Reclaiming Beauty in Movement
From Guest Contributor, Brit Guerin
If you engage in exercise, what motivates you? If you are influenced by fitness culture, oftentimes our motivation comes from guilt and shame. “The pain you feel today, is the strength you feel tomorrow” is just one example of fitness culture telling us to “just do it.” These “shoulds” can move us into action and sometimes, this strategy might feel supportive.
However, sometimes this strategy may disconnect us from our body. The message tells us in order to endure movement, we must ignore our body’s signals. For example, our body may be telling us to rest, but we push ourselves to go exercise instead. (This is the whole premise of “mind over matter.”)
If you are resonating with this strategy, take a breath. Be kind and gentle with yourself. You are a human living in a society driven by productivity and diet culture. (Diet culture is a system of beliefs that tells us we are better when we are thinner). As you read on, my invitation is to stay curious and open as we explore reclaiming beauty in movement.
Listening to Our Body Speak
One of the ways our body speaks is through movement. We have innate, development movements that help us explore the world around us. (Note: Sometimes movement gets interrupted by neurological conditions, trauma, and more).
When was the last time you moved your body for pure exploration and/or play? When was the last time you engaged in movement because you wanted to?
Perhaps think back to being a child and playing on the playground at school. If nothing comes to mind, try imagining what playing might feel like in your body.
Connecting to our wants as a way to determine how and when to move can be a supportive practice to reclaim the beauty in movement. Simply by asking our body what it wants is a great first step to practice embodiment. This helps us build trust and autonomy in our body, which are important components to healing our relationship with our body. Also, when we desire movement, it is more likely that we are connected to our muscles and feel empowered throughout the movement practice rather than stressed or strained.
Next time you feel a desire for movement, you might turn on the recording below to explore movement from a place of wanting rather than guilt. This recording is an invitation to move gently from a place of agency and intuition.
Are you seeking to reclaim movement for joy and detach from diet culture expectations? Check out our online and in-person fitness and yoga classes at Current Wellness. We teach intuitive movement to foster empowerment, strength, and joy in movement. Our classes are size-inclusive and align with Health at Every Size™.
Are you wanting a little more support in eating disorder recovery? Check out my upcoming group Embodied Movement for Eating Disorder Recovery that starts in January 2024 (If you’re reading this past the start date, reach out to get on the waitlist for the next one). It’s an online group for folks in recovery who feel like movement is the missing piece in their healing process.
I’m cheering you on in your healing journey and hope to connect with you soon!
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Brit Guerin (she/they) is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), fitness professional, and co-founder and owner of Current Wellness. They specialize in working with folks who are experiencing anxiety, relationship issues, disordered eating, disordered exercise, and trauma. They use a Health at Every Size® approach, a somatic lens, and the principles of intuitive eating to help clients create a healthy relationship with their body, food, and exercise. She is trained in Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders, as well as EMDR for trauma-focused therapy.
In addition to being a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, they also have an extensive background in fitness, fitness education, leadership and mentoring. They have a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, and she's an ACSM Exercise Physiologist, an Applied Health and Human Performance Specialist through the Institute of Motion, and a Size Inclusive Fitness Specialist through the Size Inclusive Training Academy.
Are you ready to begin your healing journey?
If you live anywhere in North Carolina or South Carolina and would like to start weight-inclusive body-centered psychotherapy for your eating disorder recovery and body image healing journey, our experienced and effective therapists can help. At Reclaiming Beauty, we are able to see clients living anywhere in North Carolina or South Carolina. We offer everything from eating disorder therapy, trauma therapy, and nervous system therapy. In addition to Safe and Sound Protocol, Safe and Sound Protocol Groups, embodiment coaching & more. We treat all genders, teenagers, and adults all the way across the lifespan. Our therapists each have their own specialized training in somatic approaches to eating disorders and unique personalities. It’s important we get you matched up with the right therapist.
Getting Started with A Body-Centered Therapist in Asheville, NC
If you’re ready to begin your healing journey and get paired with the right disordered eating therapist, follow the few steps below! We are ready to support you in developing a more compassionate relationship with your body.
Reach out online or give us a call at 828-279-7091.
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Other Services We Offer in Asheville, NC
Discover a holistic approach to well-being at Reclaiming Beauty. Our personalized embodiment coaching unlocks the wisdom within, fostering self-compassion and resilience. Or, explore the transformative benefits of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP). This is a non-invasive auditory intervention that enhances social engagement and reduces stress.