Women In Wellness: Erica Hornthal of Chicago Dance Therapy On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadice
Ask yourself, “how am I moving today?” This encourages us to redefine how we see movement and how it is related to our current mood or emotional state. It also uncovers the judgments and assumptions we make about how we move.
As a part of my series about women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Erica Hornthal.
Erica Hornthal, known as “The Therapist Who Moves You” is a board-certified dance/movement therapist and licensed clinical professional counselor. She is the founder and CEO of Chicago Dance Therapy and creator of the Dance Therapy Advocates Summit.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
I am a board-certified dance/movement therapist and clinical professional counselor. Being a dancer since I was 3, I have always loved movement, but it wasn’t until I was in college that I was introduced to the field of dance/movement therapy. I then went on to pursue my MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling and have since dedicated my career to helping people rediscover their mind-body connection and redefine movement in order to support their mental and emotional health.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
I was invited to speak at a Dance for Minds event in LA. I was Zoom-ed into the program as I was in Chicago and when the video connected I found myself talking to non other than Maria Shriver! She asked me about my work and how movement can help with Alzheimer’s. It was definitely a highlight of my career. The lesson I learned is that you never know what is possible but it starts with exploring, collaborating, and connecting with others.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
A “mistake” I made early on in my career was focusing on the positive. While that sounds like a healthy or positive thing, I realized that it minimized or gaslit some clients situations. I needed to meet them in their discomfort, disappointment, sadness, grief, and frustration, not take it away from them. People don’t always need a silver lining. They need to be heard, feel supported, and able to express how and what they feel. It’s not my job as a therapist to take it away. It’s my job to help clients help themselves and learn to manage their uncomfortable less desirable feelings.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
I believe that we are how we move and if we want to change aspects of ourselves then it begins within the body. Movement is so much more than exercise. There is so much of our movement that is on autopilot and unless we become more aware of it, it can actually keep us stuck in the situations that are causing tension, stress, and dis-ease. I want people to become more invested in their mental health by focusing on the inherent body-mind connection.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
1) Ask yourself, “how am I moving today?” This encourages us to redefine how we see movement and how it is related to our current mood or emotional state. It also uncovers the judgments and assumptions we make about how we move.
2) Embrace micro-movements. Small movements lead to big changes. This can be taking a breath, stretching your body, or shifting your posture. Small changes are always possible through the body.
3) Move more, not better. It is not about moving better but simply moving, period. We are so stagnant and confined in our environments and bodies that we inevitably will be confined in our minds as well. When we look for more opportunities to move, we allow our emotions to flow through us rather than get stuck.
4) Move your body to move your mind. If you are feeling stuck on unmotivated, get moving. Take a walk, stretch your body, or even wiggle your fingers. This is enough to get synapses in the brain firing which leads to clarity, focus, and improved attention.
5) Take body aware breaks. It is imperative that we take time to connect to our bodies throughout the day and not just for exercise. Set a reminder on your phone if you have to. Releasing tension and stress begins in the body and in order to listen to what the body needs, we need to take breaks, pause, and interrupt our autopilot.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
It would be a “Body Aware” Movement! Body Aware is the title of my award-winning book and it is already moving people toward greater awareness, mental health, and overall satisfaction. If everyone was more body aware, the world would be a healthier happier place.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
1) Mistakes are a necessary part of success. This is a vital part of learning and what’s worse is if we are afraid of making mistakes, we limit our potential and are too afraid to take risks that can lead to opportunities for growth and connection.
2) There is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is simply an illusion and keeps us from achieving. We fear that we are not good enough or that we will be exposed rather than appreciating who we are, flaws and all!
3) Take risks. If we always play it safe, then we are leaving so many opportunities on the table. We cannot always expect to walk through open doors. Sometimes we have to be willing to open them ourselves.
4) A step back is NOT a setback. A step back allows us to re-evaluate, change our perspective, and slow down or pause.
5) It is necessary to slow down and take breaks. This prevents burnout.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Mental health is my life’s work. Mental health is physical health. It’s not a trend that we need to buy into, but a part of our health that we need to invest in. We all want to live better and that truly starts with becoming aware of our thoughts, mood, mental status and how we care for ourselves in the face of adversity and hardship.
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
Instagram is a great way to connect and keep up with my work. Find me at @the.therapist.who.moves.you.
Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.
Women In Wellness: Erica Hornthal of Chicago Dance Therapy On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.