Dancing Through Life’s Blocks
DECEMBER 4TH 2024
EPISODE 71: DANCING THROUGH LIFE’S BLOCKS
In this episode, we sit down with Erica Hornthal, a trailblazer in the world of dance and movement therapy. If you’ve ever felt stuck in life, emotionally overwhelmed, or even disconnected from your own body, this conversation is a must-listen. Erica helps us understand that movement is far more than just exercise – it’s a way to rediscover ourselves, heal from past traumas, and connect more deeply with who we are.
Are you curious about how movement can be a catalyst for change in your life? Erica invites us to look beyond structured exercise and tune into our bodies’ natural rhythms and movements – like the way we sit, walk, or even breathe. She reminds us that movement starts with the smallest, simplest gestures, and that even when we feel trapped in old patterns, moving our bodies can unlock a path to emotional freedom.
Together with Dr. Scott Lyons, Erica shares how our earliest movements – crawling, rolling, and even rocking – shape the way we interact with the world and how we can return to these roots to shift stuck energy. They talk about how reconnecting with play and spontaneity can help us break free of rigid thinking and foster more flexibility in body and mind.
Erica offers practical ways to get started: maybe it’s leaning against a wall and letting go for a moment, exploring playful twirling, or simply noticing how our bodies react when we’re tense. She also introduces her Movement Therapy Deck, a tool designed to make reconnecting with movement accessible and engaging for everyone. Whether through mindful practices, body awareness, or gentle movement prompts, the deck offers guidance for tuning into and transforming your physical experience.
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not a dancer,” Erica reassures you: movement is for everyone. Healing through movement isn’t about choreography; it’s about reconnecting with yourself, one step at a time.
So, whether you’re someone who struggles with anxiety, feels stuck in their daily routine, or just wants to reconnect with their playful side, this episode holds something for you. Let’s get moving!
Topics We Break Down:
What is dance and movement therapy, really?
The disconnect between movement and traditional exercise.
How movement can heal trauma and reconnect us with our bodies.
The role of play and spontaneity in finding emotional freedom.
Practical tools to integrate movement into your daily life.
Using movement to explore and shift anxiety and tension.
Rediscovering joy and flow through the body.
LISTEN TO THE EPISODE
Show Notes
Episode Links:
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Special Guest
ERICA HORNTHAL
Erica Hornthal, LCPC, BC-DMT, is an internationally renowned board-certified dance/movement therapist, licensed clinical professional counselor, and author with a thriving practice supporting individuals all over the world on a journey to re-discover their mind-body connection. Erica’s area of expertise has caught the attention of multiple publications such as The New York Times, The Epoch Times, Dance Magazine, Reader's Digest, and PARADE. She is the author of the Body Awareness for Mental Health Course, Body Aware: Rediscover Your Mind-Body Connection, Stop Feeling Stuck, and Improve Your Mental Health with Simple Movement Practices, and The Movement Therapy Card Deck: 52 Mindful Movement Exercises to Regulate Your Nervous System and Process Trauma. Erica has built a following that embraces the power of movement for mental health.
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Your Host
DR. SCOTT LYONS
Dr. Scott Lyons is a licensed holistic psychologist, educator and author of the book Addicted to Drama: Healing Dependency on Crisis and Chaos in Yourself and Others, with Hachette publishing. Scott is also the host of The Gently Used Human Podcast, a delightfully depthful and often hilarious exploration of what it is to be human, to have lived life, and come out gently used.
As a renowned body-based trauma expert, Doctor of Osteopathy (Spain) and Mind-Body Medicine specialist, Scott helps people to break free from cycles of pain, limited beliefs, and trauma. Scott is an innovator in transformative wellness and trauma therapy, teaching over half a million people internationally over the past twenty years how to relieve stress and restore vitality. Scott has worked with many of the country’s top leaders and CEOs as an executive coach and wellness consultant.
Scott is the creator of The Embody Lab—the largest online learning platform for body-based trauma therapies—and developer of Somatic Stress Release™, a holistic process of restoring biological resilience, taught in over 20 countries. Scott is also the founder and progressive designer of Omala, a wellness brand dedicated to creating sustainably sourced tools for transformation.
About the Podcast
THE GENTLY USED HUMAN
Dr. Scott Lyons and his world renowned guests take us into the delightfully depthful and often hilarious exploration of what it is to be human, to have lived life, and come out gently used. From passion to pain, glory to defeat, comedy to drama to tragedy, we’ve all been through it. This show unpacks the psychology and humor needed to keep you thriving on the roller coaster of being human.
