142 Christopher Bourke: Movement and Mental Health

Christopher is a movement instructor and mental health professional working in Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario.  He has worked in the field of mental health and addictions for over a decade and roots his teaching in that experience – placing a strong emphasis on practices that respect, support and encourage an individual’s innate resilience. Christopher teaches with the hope of helping people rebuild a connection to their bodies, expand their range of (e)motion, and reduce the impact of stress on their nervous system.  He’s passionate about building spaces that promote a sense of love, safety, self-compassion – and an untangling from shame. The latter is especially important and personal to him as a queer person co-creating 2SLGBTQ+ only classes.  His movement practice has been both a professional calling and a personal coming out and coming home. Christopher currently teaches at GoodBodyFeel in Hamilton, Ontario and offers mental health specific movement support/coaching through his emerging project Anchored Tides Wellness.

Kathryn and Christopher talk about what mental health is and how it feels, as well as using movement to support mental health and the topic of safety. They discuss how mental health does not equal happiness, which was interesting. Together they unpack what a safe practice might look like and how it’s really challenging for a teacher to ever know what is completely safe. They reference the Polyvagal Theory, and Christopher brings his unique perspective as a teacher and mental health worker.