Dance / Movement Therapy

Dance therapy is beneficial to both physical and mental health. It is used as a method of reducing stress to caregivers and chronically ill people. In addition, the physical impact it has on participants includes increased muscular strength, coordination, mobility and decreased muscular tension. Emotionally, this form of therapy enables people to gain a greater sense of well-being, self-awareness and provides an outlet for the expression of feelings. Some experts believe that dance therapy may also insulate the body from disease by strengthening the immune system. Dance therapy was developed in the middle 20th century by Marian Chace, Mary Whitehouse and Trudy Schoop, and has grown to become an extremely popular and validated form of therapy.

What Kind of Issues Can Dance Therapy Help With?
Principles of Dance Therapy
Resources Related to Dance/Movement Therapy

What Kind of Issues Can Dance Therapy Help With?

Dance therapists work with their clients to help them improve their sense of body-image and self-esteem. The creative expression of dance therapy serves to provide the clients with an increase in communication skills and lays the groundwork for more dynamic relationships. In addition, the therapist will observe and interact with the client in order to help him or her gain a deeper sense of self-awareness through movement, motion, and realization of body. Dance therapy has continued to evolve but adheres to these basic principles at its core. This method of therapy is often applied in group settings and is widely used in nursing facilities, day care centers, mental health rehabilitation centers, educational arenas and other institutions that promote health and well-being.

Because dance uses physical expression of emotions and feelings, it is a powerful and insightful method of treatment. The American Dance Therapy Association defines dance therapy as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement as a process which furthers the emotional, cognitive and physical integration of the individual.” Dance/movement therapy allows a person to realize broad transformations in emotional, physical, and behavioral states.

Principles of Dance Therapy

The main principles of dance therapy are designed around the four distinct stages: