Qigong for Anxiety & Depression

I'm Andy Wright, your instructor. I've been dedicated to teaching gentle, practical Qigong practices for many years. Born with cerebral palsy in 1961, I've transformed personal challenges into ways to help others improve their wellbeing through mindful movement, breathing, and relaxation.

In this free course, we start by exploring one of the most common issues people face today: Anxiety

I'm delighted you've joined me on this gentle, supportive journey. This course introduces simple, accessible qigong practices designed specifically to help ease the weight of anxiety and depression. No prior experience is needed—just a willingness to move slowly, breathe deeply, and show yourself kindness as you go. We'll build a short, daily routine together, using flowing movements, mindful breathing, and focused awareness that you can practice anywhere, at your own pace.

Qigong works holistically by cultivating and balancing your vital energy (Qi), helping to release emotional stagnation, calm an overactive mind, and restore a sense of inner steadiness. For anxiety, these gentle flows reduce nervous system tension, quiet racing thoughts, and promote a shift toward relaxation and presence—often bringing noticeable calm even after short sessions. For depression, the uplifting, opening movements encourage energy to rise, lift heaviness, improve mood, and foster a renewed sense of vitality and connection to yourself. Many people find that consistent, short practice supports emotional resilience, better sleep, and a more grounded outlook over time.

This is your space to explore these tools compassionately. Let's begin together—one breath, one gentle movement at a time. You're taking a meaningful step toward greater ease and well-being—thank you for being here.

Anxiety & Depression are two of the most common mental health concerns in our society. They are often experienced as a complex set of emotional and functional challenges.

The science of mind-body medicine helps us understand the ongoing connection between the mind and body and see how anxiety and depression may be triggered by a variety of factors. These can include nutritional, psychological, physical, emotional, environmental, social, and spiritual factors, as well as genetic tendencies or brain disease. While we often hear about a biochemical cause, meaning that certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters are out of balance, it is not clear if the level of neurotransmitters is the actual cause of anxiety and depression, or simply a symptom that a person is anxious or depressed.

Anxiety and depression are not the same, but they often occur together. It is not uncommon for people with depression to experience anxiety, and people with anxiety to become depressed. There is also overlap in some of the treatments, so it is beneficial to learn about both conditions.

Qigong: You will learn effective movements to help you cope with the condition, simple to learn but very easy to implement on a daily basis, needing no special effort to be made.

All of the curriculum is self-contained and consists mostly of audiovisual learning, allowing you to practise the movements without having to remember what to do, which might increase anxiety.

Thank you so much for joining me here—I'm truly grateful you've chosen to explore this path to better rest. If you find these gentle practices helpful, please consider my other paid courses for deeper sequences, more advanced techniques, and comprehensive guidance to manage stress, anxiety, energy levels, and long-term wellbeing.