Wellness & Body-Based Therapies for Mental Health

Mental health struggles don’t just live in the mind—they are experienced throughout the entire body. Stress, trauma, and anxiety activate the nervous system, tighten muscles, disrupt sleep, and can even suppress immune function.

• 80% of people with trauma report physical symptoms such as pain, fatigue, or tension alongside emotional challenges. (National Council for Mental Wellbeing, 2022)

• The American Psychological Association notes that combining body-based practices with talk therapy can reduce relapse rates for depression and PTSD by up to 40%.

• In one study, yoga therapy decreased symptoms of anxiety by 54% and depression by 52% when paired with counseling. (Harvard Medical School, 2019)

• Weight training has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms by 43%, regardless of fitness level. (JAMA Psychiatry, 2018)

 

This evidence underscores that healing the body is inseparable from healing the mind.

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Examples of Body-Based Therapies We Integrate

At ERC, we incorporate body-based approaches that complement traditional counseling. These may include:

• Somatic Awareness Practices – techniques to reconnect you with bodily sensations and release stored tension.

• Breathwork – science-backed breathing exercises that calm the nervous system and lower stress hormones.

• Mindful Movement & Yoga – gentle practices to improve mood, sleep, and overall regulation.

• Progressive Relaxation & Guided Body Scans – reducing muscle tension and bringing awareness back to the present.

• Fitness & Weight Training – building strength not only boosts physical health, but also:

  • Increases endorphins and dopamine, lifting mood naturally.

  • Improves self-esteem and body image, which are strongly linked to reduced anxiety and depression.

  • Provides a healthy outlet for stress while enhancing resilience and discipline.

 

The Science of Healing Through the Body

• Brain-Body Connection: Trauma and chronic stress alter brain activity in regions like the amygdala and hippocampus. Body-based therapies—including exercise—activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping regulate these areas.

• Hormonal Regulation: Practices like yoga, breathwork, and strength training lower cortisol (the stress hormone) while boosting serotonin and dopamine.

• Improved Outcomes: Clients who combine psychotherapy with exercise and body-based therapies report greater emotional resilience and lower symptom severity than those using talk therapy alone. (Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2020)