There’s no disputing the mind-body connection. If you’ve experienced depression or anxiety, you know: You can actually feel it in your body. There’s that uneasy gnawing it in the pit of your stomach, or pressure in your chest. 

Of all the powerful impacts therapy has, perhaps one of the most transformative is the way it increases overall health—mentally and physically.

Here are some of the biggest ways that therapy can not only help your mental health, but have an incredibly positive impact on your physical wellbeing as well.

Therapy Restores Connection to the Body

Most of us spend our lives trapped way up in our head. We go around with clenched jaws and tight shoulders, paying little heed to what our body is telling us. 

We jump from one thing to the next, with little to no space in between. Rather than tune into how we feel, that connection gets severed, ignored. Many seek to numb or escape it instead. 

All of this is detrimental, and leads to more and more discomfort and unease. Through therapy, the crucial connection to the body gets reestablished.

Exercise: It’s Good for the Mind & Body

As people begin feeling better through therapy, some of that heaviness that zaps any motivation or get up and go starts to dissipate. 

Movement—be it stretching, walks, or even cleaning and vacuuming the house—is not only key in maintaining physical health, it also boosts mental wellbeing. 

Exercise increases the serotonin levels in the brain. The more you move, the better you feel, and your chances of succumbing to many of the illnesses that plague those with a sedentary lifestyle decrease significantly.  

Easing Anxiety Improves Sleep

People who suffer from anxiety often experience insomnia, and the lack of sleep makes day-to-day functioning extremely challenging. Because they’re perpetually exhausted, they have less defense against the anxiousness. 

As people work through anxiety and other issues that keep them awake at night in therapy, sleep becomes less elusive. And the more rest they get, the better they feel both physically and mentally.

Therapy Eases Stress 

Chronic stress taxes the body and mind, and is a significant contributor to heart and other physical disease. 

Stress gets in the way of connecting with others. Being stressed out all the time usually means people have less time to take care of themselves, eat the nutritious meals their body needs, and get the right amount of sleep and movement. People who are stressed out all the time usually indulge in things such as alcohol, excessive shopping, or other ways of seeking temporary relief.  

Therapy is one of the best antidotes to stress. It puts things into perspective, and reconnects people with what stress actually feels like. How to detect it early on, and ways to lessen the effects, to not cling to it or allow it to bloom.

Improved Mood Correlates to Longevity & Overall Life Satisfaction

Perhaps it’s common sense, yet for some reason it’s not prioritized or emphasized the way it should be: Feeling good improves life by leaps and bounds, and for the most part, feeling good is an inside job. It requires some upfront effort and can be painful and extremely uncomfortable at times to navigate the psychological muck and mire, but the result is so, so worth it!

When people feel good, the benefits are endless. They take better care of themselves. They cherish their relationships with others and the world at large. They are less likely to be swayed by the ever-present marketing allure to part with their hard-earned money for the latest gadget. 

The mind is incredibly powerful, there’s no disputing that. But we, too, are powerful, and therapy is one of the greatest tools we have to get in there, implement change, and improve how we feel both inside and out. 

Northern California residents, we’d love to hear from you. If you’re struggling, we can help. The Relationship Therapy Center offers individual therapy in two convenient locations, Roseville and Fair Oaks. Give us a call or text, we’re happy to answer any of your questions and share more about how we can help.

Begin Individual Therapy in Roseville, CA, Fair Oaks, CA, or Online in California:

Individual therapy provides many benefits for both your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. From handling challenging life events to learning to live with ongoing mental health issues to simply getting help with everyday stress, seeking counseling can help you live your best life.

If you are ready to start individual therapy, we have a variety of exceptional therapists ready to help you. Take a look at their bios and if you would like to schedule a free 15-minute consultation give us a call.

Other Services Offered at The Relationship Therapy Center in California:

In addition to Individual therapy for adults Our Sacramento area counseling clinics located in Roseville and Fair Oaks, CA are pleased to offer a variety of mental health services. Our couples services include: Counseling after infidelity, sex therapy, co-parent counseling, family therapy, divorce counseling, intensive couples retreats, and premarital counseling. Our individual therapy services include, therapy for children, teen therapy, depression treatment, and individual relationship counseling. Our therapists offer online counseling in California to treat a variety of mental health concerns. Please reach out to our Sacramento area therapy office to learn more about the many ways we can help you or your loved ones heal and grow.