October 2024 – At CHJS, we know the power of healing-centered sport for our young people and athletes. How do we take the same trauma-informed research and apply this to ourselves as coaches, parents, and instructors? Welcome trauma-informed fitness. Your everyday workout could be more than just a calorie burner—it might be your brain’s new best friend.
In a recent Popsugar feature, our founder Megan Bartlett showcases how trauma-informed strategies are making the leap from youth sports to the local fitness centers.
Here’s your workout routine could be pumping up more than just your muscles:
- Sport: The Turbo-Charged Therapy: Megan’s posits that sport, when orchestrated thoughtfully and intentionally, can potentially outperform traditional talk therapy. It’s not just about shedding pounds; it’s about rewiring the brain’s circuitry.
- Stress: Finding the Sweet Spot: Much like porridge in the tale of Goldilocks, stress in sport needs to be just right. Too little, and we stagnate; too much, and we break. But the right amount? It builds resilience, transforming potential landmines into launchpads for growth. It’s like stress alchemy, if you will.
- The Body’s Ledger: Trauma isn’t just a mental note; it’s a full-body tattoo. By employing an embodied approach, we’re not merely treating the visible bruises; we’re rewriting the body’s entire narrative. It’s like editing the source code instead of just debugging the surface errors.
- Safety: The Performance Enhancer: Creating predictable environments isn’t about wrapping athletes in bubble wrap; it’s about laying the groundwork for healing and performance.
This research doesn’t just validate our “Nothing Heals Like Sport” mantra; it expands its reach. From the little league field to the corporate gym, trauma-informed practices are proving that sweat equity pays dividends in mental health.
Ready to dive deeper? Check out the full article and join us in revolutionizing how we think about sport, fitness, and healing. After all, the human body is complex, but healing doesn’t have to be.
Reach out to us at team@chjs.org to join the growing healing-centered sport movement.