Movement is Life: Listen to Your Body and Express Yourself with Dance Movement Therapy with Erica Hornthal (Episode #138)

Dr. Lynn Hellerstein of Vision Beyond Sight speaks with Erica Hornthal, known as “The Therapist That Moves You,” board-certified dance/movement therapist, award-winning author and founder of Chicago Dance Therapy, to talk about dance movement therapy and how it provides structure and space for people to truly listen to their bodies. Movement is life and our movements influence our thoughts, which influence our behavior, which makes us who we are. Somatic therapy teaches us that the body keeps score and remembers specific incidents in our lives that could create perceived threats where there are none. Learn how to widen the window of tolerance towards adjustment, discover the difference between movement that perpetuates trauma versus dispelling and releasing built up energy that improve your well-being. Erica emphasizes the importance of finding stability and safety in your environment while building a diverse movement vocabulary. There is expression and communication beyond words, and dance as a therapeutic modality and artform is one of the keys to unlocking what’s inside you. Remember that we were born movers, not thinkers, so if you want to think differently, you have to move differently.

Click here and tune in to the show now to explore these insights:

• What is dance movement therapy?
• The importance of the communication of the body to mental health
• How Erica became a dance therapist
• Somatic therapy and how the body keeps the score and remembers specific sensations related to fight or flight incidents
• Widening the window of tolerance to discomfort or suffering
• How movement activates the nervous system to release stored stress
• Running away from something vs. dispelling and releasing built up energy
• Practical everyday easy movement tools for managing anxiety and improving well-being
• Building a robust and diverse movement vocabulary
• Creating stability in the body by leaning into or on something, or laying down the floor
• Rewiring your brain and movement patterns
• How to find a dance movement therapist and when to utilize dance movement therapy
• Working with dementia and Alzheimer’s patients to express themselves in ways that language did not rely on
• How to contact Erica and check out her books
• If you want to think differently, you have to move differently.

About Erica Hornthal:

Erica Hornthal, a licensed clinical professional counselor and board-certified dance/movement thera-pist, is the CEO and founder of Chicago Dance Therapy. Since graduating with her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling, Erica has worked with thousands of patients from age three to 107. Known as the “Therapist Who Moves You,” Erica has truly changed the way people see move-ment with regard to mental health; moving people toward unlimited potential, greater awareness, and purpose by tapping into their innate body wisdom. Erica is the author of the bestselling book, Body Aware, The Movement Therapy Deck, and her newest release, BODYTALK. Erica’s mission is to make movement accessible to everyone in order to support mental and emotional resilience. In addition to her passion for working with cognitive and movement disorders, neurologic conditions, anxiety, depres-sion, and trauma, Erica is an advocate for the field of dance/movement therapy. She currently lives in the North Shore of Chicago with her husband, two kids, and two French Bulldogs.

Connect with Erica Hornthal and Chicago Dance Therapy:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Check out Erica’s books Body Talk and Body Aware, and her The Movement Therapy Deck on www.ericahornthal.com.

“Just because we cannot speak, doesn’t mean we have nothing to say. For me, it started with older adults: dementia, Alzheimer’s. They brought me in as the fun dance lady but quickly realized that I was allowing people to express themselves for the first time in ways that language did not rely on. Behavioral issues and anxiety went down. People started to open up and engage again. Some actually spoke again. It’s so much more than the modality and artform of dance.” – Erica Hornthal

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Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, Developmental Optometrist, award-winning author and international speaker, holds powerful and inspiring conversations with her guests in the areas of health, wellness, education, sports and psychology. They share their inspirational stories of healing and transformation through their vision expansion. Vision Beyond Sight Podcast will help you see with clarity, gain courage and confidence. Welcome to Vision Beyond Sight!

Dr. Lynn’s books are available at Amazon.com and www.lynnhellerstein.com/shop.

Dr. Lynn is available for speaking engagements and consulting. For more information, visit www.lynnhellerstein.com.

To learn more about vision therapy or to find a doctor providing vision therapy in your area, visit: COVD.org.

To learn more about vision and the impact in concussion/brain injury, visit: Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association.

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