WHAT CAN DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY HELP WITH?
Dance/Movement Therapy is a versatile form of therapy founded on the idea that motion and emotion are interconnected. The creative expression of Dance Therapy can bolster communication skills and inspire dynamic relationships. It is commonly used to treat physical, psychological, cognitive, and social issues.
HOW EFFECTIVE IS DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY?
Research has demonstrated that D/MT can be extremely effective in the treatment of mental and physical health issues. Some recent research examples and videos are provided in the charts below.
Physical Issues:
| · Chronic Pain | · Chronic Fatigue |
| · Arthritis | · Held Body Tension |
| · Childhood/Adult Obesity | · Past Injuries |
| · Hypertension | · Traumatic Brain Injuries |
| · Cardiovascular Disease | · Parkinson’s Disease |
Mental, Cognitive, and Social Issues:
HOW IS DANCE THERAPY DIFFERENT FROM REGULAR DANCING?
Most people know that dancing can be good for their health; it improves cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, balance, and coordination. Dance can also boost a person’s mood, improve body image, and provide an opportunity for FUN that may lower overall stress and anxiety. While these elements are certainly beneficial, D/MT takes therapeutic dance to another level.
People in treatment with a Registered Dance Movement Therapist have the right to confidentiality and are provided a safe space to express themselves. Movement becomes more than exercise: it becomes a language. Clients communicate conscious and unconscious feelings through movement, allowing therapists to respond to non-verbal communications by implementing the use of a movement vocabulary that is centered around physical expression.
Dance/Movement Therapists assess body language, non-verbal behaviors, and emotional expressions. Treatment interventions are tailored to address the needs of specific 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. 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).