Somatic Movement for Mental Health

The connection between improving mental health through movement of the body is well established. All intentional movement—such as exercise, dance, sports conditioning, running, biking, stretching—activates the mind body union through our physiology and our psychology. The brain and body systems share a symbiotic interconnectedness, for instance through the breath, heart, fascia and nervous system. Therefore, Somatic psychology emphasizes the importance of understanding this relationship for deep healing, health, and meaningful self-determination.

At Mind Move Therapy, we promote movement as a powerful modality for healing. We may practice somatic strategies in the therapy session and clients are encouraged to learn and sustain movement-based practices in their lives to support their mental, emotional and physical well-being. A few key ways movement is essential to mental health include:

1. Mindfulness

When movement is paired with mindfulness—as in Yoga Therapy or Somatic Activated Healing, which I teach—the body becomes a conduit for present-moment awareness. This combination not only strengthens the body-mind connection through intentionality but helps individuals shift from overthinking into feeling. Through mindful movement, we can process emotions, release stagnant energy, and promote healing from stress and trauma.

2. Fitness and Physical Health

Physical training—whether focused on strength, cardio, or flexibility—builds resilience in the body. It boosts muscle tone, supports cardiovascular health, and improves mobility. Importantly, it also balances hormones, reduces inflammation, and increases somatic self-awareness—each of which play a vital role in managing anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.

3. Somatic Integration

Somatic movement connects our physical, emotional and psychological states. Emotional pain and trauma are felt and held in the body. Through movement, breathwork, and deep self-awareness, we can access and transform these imprints. True healing must occur not just in the mind, but always through the body.

5. Emotional Awareness

Movement allows for positive emotions to be experienced and for the letting go of held negative emotions in order to increase and sustain an elevated mood, to reduce anxiety and promote the shifting process of emotional states. Moving the body in new ways creates new neural pathways, allowing for new thought patterns and encouraging a more optimistic, flexible mindset.

6. Neurochemical Effects of Movement on Mood Regulation

Engaging in physical activity induces the release of neurotransmitters that directly influence mood and stress responses. Exercise stimulates the production of:

• Endorphins, which reduce pain perception and induce feelings of euphoria.

• Serotonin, which supports mood stabilization and emotional resilience.

• Dopamine, critical for motivation, reward processing, and executive functioning..

Movement helps release endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, which regulate mood, reduce stress, and enhance feelings of well-being. For individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, or trauma, movement is a powerful tool for nervous system regulation, encouraging relaxation and emotional balance.

7. Expression and Ecstatic Aliveness

Movement is also an expressive language. Whether subtle or expansive, it allows us to move emotions through and out of the body. Ecstatic movement practices can unlock joy, catharsis, and a renewed sense of vitality—reminding us what it means to feel alive in our bodies. Expressing the self through dance is one of the highest forms of feeling freedom.

Integrating Movement into Therapy

In my work as a psychotherapist, I use movement -subtle or expansive- depending on the needs of my clients. I create space where trauma can be released and healing can begin. Talk therapy remains essential, but movement is transformative for mental, emotional, physical and cognitive health.

At Mind Move Therapy, I support clients in weaving movement into their healing journeys to transform pain into presence, and disconnection into embodied presence.

Written by Bridget Montgomery, LCPC and certified Somatic Activated Healer