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Counseling + Exercise: What the research says.
I’m sorry if this one is a little long, but it is near and dear to my heart! Below you will find a portion of my latest research paper indicating just how important (and useful) it is to combine counseling and exercise!
Here we go!
Counseling and Exercise: Utilized in Tandem for the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders
Research shows physical exercise is vital for our mental health (that’s why I started POD HEALTH). Exercise has strong empirical support as an intervention for physical and mental health conditions. In addition to its direct effects on symptoms of anxiety and depression, exercise may be an effective aid to other established treatments for anxiety and mood disorders (Powers et al. 2015). The research shows that low levels of physical activity lead to an increase in depression and anxiety. Goodwin (2003) analyzed the data of the US National Comorbidity Survey (n = 5,877): finding the association of regular physical activity and lower prevalence of current major depression, social phobia, specific phobia, and agoraphobia was significant.
Additionally, research shows that exercise is a usable and effective treatment strategy for depression and anxiety. Many studies suggest that exercise training may reduce depressive symptoms in nonclinical and clinical populations (Blumenthal et al. 1989; DiLorenzo et al. 1999; Roth and Holmes 1987; King et al. 1993) and in patients with major depression (Blumenthal et al. 1999; Dunn et al. 2005; Singh et al. 2005; Martinsen et al. 1985; Klein et al. 1985; Veale et al. 1992; McNeil et al. 1991; Singh et al. 2001; Dimeo et al. 2001). Powers et al. (2015) provided initial support for exercise augmentation of exposure therapy in the treatment of PTSD.
In patients with high trait anxiety or generalized anxiety disorder, aerobic exercise training was superior to strength and mobility exercises (Steptoe et al. 1989) or no treatment and comparable effective as cognitive behavior therapy (McEntee and Halgin 1999).
Exercise Enhances Mental Health Counseling
In a mixed patient sample (panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder or social phobia), a home-based walking program improved the clinical efficacy of a group cognitive behavioral therapy as compared to educational sessions with a focus on healthy eating (Merom et al. 2007).
And, it happens fast! Dimeo et al. (2001) suggests that in treatment-resistant patients with major depression, 30 min of treadmill walking for ten consecutive days may be sufficient to produce a clinically relevant and statistically significant reduction in depression. These findings are substantiated by a more recent study involving a placebo exercise group (low intensity stretching and relaxation exercises) in patients receiving a standard antidepressant treatment: the reduction of depression scores and the response rates were larger in the exercise training group Knubben et al. (2006). When treatment gains happen faster that also means that you are saving money!
Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor
This enhancement of therapy outcomes can be attributed in part to the increase of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF plays an important role in brain plasticity which is needed to change thought, emotional, and behavioral patterns. Powers et al (2015) identified that increased BDNF aids in the fear extinction networks of the brain and the consolidation of this new learning in PTSD patients. Research with psychiatric patients confirms that 30 minutes of acute moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise confers significant BDNF increases in adults with major depressive disorder (Gustafsson et al., 2009; Laske et al., 2010) or panic disorder (Stroöhle et al., 2010).
Therefore, a more efficient, evidenced-based treatment will help you recover faster and save money. It will also help clients be more resistant to future mental health problems. POD HEALTH helps you feel better faster and then surrounds you with the right environment to keep you healthy. Living better. Living with vitality.
Counseling and Exercise are Two Peas in a POD
Advancements in neuroscience have allowed researchers to actually “see” the brain changes that occur from counseling and from exercise. And, to no surprise, the two are pleasantly intertwined. Our first stop takes us to neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. The brain’s ability to rewire itself and to grow new connections. Ivey et al. (2017) explain how counseling significantly impacts neurons and their connections. In this book the researchers go as far as saying affecting neurotransmitters through effective and quality counseling is where the “rubber ultimately hits the road” because neurotransmitters affect the development of new neural networks.
Exercise also has a similar impact on the brain. Research completed at UCLA indicates that exercise increases growth factor in the brain which makes it easier for the brain to create new neural connections. And, new neural connections equals new life changes! Counseling and exercise literally promote cognitive change. We are creating new patterns and pathways mentally and behaviorally. This process is amplified when the two are used in tandem.
Additionally, in the same book (Ivey et al., 2017) the authors state the importance of encouraging counseling clients to exercise. The exercise itself releases a host of helpful neurotransmitters. The authors state that exercise “needs” to be part of a counselor’s treatment plan for their clients as the serotonin released in exercise is particularly useful in the mitigation of depression. Counseling and exercise are yin and yang. Sand and surf. They just go together!
The Anterior Cingulate Cortex
A bit of creative or “flexible” thinking is required to create meaningful change in order to live better. Beeman and Kounios (2015) found that there was heightened activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) when people experienced insight or that “aha” moment. When the ACC is activated, we can better detect nonobvious, weakly activated ideas and signal the brain to pay attention to them.
This is important in the counseling process because many people who are struggling mentally have developed and strengthened unhelpful patterns of thinking and acting. An increase in ACC activity during counseling can improve efficiency of cognitive change due to paying attention to more “distant” ideas.
For example, a client who has been sexually assaulted may develop a thought pattern that the sexual abuse was their fault or that they deserved to be assaulted. This is a common thinking pattern in those who are diagnosed with PTSD due to sexual assault. Then, due to mental biases, those clients subconsciously or consciously seek out information that proves they indeed are to blame or that they deserved to be sexually assaulted. A therapist may struggle to help the client challenge this belief because this belief has been “well worn” and has become rather “sticky” (Cognitive Processing Theory). This false belief can be more easily released when there is higher activity in the ACC.
So how do we improve ACC activity in the brain? The short answer is: a good mood. If it is a good mood we are after, then that brings us full circle back to exercise. Exercise provides a whole host of mood boosting neurochemicals. So, the exercise itself plays a part in improving our mood and therefore helping us think more creatively. And, then, exercise pulls double duty by enhancing brain function to improve counseling outcomes.
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As always,
LIVE BETTER!
