Finding Healing in the Water: When Swimming Becomes Therapy
Learn how physical movement can complement the emotional work of psychotherapy, why it works, and how to get started
I recently read an essay in the Wall Street Journal titled “Finding Therapy in a Pool Lane” (though the link was down when I tried to access it). The author describes how swimming—laps in particular—became more than exercise; instead, it felt like a healing practice, a place to process emotions, notice what’s “underneath,” and reconnect with a sense of flow.
Reading that reminded me just how often we think of “therapy” as something that only happens in a room, talking with a clinician. In reality, healing often happens elsewhere: in motion, in art, or in the body. Swimming was the author’s medium; for others it’s movement, music, writing, gardening, or dance.
Why Movement & Physical Practices Can Be Therapeutic
Here are some of the reasons swimming (or other embodied practices) can feel deeply therapeutic:
Rhythm and repetition calm the nervous system
Swimming laps has a steady cadence: stroke, breath, stroke, breath. That repetition can regulate the nervous system, anchor you in the present, and offer space for what’s below the surface to emerge.
Embodiment over analysis
In therapy we often “think about” feelings. But physical practices give you a felt place to land. Sometimes it’s easier to sense what’s going on in your body before you can name it in words.
Distraction + focus = paradoxical rest
Focusing on stroke technique, breath timing, or water pressure gives the mind something to do, but not enough to distract you fully. It’s a middle ground where reflection can happen without force.
Integration of mind, body, emotion
When you swim, every spatial sense, every muscle, every breath is involved. That integration mirrors what we hope for in therapy: alignment across body, mind, and heart.
Accessibility & agency
You don’t need to schedule a session or wait for an appointment. You can go to the pool. That autonomy can feel empowering in an often dependency-laden healing process.
Therapy + Movement: Complementary, Not Either/Or
I want to be clear: swimming (or any physical practice) doesn’t replace psychotherapy. Words, relational attunement, exploration of inner landscapes — those are still irreplaceable. But movement can be an important partner to talk therapy.
When we pair emotional exploration with embodied practices, something interesting happens: the insights land more fully, the nervous system has more opportunities to relax, and we build more somatic resilience.
Suggestions for Bringing Movement Into Your Healing
Try something new gently: swimming, yoga, dance, tai chi, walking in nature — see which feels right.
Be consistent: even small, regular movement (10 minutes) can recalibrate your system.
Notice what arises: bring nonjudgmental attention. Does your mood shift? Do images or memories come?
Integrate with therapy: share your movement experiences in session. Did something move (emotionally or physically)?
Stay compassionate: physical practices are as messy as inner work. It's okay if some days feel hard or flat.
In Closing
The image of someone gliding through water, stroke after slow stroke, working through pain, tension, grief, or confusion—it feels like a metaphor for therapy itself. Therapy can give us language and relational attunement; swimming and movement give us a way back to our bodies, a place to do healing when words aren’t enough.
At Rachel Liles Psychotherapy, we believe healing is multi-modal. If we focus only on talk, we miss what’s happening under the skin. If you feel drawn to movement or creative expression, that’s part of your path—and you don’t have to walk it alone.