Happy Movement Monday! Movement for Happiness is a wellbeing skill that encourages us to find ways to move our bodies in ways that bring us joy. Each Monday, we’re highlighting stories of autistic people and what type(s) of movement bring them joy.
You might remember our friend, Layla Touchet, from when we celebrated National Counseling Week. She’s a neurodivergent (Autistic and ADHD) elementary school counselor (and 2022 Louisiana Overall School Counselor of the Year) – and she’s back to talk about Movement for Happiness.
She said, “I’ve done karate since I was nine years old and I will forever say that karate saved my life. I find my inner kid. You get into adulthood, and you have all the adult responsibilities thrown at you, and it’s like everybody tries to suck the fun out of everything, so I continue to find fun in my life. I find the little things; like, I do the things that are fun; I do the things that give me joy.”
Layla still does karate according to how her body feels, including adapting her moves to practice in the swimming pool. Watch the video to hear her thoughts about moving joyfully – and how she promotes movement for her neurodiverse students, too. We hope it will inspire you to begin moving for happiness. Thanks, Layla!
