Can You Have Good Mental Health Without Movement? | OT Leana Tank & Movement Method

Can you have good mental health without movement? According to occupational therapist Leana Tank — it would be very, very challenging. In this conversation with Rupert Isaacson, she explains exactly why, and what happens to the nervous system when we stop moving. Leana Tank is an OT based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who works with some of the most challenging populations imaginable — including people acquitted of serious crimes by reason of insanity. She was drawn to Movement Method because it was one of the few approaches that actually connected movement, neuroplasticity, and mental health in a clear, teachable framework. In this video, she and Rupert unpack the neuroscience behind oxytocin and BDNF — two of the most important drivers of executive function and brain growth — and why understanding them changes everything about how we support people. 🎓 Free E-book — Movement Method: https://ntls.co/zentara In this video, you'll discover: ✔️ Why an elite OT says you cannot separate mental health from movement — and what western medicine keeps getting wrong ✔️ What oxytocin actually does beyond being the "love hormone" — and why it's essential for conflict resolution and executive function ✔️ What BDNF is, why your brain produces it when you move through space, and how it literally grows new neurons ✔️ How Leana uses Movement Method to exponentially multiply her impact across dozens of programs — without cloning herself ✔️ Why people with schizophrenia can't open a box of cookies — and what that tells us about the mind-body connection ✔️ How Movement Method gives caregivers and staff a clear, simple framework to promote neuroplasticity in daily interactions ⏳ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: Leana Tank, OT — who she works with and why it matters 00:23 – What is occupational therapy? How it differs from physiotherapy 01:43 – The mind-body connection: why western medicine gets it wrong 03:44 – Can you have good mental health without movement? 07:00 – Oxytocin: the love hormone that builds executive function 09:04 – What is BDNF and why does moving through space produce it? 11:35 – How Movement Method helps Leana multiply her impact as an OT 13:20 – The neuroscience summary: oxytocin + BDNF = neuroplasticity This is Movement Method in action — a nature-based, play-driven, neuroscience-backed approach to learning that honours each learner's uniqueness and joy. 👍 Like, Subscribe & Share to support more families and educators looking for breakthrough tools. 💬 In your work — whether as a therapist, educator, or parent — have you seen movement change someone's behaviour or mood in a way that surprised you? Tell us below. 📺 Related Videos: 🔹 Takhin Equine Therapy Certification: Empower Clients, Rehab Horses, and Save Time –    • Takhin Equine Therapy Certification: Empow...   🔹 Movement Method in Mainstream Schools: PhD study results –    • Movement Method in Mainstream Schools: PhD...   🔹 Equine Therapy Certification: Horse Boy Method – The Original Equine-Assisted Method for Autism & ADHD –    • Equine Therapy Certification: Horse Boy Me...   🔹 Stuck At Home with Active Kids – The Sofa Long Jump Challenge –    • Stuck At Home with Active Kids - The Sofa ...   🔹 Ru's Autism Tip: Follow the child –    • Ru's Autism Tip: Follow the child   🌍 Explore More: https://newtrailslearning.com 👤 About New Trails Learning Systems: Rupert Isaacson and Iliane Isaacson are the founders of New Trails Learning Systems — home of the Horse Boy Method, Movement Method, and Takhin/Athena Equine Integration. Their neuroscience-backed, nature-based approaches to autism, ADHD, and trauma have helped families and professionals around the world. Endorsed by Temple Grandin and Linda Tellington Jones. Whether you're a parent, therapist, educator, or equine professional, this channel is your guide to what actually works. 👍 Like, Subscribe & Share to support more families and educators looking for breakthrough tools. Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links in this description may be affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our channel! #MovementMethod #HorseBoyMethod #RupertIsaacson #NewTrailsLearning #HorseBoy #AutismEducation #Neuroplasticity #EquineAssistedTherapy #NatureBasedLearning #OccupationalTherapy #BDNF #ExecutiveFunction #MentalHealthMovement #MindBodyConnection #BrainScience