Movement that is Mine
In somatic skill building and healing, so much of the work is about movement. Not just moving the body, but moving awareness. Letting sensation shift. Helping something unstuck take even a small step forward.
In this busy season of life working full time in community mental health, holding a private practice, and building a somatic practice my opportunities for movement are limited. Playing with my son. Going for a walk. Or working out in my office on my Peloton. But I work fully remote and spend my days in conversation as a therapist and coach. The last thing I want sometimes is another screen or more social contact. After certain sessions, I need to step outside immediately just to re center before continuing on with my next client.
During those small moments of walking for respite and regulation, I started to realize I needed more. My body wanted more effort than a walk could offer, but jogging and running usually aren’t options for me due to a medical condition I manage daily. So I got an E bike.
I loved it immediately. The E bike allowed me to put in exactly as much effort as my body was asking for, enough to help complete what I was still holding after hours of therapy and coaching. I loved it so much that I eventually got one for the whole family. What surprised me was this. Being outside and riding alone felt good, but riding with my son or my husband regulates me faster than almost anything else. We unwind together. In motion.
This simple but sacred practice helps me transition back into my life as a therapist, a coach, a mother, a wife and most importantly myself. This movement is necessary. This movement is mine.
And in case you’re curious, we ride Lectric eBikes. The electric assist matters. It keeps movement responsive instead of demanding. I can push, coast, and listen to my body without turning exercise into another form of discipline.
This is movement that works with my nervous system, not against it.
