Physical Fitness
Exercise is vital for bodily health; aerobic movement and strength training support the cardiovascular, muscular, skeletal, and immune systems needed for a well-functioning body with the ability to resist disease. However, physical fitness also supports psychological health, and can provide effective treatment for a variety of mental health disorders. When you engage in exercise, your body begins a natural healing process and releases endorphins, energizing you and instilling in you a sense of well-being. It can also help you cope with difficult emotions, provide a feeling of purpose, offer distraction, and interrupt negative thought patterns. Unfortunately, physical self-care is often one of the first activities to fall by the wayside when emotional distress presents itself, exacerbating suffering and leading to a cycle of self-neglect and psychological pain. At Bridges to Recovery, we give you the time and tools to focus on somatic wellness through physical fitness, to start you on the path to improved wellness while encouraging you to include exercise as part of your long-term mental health strategy.
Physical Fitness at Bridges to Recovery
Bridges to Recovery offers full gyms at our residences for physical fitness training. Our competent, empathetic trainers work with you twice a week, guiding you through a range of exercises targeted to your personal needs and fitness level, to safely and effectively instill the skills necessary for optimum physical health. Our gyms are also available during your self-directed leisure time between the hours of 7 am and 8 pm while you are with us. In a welcoming, non-judgmental environment, you begin the process of re-connecting with your body and understanding the relationship between your emotional and somatic states with the support and encouragement of highly trained professionals. As you participate in aerobic, strength training, and stretching movements, you are simultaneously relieving stress and building confidence in your body’s abilities, leading to a feeling of self-mastery. The sense of well-being and self-awareness exercise offers you can propel you to integrate physical fitness in your normal routine even after treatment, ensuring that you continue to experience benefits and build on your newfound sense of fulfillment and life satisfaction.
Benefits of Physical Fitness
- Improved physical health, strength, and immunity
- Reduced depressive symptoms
- Release of physical tension
- Decreased anxiety levels
- Enhanced sleep
- Improved cognitive function and increased brain cell generation
- Healthy alternative to self-destructive coping mechanisms
- Sense of accomplishment and self-esteem
- Better mind-body connection and self-awareness
Contact us for more information about our physical fitness program or any other aspects of our treatment modalities. We welcome your questions and look forward to helping you or your loved one take the next steps toward healing.
