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Home > Weight Loss News > Palm Beach Sport Psychologist Adds Walk Therapy
Palm Beach Sport Psychologist Adds Walk Therapy
Dr. John F. Murray, a Palm Beach based sport performance psychologist, has found that walking during sessions is beneficial and has added this to his treatment options.
Palm Beach, FL (PRWEB) December 19, 2005 -- It’s no secret that walking can lift the spirits while improving physical health at the same time. Back in 335 BC, Aristotle’s followers in Athens became known as peripatetics from his restless habit of walking while teaching his students.
Now a Palm Beach sport performance psychologist is offering clients the option of walking during counseling as a way of further improving mental health or strategizing for a performance advantage.
“Research has often shown that physical movement lifts mood through its effect on hormones in the brain,” said Murray, and I’ve seen how it also enhances mental clarity and focus.”
Murray experimented with this form of therapy recently with several professional athletes because “the weather was nice and we wanted a change of pace and a chance to enjoy the beauty of Palm Beach. My office is situated in the midst of a trail that has been rated one of the 10 most beautiful walking trails in the world. There are a variety of other routes with sidewalks that take about one hour to complete while allowing for coffee along the way if we want.”
The results so far have been impressive. Clients coming from as far away as Orlando and Key Biscayne seem to enjoy the change of pace after their long drive. Murray now gives all his clients the option of walking while taking.
In some instances, physical movement has proven to be as beneficial as medication for treating depression, with the only side effect being improved health. Research has not yet looked extensively at the benefits of exercising during psychotherapy, but Murray believes it’s an area that should be fully investigated. “These sessions are fun for the client, and allow for much more creative exchange and flow of ideas.”
Murray, who coached tennis worldwide in the 1980s, stated that his former profession allowed him to run and walk all day like Aristotle did while teaching, and that it was quite stimulating mentally and much easier to stay fit. “Psychologists typically sit in a chair while their patients sit on a couch, certainly not the best recipe for mental or physical health,” said Murray, who has appeared on many talk shows to discuss sports psychology. “It’s time we realize that optimal health includes both physical and mental aspects, said Murray, who recently invented a new diet based on improving mental skills.
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