Moving for Mental Health

    Ever since I was little, my mind has felt very noisy. Things that seemed to be OK for other people would make me shake and sweat. A change in dinner plans would make my heart pound. A less-than-perfect test score would send me into a spiral of self-doubt. 

    Social situations were especially hard. I loved being around people, but I dreaded it too. If something made me anxious, my mood would flip like a switch. I would go from happy to upset in seconds. I felt like I wasn’t normal. I felt like there was something wrong with me.

    I wish I knew then what I know now: There is nothing wrong with me. I just have an anxiety disorder.

    Ever since I was a little kid, my mind has felt very loud. Things that other people appeared to handle easily would make me shake and sweat. A change in dinner plans would make my heart pound. A less-than-perfect test score would send me into a spiral of self-doubt. 

    Social situations were especially difficult. I loved being around people, but I dreaded it at the same time. If something made me anxious, my mood would flip like a switch. I would go from happy and bubbly to irritable and upset in a matter of seconds. I felt like I wasn’t normal—like there was something wrong with me.

    I wish I’d known then what I know now: There is nothing wrong with me. I just have an anxiety disorder.

    My mom says I was always an anxious kid. But things got harder after my big sister, Kameron, passed away when I was 5.

    My parents wanted to make sure I was OK after such a traumatic event. I always wanted to be just like Kameron, so my mom signed me up for her favorite activity: Girl Scouts. I started taking dance classes too.

    These activities helped me cope with anxiety. I had something to look forward to. And dancing quieted my noisy mind. It forced me to focus on my body and be present.

    All I had to think about was my next step.

    According to my mom, I was always an anxious kid. But everything got harder after my older sister, Kameron, passed away when I was 5.

    My parents wanted to make sure I was OK after such a traumatic event. I always wanted to be just like Kameron, so my mom signed me up for her favorite activity: Girl Scouts. I also started taking dance classes.

    Participating in these two activities helped me cope with anxiety. They gave me something to look forward to, and dancing was the first activity I found that actually quieted my noisy mind. It forced me to concentrate on my body and be present.

    All I had to think about was my next step.

    When I started high school, I was disappointed to learn that the dance team shared a small, dusty room with a few other teams. The slippery floor wasn’t good for spinning and jumping. There were no mirrors. The lighting and sound were awful.

    Around that time, I was ready to complete my Gold Award project for Girl Scouts. This project challenges teens to solve a problem in their community. 

    What could I do? I thought about how much movement had helped me. That’s when it hit me. What if I could create a space where other kids could find that same relief and joy in dance? I set out to create a dance and movement room.

    When I started high school, I learned that the dance team shared a small room with a few other teams. The slippery floor wasn’t good for spinning and jumping. There were no mirrors. The lighting and sound were awful.

    Around that time, I was ready to do my Gold Award project for Girl Scouts. This project challenges teens to solve a problem in their community.

    What could I do? I thought about how movement has helped me. Then it hit me. I could make a space where other kids could find joy in dance. I set out to create a dance and movement room.

    When I started high school, I was disappointed to learn that the dance team shared a small, dusty room with a few other teams. The slippery floor wasn’t suitable for spinning and jumping, and the room had no mirrors. The lighting and sound were terrible too.

    Around that time, I was ready to complete my Gold Award project for Girl Scouts. This project challenges teens to solve a problem in their community.

    While considering project ideas, I thought about how valuable movement has been for me. That’s when it hit me. What if I could create a space where other kids could find that same relief and joy in dance? I set out to create a dance and movement room.

    Finding a room was easy. The old health room at my school was free. But it wasn’t as simple as putting a new sign on the door. I had to get the school superintendent’s permission. Then I had to present my project to the board of education. I was nervous. But I took some deep breaths and reminded myself why my project was important. Everyone loved my idea!

    It took months of work. But this past October, the room was ready. It was great to have a space just for dance. It was even better to see my peers’ faces when they first stepped on the floor.

    They could do tricks that they couldn’t do on the old floor. They could watch themselves in a wall of mirrors. And most important, it was a safe space. People are vulnerable when they dance. I want every kid who enters our room to feel comfortable expressing themself.

    The old health room at my school was available, so finding a space to use was no problem. But it wasn’t as simple as putting a new sign on the door. I had to ask the school superintendent for permission, and then I had to present my project to the board of education. I was really nervous, but I took some deep breaths and reminded myself why my project was important. Everyone loved my idea!

    In October 2022, after months of hard work, the room was finally ready. It was thrilling to have a space just for dance, but even more exciting was seeing my peers’ faces when they first stepped on the floor.

    They could do turns and tricks that they couldn’t do on the old floor, and they could see their movements in a wall of mirrors. Most important of all, it was a safe space. People are vulnerable when they dance. I want every kid who enters our room to feel comfortable expressing themself.

    While pitching my project, I opened up about my anxiety. My family and close friends already knew. But I wanted to make mental health a big part of my project. So I shared my story. I told the school board about my anxiety. I told the reporter who interviewed me for the local paper. I told my fellow dancers. It was liberating to share my story and explain how movement can help with mental health.

    Dancing hasn’t made my anxiety go away. I still struggle with social situations. I’m still hard on myself. Sometimes I have panic attacks, which can be scary. But dancing—along with therapy, journaling, music, and more—has made things easier.

    There are kids like me in every school. Maybe hearing my story will show them that they’re not alone in their noisy minds. 

    As I was pitching my project, I opened up about my anxiety. My family and close friends already knew about my struggles—but I wanted to make mental health a big part of my project, so I decided to share my story. I told the school board about my anxiety, I told the reporter who interviewed me for the local newspaper, and I told my fellow dancers. It was liberating to share my experiences and show people how movement can help with mental health.

    Dancing hasn’t made my anxiety disappear. I still struggle with social situations, and I’m still way too hard on myself. Sometimes I have panic attacks, which can be very scary. But dancing—along with therapy, journaling, music, and more—has made things a whole lot easier.

    There are kids like me in every school—sitting in your classroom, probably. Maybe hearing my story will show them that they’re not alone in their noisy minds.