploring how moving your body
can move your mind and yourspirit toward healing.
Let's start with the science.
When we move, our brainsrelease serotonin, dopamine, and
endorphins, the brain's naturalmood lifters.
(03:39):
That sounds super science-y, soI'm gonna say it again.
Science was not my bestsubject.
Um, so yeah, I can understandif those words sound a little
bit too technical.
So the brain releasesserotonin, dopamine, and
endorphins when we move.
(04:01):
According to Harvard Health,just 30 minutes of moderate
movement three to five times aweek can significantly reduce
the symptoms of depression andanxiety.
Friends, that's not that muchtime.
Thirty minutes, three to fivetimes a week, can significantly
(04:21):
reduce the symptoms ofdepression and anxiety.
Movement also helps regulatethe nervous system.
For those of us with traumahistories, and side note, most
of us have them.
This is vital.
Bessel Vanderkolk, author ofThe Body Keeps the Score, writes
(04:46):
Trauma lives in the body, whichmeans healing can live in the
body too.
Movement allows us to processwhat words alone cannot always
release.
What he's saying there issometimes we don't have access
(05:07):
to language about what ishappening.
Maybe something happened to usthat was so incredibly
traumatic, but maybe we werethree or four or five and we
didn't have language accessibleto us.
So then our body stores it inour nervous system.
(05:27):
It's not stored in our brain asa memory, and we don't have the
language because we didn't havethe capacity yet as a young
kid.
So it's stored as a felt sense.
So have you ever been somewhereand smelled a certain scent, or
somebody's t-shirt just kind ofsent you on this emotional
(05:49):
journey, or maybe a certaintexture, or a certain season
really kind of triggers you andyou're not sure why?
That's because there issomething that's living in your
body that's kind of giving youbreadcrumbs.
You're having an implicitmemory.
The memory lives inside yourbody, but you don't have
(06:09):
language for it.
Versus an explicit memory,something that you can recall,
like, oh, yes, last week I ateice cream and I had two
toppings.
Friends, if you've beenlistening to Couch Time with Cat
for a while, my my referencesto ice cream are too much.
If you're a if you have an icecream company and you want to
(06:32):
sponsor me, that's uh that'sprobably a good idea.
So we have implicit memoriesand we have explicit memories.
And movement allows us toprocess what words alone cannot
always release.
So that is such good news.
We don't even have to know whatwe are processing in order to
(06:57):
process it.
What does process mean?
It means move the emotionsassociated with that experience
through your body, up, out, andthrough your body.
Think of like a water fountain.
The water's coming up, out, andthrough the spigot.
So we need to provide our bodythese opportunities to move our
(07:25):
emotions through our body, evenif we don't know why we have the
emotions.
Let me share a little story.
After a long day of clientsessions, when my heart is heavy
with the stories I've held, itcan be tempting to collapse into
bed.
(07:45):
I love my clients.
I love holding space for them.
I love being completely presentwith them.
Part of my gift, I think, isthat I am able to be present and
hear really hard things withoutwincing.
And when I do that withsomebody, when I share that
(08:07):
space, when I witness their painwithout trying to shy it away
or fix it, when I just am thereenergetically holding space with
them and saying, I see you, Ihear you.
That was so hard.
After a while, that takes atoll on my body and on my mind.
And in order for me to be thebest clinician I can be, I need
(08:34):
to be present and clear andstrong.
And the way that I do that dayafter day is by taking care of
my body through movement.
So even though after a long dayI feel tired, my feelings say,
shut down, go to bed, go numb,scroll on your phone.
I've learned that when I laceup my running shoes and I go for
(08:58):
a walk or go for a run or liftsome weights or even do some
stretching, something shifts.
The air, the rhythm of my feet,the openness of the sky.
Oh, and when it gets coldoutside, oh my gosh, that air is
delicious.
It doesn't erase the struggle,but it creates space.
(09:20):
And I return home a little moregrounded and a little more
myself.
I don't have to say anything.
I don't have to say, I'mprocessing X, Y, Z.
No, no, no.
I just move my body, I enjoythe air, enjoy the music, enjoy
the stretching.
My body does the rest for me.
(09:42):
And I've seen this withcountless clients as well.
A woman who found freedom againin swimming.
Oh my gosh.
A man who eased his anxietythrough daily walks.
Movement became their medicine,not because it fixed
everything, but because itchanged their relationship to
(10:06):
what they were carrying.
You don't have to carry it all.
You can let it move throughyou.
Here's the truth.
Many of us carry myths aboutmovement.
We say, oh, it has to be in agym, or it has to be very
(10:29):
difficult.
Like unless we're getting ourbutt whooped, it's not actually
a workout.
Or it's only valuable if itchanges how our body looks.
But movement is so much biggerthan that.
And I really, I retrospectivelylament the time that I spent
(10:51):
using movement as a tool to Idon't think I ever used it to
punish myself necessarily, but Iused it in an effort to shape
my body or to be a certainweight or to look a certain way
so that I could then beconsidered beautiful or
(11:11):
acceptable or that I could fitin.
And the older I got, the more Ilet that go.
And actually, my husband,probably, I don't know, when our
oldest was two, one or two, Iwas feeling kind of not great.
And that day, and I was, Iguess I was short.
(11:32):
I don't know, I'll have toremember being short with him,
not short.
I mean, I am short, but youknow what I mean.
And he said, Have you workedout today?
And I said, uh, no.
And he said, I think you shouldgo work out.
And at first I was outraged.
I thought, how dare you, howdare you tell me to go work out?
(11:54):
And he said, No, no,sweetheart.
When you work out, you feelbetter, you feel happier, you
feel more relieved.
And this was in 2000, probably2015 or 16.
And I had never conceptualizedmovement in that way.
(12:15):
I had only thought of exerciseas a means to an end.
If I exercise, I'm going to fitinto my favorite genes.
I had never thought aboutexercise as a salve to stress or
anxiety.
And so I went to go work out.
And he was really the veryfirst person who ever waved that
(12:37):
flag for me.
And since then, I mean, it'sbeen almost 10 years, I have
completely changed myrelationship to movement and I
adore, I adore movement.
I adore it so much that I runlong distances and I really try
to challenge my body indifferent ways.
(13:00):
Not so that I can fit intogenes, but so that I can process
my emotions and so that I canfeel strong and I build
confidence, not because of how Ilook, but because of what I
accomplished.
So reframing it, movement canbe play.
(13:22):
It can be playing limbo, it canbe playing tag, it can be
jumping on a trampoline.
Movement can be gentle, it canbe yoga or Pilates or stretching
in your living room.
It doesn't have to be grueling.
There's a special group of usthat really enjoy grueling.
(13:43):
I have yet to figure that out,friends, but um, it doesn't have
to be that way.
Movement can be grounding,expressive, and even joyful.
Think of dancing, think ofwedding dancing, or quinceanera
dancing, or sweet 16 dancing, orDiwali dancing.
Like every time you dance, youfeel oh, like just like a little
(14:08):
bit of fairy dust has beensprinkled on you.
When we shift from self-controlto self-compassion, movement
becomes a way of caring for ourwhole selves and not just our
muscles.
Different types of healingmovement.
Here's some ideas for you totake into the week, to go get
(14:30):
curious about.
Think of it like a littlemovement buffet.
Maybe you've only been going onwalks for the last six years
and you're just bored as all getout.
I get it, I'd be bored too.
Go do something else.
Change the way you're movingyour body.
Here are some examples ofmindful movement.
(14:52):
There's yoga, tai chi, walkingmeditations.
This is where breath and bodymeet.
You can do this.
These days, we're so lucky tobe able to go to a class and do
these mindful movements incommunity, but you can also just
pull up a video on YouTube anddo it in your living room if
(15:15):
that's what suits you.
There's creative movement,dancing in your living room,
expressive movement, gardening,right?
You're just, you're justwanting to move your bodies in
ways that you don't normally.
A lot of us stand up, sit down,lay down, stand up, sit down,
(15:37):
lay down.
And so our body isn't used tomoving laterally very much
anymore.
Our bodies are used to movingon this one particular plane.
And it's very helpful for ourprocessing to kind of move your
muscles and fascia.
Fascia is kind of like the netthat holds all your muscles
together.
(15:57):
Move your muscles and fascia ina way that is not ordinary.
That is not the typical way youmove.
That's how you're going to getthe most bang for your buck.
There's grounding movement,walking barefoot, slow
stretching, lifting weights withpresence, rhythmic movement.
(16:19):
That's my favorite.
Running.
Drumming.
Guys, oh my gosh.
I played um, I started playingdrums in the fifth grade.
I played snare drum from fifthgrade to when I was a senior.
I also played trapset in highschool, which means um all the
(16:44):
drums with the cymbals, and Iwas in the jazz band.
Anybody?
Glenn Miller, anybody?
Glenn Miller.
And I was also drum major.
Am I an overachiever?
So my body really responds wellto rhythmic movement.
So running, drumming, rowing,anything repetitive that soothes
(17:06):
the nervous system.
Then there's social movement,group hikes, like wrecking.
Have you guys heard of ProjectGrit?
That's here in town.
Dance classes, or simplywalking with a friend.
If you're doing it with afriend, you multiply the
goodness that you're getting outof it.
(17:27):
You're getting your body ismoving, and then you're also
getting connection.
Each form taps into a differentpart of our nervous system,
helping regulate mood andbringing us back to balance.
And if you've just tuned in,you're listening to Couch Time
with Kat.
I'm Kat, and today we'reexploring the profound
(17:49):
connection between movement andmental health.
We are at the guided practicesection of the show.
Okay, friends, so let's do thistogether.
We're going to do somethingcalled an embodied check-in.
We're going to try it together.
So put your courage cape on.
(18:10):
If you're able, pause with mefor just a couple of minutes.
Close your eyes if that feelscomfortable.
You guys know the drill.
I do this almost every show.
You're going to breathe inthrough your nose.
Exhale through your mouth.
Let your shoulders relax.
Let your belly go soft.
(18:32):
Maybe shake out your toes, yourfingertips.
Do it again.
Breathe in.
Exhale.
Now we're gonna do a littlebody scan.
Let's start it.
Your shoulders.
Just think put your mind's eye,your energy, on your shoulders.
(18:56):
How do your shoulders feelright now?
How about your chest?
Does it feel tight?
Cold, relaxed?
How about your hips?
Mine are tight for sure.
Maybe y'all's are relaxed orcreaky or limber?
How about your legs?
(19:16):
Are they contracted?
Are they relaxed?
Without judgment, just noticewhat's there.
And you can ask yourself, whatdoes my body want right now?
Is it a stretch, a sway, ashake, a walk?
(19:37):
If you pay attention to the wayyour body feels, it's likely
that your body is going to giveyou a cue.
Like, hey, I'm feeling a littleheavy.
Go shake me out on the lawn.
Or go do some stretches or goget a hug.
Give yourself permission tofollow that impulse.
(20:03):
Even if it's just rolling yourshoulders and standing to
stretch your arms.
That right there is movement asmedicine.
And if you want a smallchallenge, see if in the next 24
hours you can give your bodyone kind movement, just one, and
(20:29):
notice how it shifts your mood.
Here are two questions to takewith you.
What kind of movement feelskind to my body right now?
So maybe that's going for ahike, maybe it's going for a
walk, maybe it's dancing withyour spouse in the kitchen.
(20:53):
Maybe it's something reallyvigorous.
Maybe you're thinking, let mego rock climbing, or let me go
for a long hike, or maybe you'refeeling curious about a
national park nearby.
What kind of movement feelskind to your body right now?
And then what stories have youinherited about movement that
(21:20):
you may need to rewrite?
What stories have you beenliving with?
What is the paradigm that youhave been living with around
movement?
That it needs to look a certainway, that you need to wear
certain clothes, that you needto burn a certain amount of
calories, that you need tosucceed in some type of way.
(21:44):
You need to squat this muchweight or impress people at the
CrossFit Gym.
What is the paradigm thatyou're carrying around?
And is that paradigm servingyou?
Often as we age, we need torewrite our paradigm.
We need to create these shiftsand changes.
(22:08):
We need to evolve.
Or maybe you were a bodybuilderin the 90s.
(22:34):
And now you've aged a fewdecades and you need something a
little more gentle.
But your ego is getting in theway, saying, no, no, that's not
actually working out.
What's the point?
It's only important, or you'reonly cool if you lift this much
weight, or what have you.
These paradigms are so harmfulto us.
They keep us stuck, they keepus stagnant in a way of life
(23:00):
that doesn't serve us anymore.
With age comes wisdom anddiscernment, and we need to do
something with that.
Make different choices.
Don't be afraid to change,don't be afraid to experiment.
There is no one right way,there's no best way.
There's what you want to tryand experience and how you want
(23:25):
to explore your life, and that'sall that matters.
If people are judging you, theyhave their own work to do.
Their judgment is not aboutyou, their judgment is about
them.
And that's okay, that's theirown journey.
We don't need to disparagethem, but I do want to liberate
(23:47):
you from their judgment.
So take a moment and jot thosethings down.
I'm going to repeat thosequestions.
What kind of movement feelskind to your body right now?
And then what stories have youinherited about movement that
you may need to rewrite?
So that can be stories thatyou've inherited or just old
(24:10):
paradigms that used to work foryou that maybe need a little
update.
As we close, I want to remindyou: our bodies are wise, so
wise.
They carry so much and theyalso hold the key to letting go.
Movement isn't about fixingyourself, it's about returning
(24:32):
to yourself.
So you may move in ways thatheal, not because you have to,
but because you long to.
You long to release thosehurts, those burdens, those
experiences.
And that's okay.
You absolutely have permissionto move on from them, to let
(24:55):
them rest and to go enjoy yourlife without them.
May you move in ways that healbecause you deserve it.
Thank you for being here.
You've been listening to CouchTime with Kat.
I'm Kat, and today we've beenexploring the healing power of
movement for the mind.
(25:16):
Thank you for spending thistime with me.
If something from today'sconversation resonated, or if
you're in a season where supportwould help, visit me at
gottheahhallam.com.
That's C-A-T-I-A-H-O-L-M.com.
You can also leave an anonymousquestion for the show by
calling or texting 956-249-7930.
(25:37):
I'd love to hear what's on yourheart.
If Couch Time with Cat has beenmeaningful to you, it would
mean so much if you'd subscribe,rate, and leave a review.
It helps others find us and itgrows this community of care.
And if you know someone whoneeds a little light right now,
send them this episode.
Remind them they're not alone.
Until next time, be gentle withyourself.
(25:58):
Keep showing up and know I'mright here with you.
Welcome to Couch Time with Cat, your safe place
for real conversation and gentlecheck-in.
KWVH presents Couch Time withCat.
Hi friends, and welcome toCouch Time with Cat, mental
wellness with a friendly voice.
I'm Cat, therapist,best-selling author, TEDx
speaker, and endurance athlete.
But most of all, I'm a wife,mama, and someone who deeply
(00:24):
believes that people are goodand healing is possible.
Here in the hill country ofWimberley, Texas, I've built my
life and practice around onepurpose to make mental wellness
feel accessible, compassionate,and real.
This show is for those momentswhen life feels heavy, when
you're craving clarity, or whenyou just need to hear, you're
(00:46):
not alone.
Each week we'll explore theterrain of mental wellness
through stories, reflections,research, and tools you can
bring into everyday life.
Think of it as a conversationbetween friends, rooted in
science, guided by heart, andgrounded in the belief that
healing does not have to feelclinical.
It can feel like sitting on acouch with someone who gets it.
(01:07):
So whether you're driving,walking, cooking, or simply
catching your breath, you'rewelcome here.
This is your space to feelseen, supported, and reminded of
your own strength.
I'm so glad you're here.
Let's dive in.
Today we're diving into asubject that has shaped my own
life and the lives of so manyclients.
The healing power of movement.
(01:30):
You know I have been waitingfor this episode.
Movement has a piece of myheart forever.
We'll get into that in a littlebit.
We live in a world that oftenframes movement as a means to an
end, to burn calories, to hit agoal weight, to sculpt the
(01:51):
body.
But what if we reimaginemovement?
Not as a punishment, not asperfection, but as medicine for
the mind and nourishment for thesoul.
Think about this.
Have you ever had one of thoseheavy days where everything
feels overwhelming?
(02:12):
And then a simple walk outsideor swaying to the music in your
kitchen shifted your entiremood?
That is not coincidence,friends.
That's your body showing youits wisdom.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about why movement
(02:33):
matters, not just for yourphysical health, but for your
mental well-being.
We'll explore the science,debunk some myths, and I'll
guide you through a shortpractice you can try right where
you are.
Together, we'll reframemovement as a way to come back
(02:54):
home to yourself.
And if you hear a little extrawhimpering or puppy running
around, know that my 11-week-oldpuppy Chip is here in studio
with me.
He's our Couch Time with Catdog.
You're listening to Couch Timewith Cat.
(03:16):
I'm Kat, and today we'reexploring how moving your body
can move your mind and yourspirit toward healing.
Let's start with the science.
When we move, our brainsrelease serotonin, dopamine, and
endorphins, the brain's naturalmood lifters.
(03:39):
That sounds super science-y, soI'm gonna say it again.
Science was not my bestsubject.
Um, so yeah, I can understandif those words sound a little
bit too technical.
So the brain releasesserotonin, dopamine, and
endorphins when we move.
(04:01):
According to Harvard Health,just 30 minutes of moderate
movement three to five times aweek can significantly reduce
the symptoms of depression andanxiety.
Friends, that's not that muchtime.
Thirty minutes, three to fivetimes a week, can significantly
(04:21):
reduce the symptoms ofdepression and anxiety.
Movement also helps regulatethe nervous system.
For those of us with traumahistories, and side note, most
of us have them.
This is vital.
Bessel Vanderkolk, author ofThe Body Keeps the Score, writes
(04:46):
Trauma lives in the body, whichmeans healing can live in the
body too.
Movement allows us to processwhat words alone cannot always
release.
What he's saying there issometimes we don't have access
(05:07):
to language about what ishappening.
Maybe something happened to usthat was so incredibly
traumatic, but maybe we werethree or four or five and we
didn't have language accessibleto us.
So then our body stores it inour nervous system.
(05:27):
It's not stored in our brain asa memory, and we don't have the
language because we didn't havethe capacity yet as a young
kid.
So it's stored as a felt sense.
So have you ever been somewhereand smelled a certain scent, or
somebody's t-shirt just kind ofsent you on this emotional
(05:49):
journey, or maybe a certaintexture, or a certain season
really kind of triggers you andyou're not sure why?
That's because there issomething that's living in your
body that's kind of giving youbreadcrumbs.
You're having an implicitmemory.
The memory lives inside yourbody, but you don't have
(06:09):
language for it.
Versus an explicit memory,something that you can recall,
like, oh, yes, last week I ateice cream and I had two
toppings.
Friends, if you've beenlistening to Couch Time with Cat
for a while, my my referencesto ice cream are too much.
If you're a if you have an icecream company and you want to
(06:32):
sponsor me, that's uh that'sprobably a good idea.
So we have implicit memoriesand we have explicit memories.
And movement allows us toprocess what words alone cannot
always release.
So that is such good news.
We don't even have to know whatwe are processing in order to
(06:57):
process it.
What does process mean?
It means move the emotionsassociated with that experience
through your body, up, out, andthrough your body.
Think of like a water fountain.
The water's coming up, out, andthrough the spigot.
So we need to provide our bodythese opportunities to move our
(07:25):
emotions through our body, evenif we don't know why we have the
emotions.
Let me share a little story.
After a long day of clientsessions, when my heart is heavy
with the stories I've held, itcan be tempting to collapse into
bed.
(07:45):
I love my clients.
I love holding space for them.
I love being completely presentwith them.
Part of my gift, I think, isthat I am able to be present and
hear really hard things withoutwincing.
And when I do that withsomebody, when I share that
(08:07):
space, when I witness their painwithout trying to shy it away
or fix it, when I just am thereenergetically holding space with
them and saying, I see you, Ihear you.
That was so hard.
After a while, that takes atoll on my body and on my mind.
And in order for me to be thebest clinician I can be, I need
(08:34):
to be present and clear andstrong.
And the way that I do that dayafter day is by taking care of
my body through movement.
So even though after a long dayI feel tired, my feelings say,
shut down, go to bed, go numb,scroll on your phone.
I've learned that when I laceup my running shoes and I go for
(08:58):
a walk or go for a run or liftsome weights or even do some
stretching, something shifts.
The air, the rhythm of my feet,the openness of the sky.
Oh, and when it gets coldoutside, oh my gosh, that air is
delicious.
It doesn't erase the struggle,but it creates space.
(09:20):
And I return home a little moregrounded and a little more
myself.
I don't have to say anything.
I don't have to say, I'mprocessing X, Y, Z.
No, no, no.
I just move my body, I enjoythe air, enjoy the music, enjoy
the stretching.
My body does the rest for me.
(09:42):
And I've seen this withcountless clients as well.
A woman who found freedom againin swimming.
Oh my gosh.
A man who eased his anxietythrough daily walks.
Movement became their medicine,not because it fixed
everything, but because itchanged their relationship to
(10:06):
what they were carrying.
You don't have to carry it all.
You can let it move throughyou.
Here's the truth.
Many of us carry myths aboutmovement.
We say, oh, it has to be in agym, or it has to be very
(10:29):
difficult.
Like unless we're getting ourbutt whooped, it's not actually
a workout.
Or it's only valuable if itchanges how our body looks.
But movement is so much biggerthan that.
And I really, I retrospectivelylament the time that I spent
(10:51):
using movement as a tool to Idon't think I ever used it to
punish myself necessarily, but Iused it in an effort to shape
my body or to be a certainweight or to look a certain way
so that I could then beconsidered beautiful or
(11:11):
acceptable or that I could fitin.
And the older I got, the more Ilet that go.
And actually, my husband,probably, I don't know, when our
oldest was two, one or two, Iwas feeling kind of not great.
And that day, and I was, Iguess I was short.
(11:32):
I don't know, I'll have toremember being short with him,
not short.
I mean, I am short, but youknow what I mean.
And he said, Have you workedout today?
And I said, uh, no.
And he said, I think you shouldgo work out.
And at first I was outraged.
I thought, how dare you, howdare you tell me to go work out?
(11:54):
And he said, No, no,sweetheart.
When you work out, you feelbetter, you feel happier, you
feel more relieved.
And this was in 2000, probably2015 or 16.
And I had never conceptualizedmovement in that way.
(12:15):
I had only thought of exerciseas a means to an end.
If I exercise, I'm going to fitinto my favorite genes.
I had never thought aboutexercise as a salve to stress or
anxiety.
And so I went to go work out.
And he was really the veryfirst person who ever waved that
(12:37):
flag for me.
And since then, I mean, it'sbeen almost 10 years, I have
completely changed myrelationship to movement and I
adore, I adore movement.
I adore it so much that I runlong distances and I really try
to challenge my body indifferent ways.
(13:00):
Not so that I can fit intogenes, but so that I can process
my emotions and so that I canfeel strong and I build
confidence, not because of how Ilook, but because of what I
accomplished.
So reframing it, movement canbe play.
(13:22):
It can be playing limbo, it canbe playing tag, it can be
jumping on a trampoline.
Movement can be gentle, it canbe yoga or Pilates or stretching
in your living room.
It doesn't have to be grueling.
There's a special group of usthat really enjoy grueling.
(13:43):
I have yet to figure that out,friends, but um, it doesn't have
to be that way.
Movement can be grounding,expressive, and even joyful.
Think of dancing, think ofwedding dancing, or quinceanera
dancing, or sweet 16 dancing, orDiwali dancing.
Like every time you dance, youfeel oh, like just like a little
(14:08):
bit of fairy dust has beensprinkled on you.
When we shift from self-controlto self-compassion, movement
becomes a way of caring for ourwhole selves and not just our
muscles.
Different types of healingmovement.
Here's some ideas for you totake into the week, to go get
(14:30):
curious about.
Think of it like a littlemovement buffet.
Maybe you've only been going onwalks for the last six years
and you're just bored as all getout.
I get it, I'd be bored too.
Go do something else.
Change the way you're movingyour body.
Here are some examples ofmindful movement.
(14:52):
There's yoga, tai chi, walkingmeditations.
This is where breath and bodymeet.
You can do this.
These days, we're so lucky tobe able to go to a class and do
these mindful movements incommunity, but you can also just
pull up a video on YouTube anddo it in your living room if
(15:15):
that's what suits you.
There's creative movement,dancing in your living room,
expressive movement, gardening,right?
You're just, you're justwanting to move your bodies in
ways that you don't normally.
A lot of us stand up, sit down,lay down, stand up, sit down,
(15:37):
lay down.
And so our body isn't used tomoving laterally very much
anymore.
Our bodies are used to movingon this one particular plane.
And it's very helpful for ourprocessing to kind of move your
muscles and fascia.
Fascia is kind of like the netthat holds all your muscles
together.
(15:57):
Move your muscles and fascia ina way that is not ordinary.
That is not the typical way youmove.
That's how you're going to getthe most bang for your buck.
There's grounding movement,walking barefoot, slow
stretching, lifting weights withpresence, rhythmic movement.
(16:19):
That's my favorite.
Running.
Drumming.
Guys, oh my gosh.
I played um, I started playingdrums in the fifth grade.
I played snare drum from fifthgrade to when I was a senior.
I also played trapset in highschool, which means um all the
(16:44):
drums with the cymbals, and Iwas in the jazz band.
Anybody?
Glenn Miller, anybody?
Glenn Miller.
And I was also drum major.
Am I an overachiever?
So my body really responds wellto rhythmic movement.
So running, drumming, rowing,anything repetitive that soothes
(17:06):
the nervous system.
Then there's social movement,group hikes, like wrecking.
Have you guys heard of ProjectGrit?
That's here in town.
Dance classes, or simplywalking with a friend.
If you're doing it with afriend, you multiply the
goodness that you're getting outof it.
(17:27):
You're getting your body ismoving, and then you're also
getting connection.
Each form taps into a differentpart of our nervous system,
helping regulate mood andbringing us back to balance.
And if you've just tuned in,you're listening to Couch Time
with Kat.
I'm Kat, and today we'reexploring the profound
(17:49):
connection between movement andmental health.
We are at the guided practicesection of the show.
Okay, friends, so let's do thistogether.
We're going to do somethingcalled an embodied check-in.
We're going to try it together.
So put your courage cape on.
(18:10):
If you're able, pause with mefor just a couple of minutes.
Close your eyes if that feelscomfortable.
You guys know the drill.
I do this almost every show.
You're going to breathe inthrough your nose.
Exhale through your mouth.
Let your shoulders relax.
Let your belly go soft.
(18:32):
Maybe shake out your toes, yourfingertips.
Do it again.
Breathe in.
Exhale.
Now we're gonna do a littlebody scan.
Let's start it.
Your shoulders.
Just think put your mind's eye,your energy, on your shoulders.
(18:56):
How do your shoulders feelright now?
How about your chest?
Does it feel tight?
Cold, relaxed?
How about your hips?
Mine are tight for sure.
Maybe y'all's are relaxed orcreaky or limber?
How about your legs?
(19:16):
Are they contracted?
Are they relaxed?
Without judgment, just noticewhat's there.
And you can ask yourself, whatdoes my body want right now?
Is it a stretch, a sway, ashake, a walk?
(19:37):
If you pay attention to the wayyour body feels, it's likely
that your body is going to giveyou a cue.
Like, hey, I'm feeling a littleheavy.
Go shake me out on the lawn.
Or go do some stretches or goget a hug.
Give yourself permission tofollow that impulse.
(20:03):
Even if it's just rolling yourshoulders and standing to
stretch your arms.
That right there is movement asmedicine.
And if you want a smallchallenge, see if in the next 24
hours you can give your bodyone kind movement, just one, and
(20:29):
notice how it shifts your mood.
Here are two questions to takewith you.
What kind of movement feelskind to my body right now?
So maybe that's going for ahike, maybe it's going for a
walk, maybe it's dancing withyour spouse in the kitchen.
(20:53):
Maybe it's something reallyvigorous.
Maybe you're thinking, let mego rock climbing, or let me go
for a long hike, or maybe you'refeeling curious about a
national park nearby.
What kind of movement feelskind to your body right now?
And then what stories have youinherited about movement that
(21:20):
you may need to rewrite?
What stories have you beenliving with?
What is the paradigm that youhave been living with around
movement?
That it needs to look a certainway, that you need to wear
certain clothes, that you needto burn a certain amount of
calories, that you need tosucceed in some type of way.
(21:44):
You need to squat this muchweight or impress people at the
CrossFit Gym.
What is the paradigm thatyou're carrying around?
And is that paradigm servingyou?
Often as we age, we need torewrite our paradigm.
We need to create these shiftsand changes.
(22:08):
We need to evolve.
Or maybe you were a bodybuilderin the 90s.
(22:34):
And now you've aged a fewdecades and you need something a
little more gentle.
But your ego is getting in theway, saying, no, no, that's not
actually working out.
What's the point?
It's only important, or you'reonly cool if you lift this much
weight, or what have you.
These paradigms are so harmfulto us.
They keep us stuck, they keepus stagnant in a way of life
(23:00):
that doesn't serve us anymore.
With age comes wisdom anddiscernment, and we need to do
something with that.
Make different choices.
Don't be afraid to change,don't be afraid to experiment.
There is no one right way,there's no best way.
There's what you want to tryand experience and how you want
(23:25):
to explore your life, and that'sall that matters.
If people are judging you, theyhave their own work to do.
Their judgment is not aboutyou, their judgment is about
them.
And that's okay, that's theirown journey.
We don't need to disparagethem, but I do want to liberate
(23:47):
you from their judgment.
So take a moment and jot thosethings down.
I'm going to repeat thosequestions.
What kind of movement feelskind to your body right now?
And then what stories have youinherited about movement that
you may need to rewrite?
So that can be stories thatyou've inherited or just old
(24:10):
paradigms that used to work foryou that maybe need a little
update.
As we close, I want to remindyou: our bodies are wise, so
wise.
They carry so much and theyalso hold the key to letting go.
Movement isn't about fixingyourself, it's about returning
(24:32):
to yourself.
So you may move in ways thatheal, not because you have to,
but because you long to.
You long to release thosehurts, those burdens, those
experiences.
And that's okay.
You absolutely have permissionto move on from them, to let
(24:55):
them rest and to go enjoy yourlife without them.
May you move in ways that healbecause you deserve it.
Thank you for being here.
You've been listening to CouchTime with Kat.
I'm Kat, and today we've beenexploring the healing power of
movement for the mind.
(25:16):
Thank you for spending thistime with me.
If something from today'sconversation resonated, or if
you're in a season where supportwould help, visit me at
gottheahhallam.com.
That's C-A-T-I-A-H-O-L-M.com.
You can also leave an anonymousquestion for the show by
calling or texting 956-249-7930.
(25:37):
I'd love to hear what's on yourheart.
If Couch Time with Cat has beenmeaningful to you, it would
mean so much if you'd subscribe,rate, and leave a review.
It helps others find us and itgrows this community of care.
And if you know someone whoneeds a little light right now,
send them this episode.
Remind them they're not alone.
Until next time, be gentle withyourself.
(25:58):
Keep showing up and know I'mright here with you.
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