August 27, 2025

Dance Movement Therapy for Moms: A New Language of Connection | #31

40 minutes

Your baby speaks in movement—do you?

In this episode of Spoil Your Baby, Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum is joined by Erica Hornthal, a licensed movement therapist, professional counselor, and author of Body Aware and Body Talk. Known as "the therapist who moves you," Erica offers a powerful reframe on how we understand mental health—not through words alone, but through the body.

Together, Greer and Erica unpack the core truth that movement is not optional—it's the first language between parent and child. From the rhythms in the womb to the moment-to-moment physical attunement with our children, movement holds the key to co-regulation, healing, and reconnection with the self.

This isn't about "getting your body back" or squeezing in a workout. It's about learning how your own posture, breath, gestures, and tension patterns reveal what's happening inside of you—and how that awareness can help you connect more deeply with your child, especially in moments of overwhelm.

Whether you're a mother navigating early postpartum anxiety or simply trying to survive toddler tantrums, Erica shares tiny but transformative tools—like noticing your grip on the steering wheel or how you walk into a room—that help you ground, regulate, and reconnect to your body, so you can be present for theirs.

If you've ever felt lost in the mental fog of early parenting, this conversation is your invitation to redefine movement as self-care, communication, and healing.

Key Takeaways

Why movement is the original form of parent-child communication
What it means to listen with your whole body
How to co-regulate through body awareness, not just words
Why parenting books often miss this essential component of connection
Movement as a tool to grieve, reclaim, and rebuild your sense of self after birth
"It's not bad behavior—it's a body having a hard time." Reframing child behavior through the lens of movement
Micro-movements = micro-moments of self-care—especially for moms of babies 0–3
How movement can help process postpartum feelings of anxiety and depression

Dance Movement Therapy for Moms: A New Language of Connection | #31

40 minutes

Your baby speaks in movement—do you?

If you've ever felt lost in the mental fog of early parenting, this conversation is your invitation to redefine movement as self-care, communication, and healing.

Key Takeaways

Why movement is the original form of parent-child communication
What it means to listen with your whole body
How to co-regulate through body awareness, not just words
Why parenting books often miss this essential component of connection
Movement as a tool to grieve, reclaim, and rebuild your sense of self after birth
"It's not bad behavior—it's a body having a hard time." Reframing child behavior through the lens of movement
Micro-movements = micro-moments of self-care—especially for moms of babies 0–3
How movement can help process postpartum feelings of anxiety and depression