NIA Dance for Mental Health
Many of us are coming out of the pandemic ‘less well’ than we were before - physically, mentally, or both. Mental health in particular is a huge problem; in the US, we are officially in a mental health crisis. Many Americans do not have access to resources like psychotherapy, support groups and other helpful interventions.
Ask yourself now about your own mental health. Are you in terrific shape? Do you glide easily through life, calm and grounded, never triggered, confident that things will be okay, feeling in charge, moving forward toward your life goals? Are you coaching yourself through challenges, managing stress well, de-escalating conflicts, behaving lovingly toward yourself and others?
NO?
Me neither. I am “yes” on some, “sometimes” on some and “no” on the rest.
For the entire year 2023, my online classes will be dedicated to building mental health alongside physical health.
Our focus for the year will be NIA Dance for Mental Health. Our intent will be to develop four pillars of mental health: Mindfulness, Self-Love, Resilience, and Empowerment. All of these pillars will be helpful in everyday life, outside of class.
The year 2023 will unfold in four quarters:
Mindfulness (January - March): being present in the moment no matter what is happening. We will practice mindfulness in an active, sweaty, body-based way: “What am I sensing as we do these moves? Now I am sensing ______.”
Self-Love (April - late July): recognizing how hard things have been for us and our bodies, and using movement as medicine to self-heal with love and compassion. “How am I loving myself right now? Now I am loving myself by ______.”
Resilience (late July - mid October): developing new body-based strategies for bouncing back from the stresses and setbacks of life. “How can I manage my stress better and be more relaxed more often? Now I am choosing to ______.”
Empowerment (mid-October - December): using movement to practice taking charge of our lives in new ways. “What does personal power feel like in my body? Now I feel ______.”
The phrase “NOW I AM” will be a recurring theme throughout the year. Consciously sensing what we are feeling, wanting and choosing is an excellent starting point for well-rounded mental health.
Participating in my classes for the whole year, or even just part of the year, will improve your mental health. And it will be your doing. NIA is a self-healing practice, in which you are the one taking action to heal and develop yourself.
You’ll also burn calories and develop physical fitness the NIA way: through pleasure, not pain. Through easing, not forcing. Through internal sensation, not external measurement. You’ll develop stamina, coordination, and NIA’s “Five Sensations of Fitness”: Flexibility, Agility, Mobility, Stability and Strength.
JOIN ME.
Classes are on Saturday and Monday mornings at 9am Pacific. You can attend live, or dance to the replay within 24 hours after class.
You can join this program anytime, even if it’s mid-year. You didn’t miss anything and it’s not too late.
Classes are Saturdays and Mondays at 9am Pacific, with 24-hour replay included.
So - are you ready to improve both your mental and physical health at the same time right now, using my very affordable NIA Dance for Mental Health program?
I’M READY - TAKE ME TO SIGNUP!
