Move, Connect, Heal

Several years ago, I was involved in a severe car crash that crushed my left side.

During the recovery period, my brother died. The result was I went into a severe depression. One day, my sister came over and brought her daughter, who was about 11 years old at the time. My niece insisted Uncle Pat go on a walk with her. Begrudgingly, I picked up my cane and limped out the door. She was very patient with my slow progress and made a game of it: she would walk ahead, hugging each tree near the path, and I would count the number of trees she hugged. I walked, counted the trees, and felt much better afterward.

That little walk with my niece made me know that a walk in nature was just what I needed.  I started taking more walks, mostly by myself, but often with other people. And I felt better. Those walks gave me the impetus I needed to pursue various exercise programs, go into therapy, and find a community, MileHi Church.

The simplicity of movement, the healing of exercise, and the connection and power of nature all combined to assist me in working through my depression.

My niece is grown now. I’m not sure she remembers that first walk and the game of tree-hugging, and I don’t think she knows the profound effect that first walk had on my healing. I am forever grateful to her for that day. I am grateful to the various teachers of exercises I had that helped me. I’m grateful for all the people who took classes with me or went on the little walks with me. And I am profoundly grateful for the unseen, seemingly intangible healing effect of movement and nature.

Join a Community of Walkers: Purpose and Benefits

I would like to create a community of walkers—a free program I like to call Moving Phoenix. The purpose is to provide a network of people who are interested in taking gentle walks together to further their recovery from depression and grief as a result of a disabling injury, the loss of a loved one, or other traumatic life change. Additional gentle forms of movement such as tai chi, yoga, or labyrinth walking could be organized by the group. To provide incentive, support, and motivation, the group would connect by phone, email, or social media providing progress and accountability towards personal goals.

Join me and let’s get moving again. If you are interested, contact me at patfitz289@gmail.com or 720-352-2589.

Benefits of Movement for Physical and Emotional Healing

With acknowledgments to Harvard Medical School and Bradford Health Research Studies.

The benefits of movement:

• relieves and reduces stress
• naturally and positively alters brain chemistry
• acts as “meditation in motion”
• improves outlook

By Patrick Fitzgerald, Mile Hi Practitioner and Bereavement Team Volunteer

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Reference Notes:
bradfordhealth.com/exercise-during-addiction-recovery/

Pillay, Srini, M.D., How Simply Moving Benefits Your Mental Health, Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, March 2016.
health.harvard.edu/blog/how-simply-moving-benefits-your-mental-health-201603289350