How can Walk-and-Talk Therapy Help?
How are you feeling about the level of activity you get during the day? Staying active can be a struggle for many people. Perhaps some of these obstacles resonate with you:
Working from home may require little movement throughout a typical day.
It is hard to find time for physical activity and exercise.
Poor sleep may have you feeling too tired for extra movement.
You’re unsure how to get going with an exercise routine.
If you can relate to these types of obstacles, you’re not alone. However, if exercise and daily movement are down, we may not be caring for our emotional and mental health to the fullest. Here are a few reasons how this could be true:
Anxiety symptoms can improve with exercise.
General distress (like upset and pain) may be improved with cardio and resistance training.
Resistance training may help us be more tolerant of uncertainty.
Exercise can have an antidepressant effect.
Physical activity can help us experience fewer negative emotions (like nervousness and worthlessness) in response to stressful events.
So how does this relate to holistic therapy? Well, holistic therapy includes the perspective that treating the whole being is important - think mind, body, and soul. Holistic therapy can be delivered in many ways, one of which is walk-and-talk therapy.
Walk-and-talk therapy is: (1) psychotherapy, (2) outside, (3) while walking or being in nature. Walk-and-talk therapy combines the potential benefits of movement, talk therapy, and nature for a holistic therapeutic approach. While talking about concerns like anxiety, life changes, stress, or periods of adjustment, this type of therapy can offer many additional benefits which may further support your mental and emotional health:
Increase daily movement
Help to develop a more structured or consistent exercise routine
Encourage positive habit change in other areas of life
Supplement an existing exercise regime
Increase time spent outdoors
Research has shown that 90-minutes spent walking in nature can contribute to a perceived decrease in rumination (AKA - that constant replay of old stories in our minds). Even one session of ‘vigorous’ cardio has been shown to reduce anxiety sensitivity.
Grow True Psychology offers walk-and-talk therapy along Marina del Rey, Venice, and Santa Monica beaches in California. To learn more about holistic therapy, walk-and-talk therapy, or how to set yourself up for success with achievable goals and positive habits - let’s connect. Be in touch to see if Grow True Psychology is the right fit for the changes you want to make.
Disclaimer: Please note that visiting this website does not constitute a doctor-client therapeutic relationship. The information and resources included or linked on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to assess, diagnose, or treat any medical and/or mental health disease or condition. The information obtained from this site should not be considered a substitute for a thorough medical and/or mental health evaluation by an appropriately credentialed and licensed professional. We do not know the specifics of your situation or have the facts to provide this type of evaluation and recommend that you seek an appropriately credentialed and licensed professional to establish a doctor-client therapeutic relationship. This website also includes links to other websites for informational and reference purposes only. This website does not endorse, warrant or guarantee the products, services or information described or offered at these other websites.
Fitness, Movement, & Nutritional Information Disclaimer: We can offer health, fitness and nutritional information including but not limited to advice and recommendation, that is provided solely as general education and informational purposes. Use of the advice and information contained herein is at your sole choice and risk. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or healthcare provider before beginning any nutrition or exercise program. If you choose to use this information without prior consultation with your physician, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your decisions and agreeing to hold harmless Grow True Psychology.
References:
Stubbs, B. et al. (2017). An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res, 249, 102-108. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.12.020.
LeBouthillier, D. M., & Asmundson, G. J. G. (2017). The efficacy of aerobic exercise and resistance training as transdiagnostic interventions for anxiety-related disorders and constructs: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 52, 43-52.
Schuch, F. B. et al. (2016). Exercise as a treatment for depression: A meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 77, 42-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.02.023
Puterman, E., Weiss, J., Beauchamp, M. R., Mogle, J., & Almeida, D. M. (2017). Physical activity and negative affective reactivity in daily life. Health Psychology, 36, 1186-1194. doi: 1037/hea0000532.
Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., Hahn, K. S., Daily, G. C., & Gross, J. J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and sugenual prefrontal cortex activation. PNAS, 112, 8567-8572.
LeBouthillier, D. M., & Asmundson, G. J. G. (2015) A single bout of aerobic exercise reduces anxiety sensitivity but not intolerance of uncertainty or distress tolerance: A randomized controlled trial. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 44, 252-263, DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2015.1028094.
