Craig Constantine

Kasturi Torchia: Mental wellbeing, Esprit Concrete, and sharing

How can the integration of psychology and movement practices contribute to mental wellbeing and personal growth?

Kasturi Torchia describes her role with Parkour UK, and how she came to be involved in mental wellbeing and psychology studies. She discusses her family and how they impacted her journey, before unpacking the Esprit Concrete method she has developed. Kasturi shares some of her goals and what she is working on with Esprit Concrete, and discusses the yearly Les Dames du Movement event.

Esprit Concrete is something that was so organic, that it’s really hard to pinpoint what exactly [started it.] But I think that the really strange encounter that I had with Parkour, came at a really important time in my life where I was reflecting on what was happening and trying to make a change. I just needed something, without knowing that I needed it, to jolt me into seeing things differently, changing perspectives on things.
~ Kasturi Torchia (6:30)

The conversation explores the intersection of psychology and movement, focusing on how Kasturi’s personal experiences led her to create the Esprit Concrete Method. Her work integrates psychological principles with Parkour and Art du Déplacement, addressing mental wellbeing through movement. Kasturi reflects on how childhood influences and a desire to understand human behavior guided her journey towards psychology.

Another key topic is the development of the Esprit Concrete Method as a tool for self-reflection and personal growth. The method helps participants confront vulnerabilities and use movement as a metaphor for psychological challenges. Kasturi also highlights the significance of community events, such as Les Dames Du Movement, which bring together diverse practitioners to foster learning and collaboration.

Takeaways

Integration of psychology and movement — Personal growth and mental health can be addressed through movement practices.

Esprit Concrete Method — A framework blending Parkour, Art du Déplacement, and psychological principles to foster development.

Duty of Care in Parkour UK — Emphasis on safeguarding mental wellbeing and establishing support networks.

Challenges in movement — Physical movements reflect deeper psychological patterns and areas for growth.

Les Dames Du Movement — Community-focused events promoting collaboration across disciplines.

Resources

Esprit Concrete — Kasturi’s platform integrating movement and therapy.

Parkour UK — National governing body for Parkour, focusing on mental health and wellbeing initiatives.

Les Dames Du Movement — Annual community event promoting movement and mental health.

Get Self Help — Website providing self-help resources and CBT worksheets.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

On Castbox.fm — Kasturi Torchia | Study into Lack of Progression

What can be learned from integrating therapeutic psychology into Parkour practices to address mental health and personal growth?

Exploring the therapeutic potential of Art du Déplacement within mental health contexts.

I wanted to show what a discipline of psychology that is human, humanistic person centered, could bring to this.
~ Kasturi Torchia (2:02)

The conversation focuses on Kasturi Torchia’s work integrating counseling psychology with Parkour through her model developed at Esprit Concrete. She discusses how Art du Déplacement can serve as a therapeutic tool, emphasizing the humanistic, person-centered approach that fosters self-awareness and addresses individual mental health needs. The talk also highlights the potential for retraumatization in Parkour training and the importance of recognizing and mitigating these risks through reflective practices.

Kasturi explains how movement can reveal unconscious patterns in participants’ lives, providing opportunities for personal growth and healing. She shares questions and strategies to encourage reflective practice, cautioning that probing too deeply without expertise can be dangerous. She underscores the importance of training coaches to apply these concepts effectively and safely.

Takeaways

Integrating counseling psychology with movement practices — Combining psychological interventions with Art du Déplacement to foster mental health and personal growth.

Humanistic and person-centered approach — Emphasizing individualized care while maintaining group values in Parkour coaching.

Risks of retraumatization in Parkour — Recognizing the unconscious potential for retraumatization and addressing it through therapeutic models.

Importance of reflective practice — Encouraging participants to explore patterns in their movements to uncover deeper emotional and psychological connections.

Challenges in coaching — Highlighting the need for caution and proper training when addressing psychological elements in Parkour instruction.

Movement as a mirror for life patterns — Exploring how challenges encountered in training often reflect broader life struggles.

Therapeutic questions for self-reflection — Using guided questions to help participants gain insights into their emotions and experiences.

Training coaches in therapeutic methods — Developing structured workshops to teach coaches safe and effective applications of psychological practices in movement contexts.

Resources

Esprit Concrete — The organization where Kasturi Torchia applies her therapeutic model blending counseling psychology and Parkour.

Art of Retreat

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)