Rebuilding Your Relationship with Movement and Mental Health: Therapy for Eating Disorders in Charlotte, NC

At ModernMind Counseling, we recognize that movement can be deeply personal—especially when you're navigating recovery from an eating disorder or working to heal your relationship with your body. For many clients, movement hasn’t always felt like a choice. It’s often been tied to control, body image, or rigid rules.

That’s why our approach to disordered eating includes supporting clients as they explore and redefine their relationship with movement in a way that prioritizes both mental health and embodiment, not just physical outcomes.

Why Movement Impacts Mental Health

There’s a growing body of research showing that physical movement reduces both the symptoms and the likelihood of developing anxiety and depression. But what’s actually happening in the body and brain when we move?

When we engage in physical movement, our bodies undergo a mild stress response—our heart rate increases, our breathing becomes quicker, and we begin to exert effort. In response, the brain learns how to cope with and adapt to this temporary discomfort. Over time, this process strengthens the nervous system’s ability to manage stress in other areas of life.

As this happens, the brain begins to release dopamine and serotonin—the "feel-good" neurotransmitters. At the same time, levels of epinephrine and cortisol, which are associated with stress, begin to lower. Movement also increases blood flow to the brain, which can support improved memory, cognitive functioning, and emotional self-regulation.

But movement doesn’t have to be intense to be beneficial. In fact, gentle, intentional movement can be even more helpful when your nervous system is already under strain.

What Counts as Movement?

In therapy, something we explore with clients is this question: What does movement mean to you—and how has that meaning been shaped by your past?

We want to help you rediscover movement as something that supports your wellbeing, not something to fear or use as punishment. That also means letting go of the idea that only structured workouts "count."

Movement can be:

• A slow walk through around your neighborhood

• Gentle stretching, yoga, or light mobility work at home

• Dancing around your kitchen, playing with your kids in the backyard, or riding your bike down the greenway

• Swimming, strength training, or even kickboxing—if and when your body is ready and craving something more active

We encourage our clients to choose movement that feels joyful, accessible, and aligned with their energy levels. For example, if you're feeling particularly anxious or overwhelmed, a high-intensity workout like HIIT might actually spike stress hormones and leave you feeling more dysregulated. Instead, you might try something that supports equilibrium—like a walk, some breath-focused stretching, or yoga.

Tuning into your mood, nervous system, and emotional state helps you determine what type of movement your body is actually asking for. We believe movement should never be a punishment—it can be an act of connection, regulation, and even joy.

Movement and Mental Health in Therapy

Our therapists are trained to help clients navigate:

• The emotional history behind their relationship with movement

• The effects of exercise obsession, avoidance, or fear

• How body image, perfectionism, and control may be tied to past movement habits

• Developing a trauma-informed, body-neutral approach to physical activity

• Rebuilding self-trust and interoceptive awareness (your ability to feel and interpret your body’s internal cues)

We believe recovery includes not just thinking differently about your body—but feeling differently in your body.

Therapy for Eating Disorders in Charlotte, NC

Our therapy office is located in the heart of Charlotte, making us easily accessible from Dilworth, Myers Park, South End, Plaza Midwood, and Uptown. If you're ready to explore therapy for eating disorders in Charlotte, NC and want to work with someone who understands the nuances of movement and mental health, we're here for you.

Reach out today to schedule a confidential consultation and take the next step in your wellness journey. Let’s work together to create a more compassionate and peaceful relationship with your body—and the way it moves.