Fitness & Mental Health

As a therapist, I often sit with clients navigating the weight of depression, anxiety, stress, and trauma. While talk therapy, medication, and mindfulness practices are foundational tools in mental health care, there's another powerful—yet often underestimated—ally in our healing journey: physical fitness.

Let me be clear—exercise is not a cure-all. But the impact it can have on emotional well-being is too significant to ignore.

The Science of Sweat and Serotonin

When we engage in physical activity, our bodies release a mix of chemicals, including endorphins (our brain’s feel-good messengers), dopamine, and serotonin. These neurotransmitters play a vital role in regulating mood, reducing pain, and enhancing our sense of well-being. For individuals with mild to moderate depression, regular aerobic exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medications in some cases (Blumenthal et al., 1999; Cooney et al., 2013; Craft & Perna, 2004).

From a clinical standpoint, I’ve seen clients (and experienced myself) that incorporating consistent movement into their routines, report improvements in mood stability, energy levels, and sleep quality—all of which are cornerstones of mental health.

Movement as a Mindfulness Practice

Fitness doesn’t have to mean training for a marathon or lifting heavy weights. It can be as simple as walking, yoga, dancing, or swimming. These activities ground us in the present moment, providing a break from ruminative thoughts or overwhelming emotions.

When we move with awareness—feeling the rhythm of our breath, the strength in our muscles, or the pounding of our heartbeat—we practice being fully present. In this way, fitness becomes a form of embodied mindfulness.

As someone who can often struggle with traditional mindfulness (like meditation), walking has been a major game-changer for my own personal mental health. Taking 30 minutes to 1 hour out of my day to be present with myself while walking outdoors or on a walking pad, helps to regulate my mood and set me up or my day ahead.

Strengthening the Mind-Body Connection

Many individuals I work with feel disconnected from their bodies, especially those recovering from trauma. As van der Kolk (2014) and others have emphasized, movement-based practices help trauma survivors reconnect with their bodies—not just as sites of pain or anxiety, but as sources of strength, movement, and joy.

This shift in perspective can be transformative. Clients begin to view themselves not just through the lens of their symptoms, but through their resilience and capacity for growth.

Structure and Self-Efficacy

Fitness routines also provide structure—a sense of predictability in a world that often feels chaotic. Committing to regular movement helps develop discipline and sets a foundation for self-care.

Even more, it builds self-efficacy: the belief that we can effect change in our own lives. This is a crucial part of therapy. When someone feels stuck in their mental health, taking action—any action—can be empowering.

A Word of Compassion

That said, I always remind clients that fitness should be approached with self-compassion. If you're struggling to get out of bed, a ten-minute walk is a win. If anxiety makes the gym feel overwhelming, home workouts or stretching in your living room are valid alternatives.

The goal is not perfection—it’s progress. And that progress looks different for everyone. Progress for an individual can also vary from day to day, week to week or by season/other life stressors.

Final Thoughts

Therapy offers insight. Medication provides relief. But movement—when integrated intentionally—can restore agency, enhance mood, and reconnect us to the present moment.

As a therapist, I don’t prescribe dumbbells. But I do encourage my clients to move, however they can, whenever they can. Because sometimes, healing begins not just with words, but with steps.

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If you are located in the states of South Dakota or Colorado and are struggling with your mental health, contact me here.

If you are located outside of South Dakota or Colorado, please reach out to a licensed professional in your state. I recommend searching for an in-network provider on psychology today for your local state/area.

And if you're thinking about adding fitness to your wellness toolkit, start slow, be kind to yourself, and know that every bit of movement matters.

Sources:

Blumenthal, J. A., Babyak, M. A., Moore, K. A., Craighead, W. E., Herman, S., Khatri, P., Waugh, R., Napolitano, M. A., Forman, L. M., Appelbaum, M., Doraiswamy, P. M., & Krishnan, K. R. (1999). Effects of exercise training on older patients with major depression. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 54(1), M1–M8. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/54.1.M1

Cooney, G. M., Dwan, K., Greig, C. A., Lawlor, D. A., Rimer, J., Waugh, F. R., McMurdo, M., & Mead, G. E. (2013). Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013(9), CD004366. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub6

Craft, L. L., & Perna, F. M. (2004). The benefits of exercise for the clinically depressed. Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 6(3), 104–111. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v06n0301

van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.