Dance/movement therapy is ;a creative arts therapy that uses movement and
dance as a therapeutic tool both for personal expression and psychological or
emotional healing. The basic premises of dance/movement psychotherapy are:
- An individual's characteristic style of natural movement reveals
personality traits and attitudes.
- A significant change in the client's dance/movement affects the client's
total functioning and behavior outside of therapy.
- Therapeutic rapport between therapist and client is established on both
verbal and nonverbal levels. A trusting rapport fosters the client's
development and growth toward independent living. Clients develop themselves
emotionally, socially, mentally, and physically.
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The Process
- Visible movement behavior reveals personality traits and attitudes.
- Changing ;how one moves can affect one's total functioning.
- Music, rhythm, and synchronous movement promote healing by:
- changing mood states
- re-stimulating stored feelings and memories
- organizing actions and thoughts
- reducing isolation
- establishing and enhancing rapport
- Group dancing creates the emotional intensity necessary for facilitating
behavioral changes.
- Total body movement stimulates circulatory, respiratory, skeletal and
neuro-muscular functioning as well as increases endorphin levels which
induces a state of well-being.
- Activating joints and muscles reduces body tension and armoring.
- Expressed in dance, unspeakable events can be "verbalized."
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Who benefits from participation in individual and group dance/movement
therapy?
- Anyone who has interpersonal communication and/or emotional problems.
- People from any background who prefer a creative dance/movement approach
to healing themselves.
- Neurotic individuals
- Psychotic individuals
- Physically challenged
- Mentally handicapped
- Developmentally disabled
- School children at risk
- Learning disabled
- Elderly
- Stoke victims
- People with AIDS
- Homeless
- Substance abusers
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