| Title | : | Body Aware: Rediscover Your Mind-Body Connection, Stop Feeling Stuck, and Improve Your Mental Health with Simple Movement Practices |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | Published August 9, 2022 |
When we talk about movement, most of us think “exercise.” But the way we move our bodies–how we walk, roll, dance, stretch, connect, and take up space–is about so much more than physical fitness. Our movements impact our mental and emotional health…and when we change the way we move, we can change the way we live.
Licensed clinical professional counselor and board-certified dance and movement therapist Erica Hornthal–aka “The Therapist Who Moves You”–takes readers on a step-by-step journey, showing how a mindful movement practice can:
• Help ease symptoms of depression
• Build a greater sense of connection and intimacy with loved ones
• Slow down thoughts to lessen anxiety and panic
• Impact how–and what–we feel
Readers will learn to identify where they physically hold their emotions; understand and interpret their body’s unique language; explore bodily sensations; identify emotional blockages; and upgrade harmful thought cycles to patterns that instead foster resilience, emotional regulation, and productivity. With a chapter on disability and movement diversity, Hornthal’s guide is inclusive, non-prescriptive, and helps us each discover the kind of movement that works best for us.
Broken into three sections, “How You Move,” “How Movement is a Catalyst for Change,” and “Transforming Your Life Through Movement,” Body Aware is a revelatory transformational practice and an easy-to-use introduction to the mind-body power of intentional movement.
Body Aware: Rediscover Your Mind-Body Connection, Stop Feeling Stuck, and Improve Your Mental Health with Simple Movement Practices Reviews
-
I have been exploring somatic movement, breathing practices and other forms of embodiment. What I really needed was this book to provide a framework for those explorations. Thank you to the author, Erica Hornthal, the publisher, North Atlantic Books (especially Emily Shapiro), and NetGalley for an ARC of this information-packed and inspiring book.
Body Aware posits "How you feel and how your body moves could mean the difference between surviving and thriving. Said another way . . . how you move impacts who you are and how you feel." We all know, and have experienced, how our thoughts and emotions impact our body. We are happy and it feels like our body is floating through air. We are anxious and our throat constricts. We are afraid and our stomach ties itself in knots. We feel loved and our body relaxes. In Body Aware, Hornthal takes that connection a step further and says how we move our body impacts our thoughts and feelings. The connection is not a stream running in a single direction but a two-way road with traffic moving in both directions.
The book contains theory, real-world examples, and concrete next steps. There are plenty of citations to point readers to further explorations of any concepts which snag their attention. The book is compassionate and gentle, encouraging curiosity. The reader feels guided by an experienced and loving hand rather than lectured to. If you are interested in flourishing, this is a good place to start. Becoming aware of and then expanding the way we move our bodies is an accessible way to impact our lives for the better. -
I had high hopes for “Body Aware” by Erica Hornthal and for the average person, seems like a good resource. But, despite the author frequently talking about how dance and movement therapy can be adapted for any ability, I found the book a bit off putting at times as someone with a significant physical disability. My condition affects the range of motion in every joint, my spine, and I have hearing and vision loss. So, many of the techniques discussed were not possible for me. Furthermore, while I understand that the author meant no offense certain quotes or passages were kinda upsetting. The main example I can think of had to do with the importance of spine flexibility and how it relates to managing emotions, resilience etc. My spine is fused and in a permanent C Shaped scoliosis curve. My gut reaction when reading about spine flexibility was well, I’m screwed haha. I was also disappointed that the chapter related to disability didn’t include more practical / hands on examples for modifications to the exercises described earlier in the book.
Having said all this, I did like the message about learning to listen to your body and what it’s telling you. I liked the idea that any movement is good and not to hold out for formal exercise activities.
I would recommend this book for people without significant disabilities who are looking for ways to better their physical and mental health. It could also be beneficial for caregivers, teachers etc to learn about the theoretical side of dance / movement therapy and then incorporate with those they interact with.
Thank you to NetGalley and North Atlantic Books for this advanced reader copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone. -
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
Thank you to North Atlantic Books for sending me this FREE ARC COPY to review for them last month!!
When i saw that this book was up for review i knew i had to request it to read because it sounded interesting to me as a former dancer myself and also because of what My Dad went through last year, i want to be AWARE of my own body so i dont get sick with what My Dad had and supposedly died of: Pancreatitis, Strokes.
The Chapters were very informative but seemed too short for me. Some of what Erica talked about i wish she had gone more in depth about.
The Excercises were very helpful to do and read about which i did do all of them and i do feel a difference in my posture and my overall body after doing them which i plan to do every day now.
Overall a Phneomenal Non-Fiction, Self-Help Book about Being AWARE of my Body to promote all around better health for myself!! Can't wait to read more by Erica in the future!! -
Favorite line by far was “your issues are in your tissues”
Useful to read a book by an already established dance/movement therapist, not sure how much will stick but I enjoyed hearing the stories of her work with different clients -
Body Aware by Erica Hornthal guides the reader in understanding the mind body connection, understanding how our mental and emotional state impacts our physical movements and vice-a-versa. Essentially it is a book about movement therapy, how the way we move our body can help to ground and alleviate various mental and emotional issues. It does not propose that movement alone is a cure-all, but rather, helps you to identify where you may be holding emotions in your body and how this may be impacting the way you move and feel. There are many tips and movement exercises to help you get in touch with your body so that you can be more aware of how a feeling is manifesting physically. A big takeaway for me was that when you are able to become more aware of your body you are able to gain new perspectives, perceptions, confidence, and self-awareness. Our body takes the brunt of our emotional and mental states, so when we have visceral physical sensations, we can speak to them through movement.
What surprised me most about movement therapy was that it has a major intuitive aspect to it. Being able to tune into your body and make connections between emotions and physical sensations requires trust, silence, and communication with your higher self. We have not been taught to listen to our bodies as we are almost always in our heads. There is an incredible amount of wisdom in our body if we can learn how to feel it.
My only critique is that I think having some drawings or diagrams would have been helpful, as well as breaking up the text more throughout, since some of the best nuggets of wisdom were lost in big blocks of text.
The author does a great job at explaining the interconnectedness between mind, body, and soul and how we can try to bring them into alignment. I think this book is a must read for holistic practitioners, dancers, and those deeply interested in embodiment. -
Hornthal'sBody Aware explains how beneficial movement helps the body heal. Movement therapy gets overlooked quite often as a source of mental healing.
Through three different sections (How You Move, How Movement Is A Catalyst For Change, and Transforming Your Life Through Movement), Hornthal presents easy to understand concepts of intentional movement and its benefits.
You will learn things like interpreting your body's own language, exploring where you hold emotions within the body physically, determining emotional blockages, and transforming harmful thoughts to positive ones that generate emotional resilience. Hornthal even covers movement diversity and disability.
While I loved that there were sections on disability and movement diversity, overall I felt disappointed that more concrete movement changes weren't included. I do better with specifics.
Reading through the book did encourage me to seek out my own ways to move differently. I've started spontaneously dancing more often, and I finally got around to starting Qigong as exercise I can do with my ME (Myalgic encephalomyelitis) and long COVID.
*******Many thanks to Netgalley and North Atlantic Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. -
I knew nothing about Dance Therapy and it’s benefits until I read this book.
I loved finding out more about the authors own story and passion for dance and dance therapy along with how she shared that movement is unique to each and everyone of us.
I loved how the author has raised mental health awareness on why becoming Body Aware can help us with becoming more aware of the sensations in our body which is connected to our mind, emotions, thoughts, feelings and even our past experiences and traumas.
I loved how she included a chapter on disability, I felt that this kind of advocacy helps to create a more all inclusive community, and it was so kind and caring of the author as many books that talk about movement very rarely do.
——-
Full Disclaimer: I am a Mental Health Podcast Host of 🎙Feel Good From Within with Yvette Le Blowitz #spaitgirl podcast {available on any Podcast app or YouTube} as part of my research and preparation I received a (gifted) copy of this book.
To find out more about the Author and this book feel free to listen & subscribe to 🎙Feel Good From Within with Yvette Le Blowitz #spaitgirl podcast show.
www.spaitgirl.com
www.yvetteleblowitz.com
www.feelgoodfromwithin.com -
In Body Aware, counselor and dance/movement therapist Erica Hornthal invites you to explore how all of the ways in which you move affect your mental and emotional wellbeing.
Some aspects of the book worked better for me than others, and I think the author overpromises and underdelivers, but your mileage may vary. I didn’t feel like the author provided sufficient instruction for me to be able to locate where I hold my emotions and how to work with them skillfully, but I did find some of her suggested exercises helpful. I particularly liked her encouragement to be more mindful of all of the countless ways we move and to explore new ways of moving as a means of self-discovery, personal expression, and cultivating resilience.
The book really shines when the author shares stories from her work with clients. Although it’s certainly useful as self-help, I think this book would be particularly valuable for anyone working with people who have difficulty communicating verbally, including young children and those with conditions such as dementia or autism.
Thanks to the publisher, North Atlantic Books, for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review. -
Body Aware is such an invaluable resource to anyone who feels stuck or just wants to have a better understanding of themselves. Erica made me pay more attention to the fact that the the lack of movement in my life was having a significant impact on my mood and overall well being. I found myself getting up and stretching multiple times while reading certain passages and am now asking myself daily “How am I moving today?”
This book is not just for those in the field of psychology and movement. This book is for everyone! Erica makes everything so clear and relatable, I cannot recommend this enough. -
Learn to identify where you physically hold emotions; understand and interpret your body’s unique language; explore bodily sensations; identify emotional blockages; and upgrade harmful thought cycles to patterns that instead foster resilience, emotional regulation, and productivity. With a chapter on disability and movement diversity, Hornthal’s guide begins to move dance therapy to a more inclusive, non-prescriptive space, helping each of us discover the kind of movement that works best for us.
Helpful and informative. For me it’s yoga, weightlifting, and walks in nature; so powerful in maintaining mental health. Great reminders of the importance of movement. -
I have a complicated relationship with this book, and I need to think on it before I can give it a proper review, but I’ll be back with comprehensive thoughts.
-
The author explores a topic not explored in most self-help titles. She posits that rather than thinking of the body and the mind as dichotomies, they need to be taken together for full mental health. The author is a dance therapist, and sees how moving the body, or lack thereof, affects cognitive functions. While some of the book seemed repetitive, she does a great job of explaining complex subjects while providing simple daily applications.
-
I got a bit lost in the way it was written, but overall, it did help me be more mindful of my body and movements.
-
An intresting, research based look at movement as therapy for mind and body improvement.
-
I received this book free in a Goodreads giveaway and it was a perfect fit!
WARNING: this book will start impacting you at chapter 1 (see below for my personal experience)! Erica writes in a way that immediately changes your perception and enhances your body awareness that goes much deeper than just noticing sensations. We can’t connect to our emotions or change out mindset until we understand our personal body’s vocabulary. “The body holds answers to questions that the mind doesn’t even know how to ask all you have to do is listen.”
Erica includes “body aware breaks” throughout each chapter which really helped me to pause & slow down my urge to consume this information. Each chapter also includes takeaways to summarize main points. I was truly impressed with the amount of practical tips this book provides. This is not a book that you just read once but one that can & should be revisited.
If you are somebody like me (nonfiction junkie) who enjoys reading books on healing, trauma, and the body than this MUST be added to your list. I feel like this book really puts into practice and gives the reader techniques that pair nicely with, “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk”
*Some examples of changes I noticed in myself initially were:
-my reading slowed down & I enjoyed how I felt when choosing quality over quantity.
-I began to notice how poor positioning had an effect on my mood.
-I became aware of how rushed I am during my daily routine for no reason. When I Practiced slowing down my movements my mood improved & mind settled (especially before bed).
-I am starting to listen to my body more & implementing more movement breaks when my energy runs low or focus needs a shift. -
A very interesting read.
Lockdown saw my usual exercise routine practically dry up and this book reinforces the message of the mind/body link, how movement can help, especially to lift my mood in the stressful situation I currently find myself in. It's got me really thinking about my movements during the whole day. Very interestingly for me, it talks about listening to your body and exercising intuitively.
So much of this book made sense and the impact it has had on me is shown by the fact I've finally signed up for a dance based exercise class (I'm not a particularly good dancer it has to be said!) which I'm surprised to find I'm really enjoying - I have caught myself with more bounce to my everyday movements - like when fetching the mug to make a cuppa - than before, which is exactly what this book suggested might develop and I was sceptical of. Fascinating stuff and I'm feeling better for the exercise it's encouraging me to do.
