Why Movement Reduces Anxiety, Improves Mental Health, and Increases Our Happiness
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Written by Jade Taussig, Psychotherapist, Coach & CEO
Jade Taussig is an accredited psychotherapist, coach and entrepreneur dedicated to helping people unlock lasting change, process their emotions and find their voices. As co-founder of Integrated Wellness, creator of Mood Moved and CEO of We Are The News, she combines psychological expertise with innovation, creativity and personal growth.
Psychotherapy, though irreplaceable, isn’t always the fastest or most accessible path to feeling better. This is because the key to its success is the quality and depth of the relationship between the therapist and their client. Such connections cannot be rushed or artificially manufactured. The experience of good therapy should not feel as though you’re the recipient of narcissistic love bombing.
Medication may yield rapid change, but it can have negative side effects and cause mood flattening. This raises the question of what other therapeutic tools can reduce stress and improve our mental wellbeing. With almost 20 years of clinical experience and my own personal pursuit of this question, I have found the answer to be movement and creative expression. The two may be combined or explored separately. In both cases, the results are transformative.
Limitations of psychotherapy
Having spent many years as a psychotherapist, I can honestly attest to the positive power of fostering an ongoing, deep and trusting relationship. With the right pairing, talking, reflection and exploration do indeed yield transformative results. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone wishing to understand their own and others’ inner worlds, thought patterns, behaviours and triggers.
Therapy does, however, rely largely on language. Sometimes, we simply do not have the vocabulary or cannot access the words we need to fully express our feelings. For example, I’m dyslexic, so sometimes I get stuck, whilst other people simply don’t like talking about their emotions and so on. Sometimes sharing a silence, comfortably or uncomfortably, may be appropriate. It can be containing and supportive in and of itself, but this is not always the case. On occasion, silence can feel unsafe or even hostile.
Experiences of trauma, especially those that occurred at an early age or during a preverbal time, can be particularly elusive and painful. How do we find the words when we didn’t have language available to us at the time? How did the baby or child experience that trauma, where did it go, and how was it processed?
Early trauma and trauma in general may be absent from our conscious minds and memories, yet it can fester and cast a shadow over our everyday experience. It lurks in the background, can be our worst enemy, and can sabotage our very existence. Therefore, we need to find creative ways to engage with the unconscious, preverbal parts of ourselves.
Limitations of medication
Medication may be helpful for some, but it does not address underlying problems. Rather, it focuses on symptom management and often serves to flatten emotional affect, dulling positive as well as negative moods, which is known as emotional blunting.
Ironically, the side effects from mental health drugs can, for some, cause the very thing the medication has been prescribed to treat. Research acknowledges that antidepressants may cause anxiety or, in extreme cases, increase the risk of suicide, violence and homicide.
Another concerning reality is the severe medical and social side effects from antipsychotic prescription drugs. Research shows that, alongside poor lifestyle choices, these medications have been linked to the shortening of life by up to 25 years.
I’m not suggesting that all people taking mental health medication will experience these side effects. It must also be acknowledged that, for some, these medications are a lifeline, particularly during periods of crisis. However, it is important for people to make informed decisions and, where possible, to have additional options available.
Evidence for the benefits of moving
Adrenaline and cortisol are the body's stress hormones. Inappropriate spikes in these or ongoing elevated levels can yield deeply negative effects on our bodies and minds.
When exercising, adrenaline and cortisol levels are reduced. Alongside this, the production of endorphins, a natural mood elevator, is stimulated. A high is elicited without the downsides associated with substance use and abuse.
The body keeps the score
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s groundbreaking book The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma explores the impact trauma has not only on the mind but also on the body. He argues that trauma can imprint on our bodies, leading to automatic stress responses that affect the muscles, nervous system, and organs. The amygdala, the part of our brain responsible for the fight-or-flight survival instinct, may be triggered at inappropriate moments. The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for rational thought, is also impacted. Therefore, merely thinking rationally will not alleviate symptoms.
For some, this mind-body connection may seem a bit “out there”. However, the link between stress and heart problems has long been known.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk argues that traditional psychological care, such as EMDR, alongside body and mind-focused modalities, can be particularly impactful. As trauma causes physical imprints, it stands to reason that adopting strategies that incorporate the physical as well as the mental will be beneficial. As the brain is neuroplastic, it has the inherent ability to adapt, form new connections and rewire itself.
Physical activities, such as yoga, help individuals reconnect with and feel safe in their bodies. Synchronised rhythmic activities, such as dance, martial arts, sports or being part of a creative group, can be especially impactful. The social aspect of these shared activities plays a crucial role, as it helps lower social isolation, increase shared positive experiences, and help rebuild trust in others.
Movement for the mind
Alongside observing what works best for my clients, I have spent many years having psychotherapy myself. Furthermore, I have tried numerous paths to peace during the course of my lifetime. With this, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no panacea. The fact is that different things work for different people at different times.
The experience of personal therapy is distinctive from that of movement, though the two are complementary. When I dance or practice martial arts, my mood shifts, and the result is instantaneous. Many a time, I’ve been stressed out, burnt out, sad or, on occasion, positively fuming. Within minutes of arrival at a class and starting to move, my emotions shift. They transform. I’ve consistently left sessions feeling better upon exit than I did upon arrival. Personally, the social factor has a profound impact too and elevates the positive experience. That said, there are many people who like nothing more than a solitary run. The key is finding the movement type you like best and the right environment for you.
In an ideal world, my recommendation would be to blend psychotherapy with regular movement. In the real world, where therapy may not always be possible, movement is accessible to us all, any time, at little to no cost.
Therapeutic movement-based workshops
My passion for movement and its positive impact on mental health has inspired me to create Mood Moved, a series of workshops that combine movement, psychotherapeutic knowledge and creative practices to support emotional wellbeing, self-expression and personal growth.
I collaborate with dancers, martial artists, actors, art therapists and holistic health practitioners to deliver fun and meaningful pathways toward emotional processing, healing and stress relief.
Join us: Find out more and connect
Join us at our upcoming workshops.
Find out more about our Mood Moved workshops, and other therapeutic services.
Read more from Jade Taussig
Jade Taussig, Psychotherapist, Coach & CEO
Jade Taussig is an accredited UKCP psychotherapist, coach and co-founder of Integrated Wellness, with over 17 years' experience supporting mental health, emotional wellbeing, confidence and personal growth. She adopts a holistic approach, drawing on Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, EMDR, EFT, coaching, and movement-based approaches to help individuals create meaningful and lasting change. Jade is also the creator of Mood Moved, an innovative workshop series combining psychotherapy, movement, creativity, and self-expression to support wellbeing and resilience. In addition, she is the CEO & co-founder of We Are The News, a community-driven news-based social media platform dedicated to freedom of expression, transparency, and informed discussion.
