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What is Dance Therapy?

 

Dance Movement Psychotherapy considers body movement as an expression of one’s thoughts and feelings. During a session, therapists engage the clients in an empathic process using body movement and dance to assist integration of emotional, cognitive, physical, social and spiritual aspects of self. It is practiced as individual and group therapy in settings such as health, education, social services and in private practice. It is a psychotherapeutic tool which helps people express their emotions in a way that integrates what they think and what they feel. 


 

What is it used for?

 

Dance Therapy Rehabilitation services are offered in the following areas but not limited to these:

  • Mental Health Concerns like anxiety disorders, personality disorders, depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders

  • Stress Management

  • Trauma work with abuse & violence

  • At-risk adolescents

  • Pain Management


 

How is dance therapy different from regular dancing?

 

People who undergo dance therapy, are provided with confidentiality from their therapist, making it a safe space for people to truly express themselves. 

 

Dance therapy utilises a “movement vocabulary”, a form of physical expression of thoughts rather than verbal. Thus, forming a language of its own which is spoken between the therapist and their clients.   

 

Dance/movement therapists assess body language, non-verbal behaviors, and emotional expressions. Treatment interventions are tailored to address the needs of certain populations. Some intervention examples may include:

  • Utilizing “mirroring” (matching/echoing the person's movements) to illustrate empathy for an individual and validation of his or her experience.

  • Incorporating jumping rhythms into a dance with a group of people experiencing depression because research has shown decreased levels of vertical movement in people with depression.

  • Making use of a “movement metaphor” to help a person physically demonstrate a therapeutic challenge or achievement (e.g. the therapist gives the person in treatment a white flag prop to help him or her celebrate an emotional surrender).

Here are a few articles that discuss the benefits of Dance Therapy:

(click on the title of the article to read)

Organization which offers Dance Therapy:

'The Society for the Rehabilitation of Crippled Children' 

(Dance therapy sessions available to all) 

Click on the picture to access their website.

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