Expressive Art Therapies is a wide variety of sub-modalities that can be utilized in many different settings and solve a range of issues. One of these sub-modality is Dance/Movement Therapy. (by GoodTherapy)

Dance/movement therapy, usually referred to simply as dance therapy or DMT, is a type of therapy that uses movement to help individuals achieve emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration. Beneficial for both physical and mental health, dance therapy can be used for stress reduction, disease prevention, and mood management. In addition, DMT’s physical component offers increased muscular strength, coordination, mobility, and decreased muscular tension. Dance/movement therapy can be used with all populations and with individuals, couples, families, or groups. In general, dance therapy promotes self-awareness, self-esteem, and a safe space for the expression of feelings.

Dance therapists work with people in therapy to help them improve their body image and self-esteem. 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 such as:

Physical Issues:

• Chronic pain
• Childhood obesity
• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Hypertension
• Cardiovascular disease

HOW EFFECTIVE IS DANCE THERAPY?

Research has demonstrated that dance therapy can be effective in the treatment of mental health issues like disordered eating, depression, and anxiety. Some recent examples include:

• A study from the journal The Arts in Psychotherapy (2007) found that dance therapy had a positive effect on participants experiencing symptoms of depression.
• A study from the American Journal of Dance Therapy (2004), in which 54 students participated in a dance therapy violence prevention program, found that aggression among participants decreased and pro-social behaviors increased.
• A study from Alzheimer’s Care Today (2009) suggests that DMT can directly improve memory recall in people with dementia.
• A literature review from the American Journal of Dance Therapy indicated that DMT may be a treatment option for children on the autism spectrum.
• Due to its social and physical components, dance/movement therapy is also being considered as a treatment option for childhood obesity.

Although further research is needed to determine how effective DMT can be in other settings, it continues to show promise as a viable treatment modality for many physical and mental health issues.

PRINCIPLES OF DANCE THERAPY

DMT sessions often include observation, assessment, warm-ups, interventions, verbal processing, and warm-down phases focused on closure. Sessions can be highly structured or non-directive and may be conducted individually or in groups. Although each dance/movement therapist will have his or her own style, certified dance/movement therapists adhere to the following mission and theoretical principles:

Mission:

• Facilitate life-span development.
• Prevent, diagnose, and treat issues that interfere with healthy functioning.
• Assess, evaluate, and develop treatment goals.
• Implement planned interventions.
• Develop and adjust treatment to continuously meet the needs of the client.

Key Principles:

• Body and mind are interconnected so that a change in one impacts the other.
• Movement can express aspects of the personality.
• Part of the therapeutic relationship is communicated through non-verbal means.
• Movements can be symbolic and can represent unconscious material/processes.
• Movement improvisation/experimentation can bring about new ways of being.

Based on Dance/Movement Therapy by GoodTherapy