Mental health articles

dance movement therapy techniques.In dance movement therapy (DMT), the therapist notices how the client is moving and can make interpretations or address through the movement work by physically making changes. Aims might be: reconnection to the physical self, improving interpersonal functioning and addressing emotional issues safely in a contained forum. Typically, a DMT session starts with a warm-up led by the therapist, then spontaneous movements from the client(s). In one-to-one work, the therapist might interact with the client’s movements, in a similar way to the music therapist in music improvisation, mirroring, clarifying, elaborating, modifying – in essence, replicating the good mother–child relationship of holding, containing and synchronicity. This develops to the movements becoming more thoughtful and knowledgeable as their meaning is discovered: ‘Some insight is gained into the impulses or feelings that might have led to that movement’. Then, if appropriate, this will be related to the client’s life. A group might involve shared patient leadership and a less directive approach.

dance movement therapy techniques.Essential to DMT are body language, body memory and movement metaphor. Body memory is the idea that we have developed, since early childhood, a motor response for every sensory input we have ever experienced; so we will react the same (physically) to new, similar experiences and yet may not know why they evoked that response. This suggests that our body may remember things our conscious mind has forgotten; so expression through movement can enable these memories and reactions to be worked with. The idea of movement metaphor is that a movement can encapsulate a symbol of unconscious expression that has meaning for the client.

dance movement therapy techniques.Meekums gives an example: ‘A person may adopt a hunched posture when describing the “burden” they carry in life.’ She gives an example of DMT with a man who felt he was spineless. She noticed he was moving only with his upper body as if broken off from his lower half. She worked with him physically on his coordination and balance until he was more able to deal with pressure. He was then able to make connections to his feeling and reflected that he now felt stronger.

dance movement therapy techniques.In dance movement therapy (DMT), the therapist notices how the client is moving and can make interpretations or address through the movement work by physically making changes. Aims might be: reconnection to the physical self, improving interpersonal functioning and addressing emotional issues safely in a contained forum. Typically, a DMT session starts with a warm-up led by the therapist, then spontaneous movements from the client(s). In one-to-one work, the therapist might interact with the client’s movements, in a similar way to the music therapist in music improvisation, mirroring, clarifying, elaborating, modifying – in essence, replicating the good mother–child relationship of holding, containing and synchronicity. This develops to the movements becoming more thoughtful and knowledgeable as their meaning is discovered: ‘Some insight is gained into the impulses or feelings that might have led to that movement’. Then, if appropriate, this will be related to the client’s life. A group might involve shared patient leadership and a less directive approach.

dance movement therapy techniques.Essential to DMT are body language, body memory and movement metaphor. Body memory is the idea that we have developed, since early childhood, a motor response for every sensory input we have ever experienced; so we will react the same (physically) to new, similar experiences and yet may not know why they evoked that response. This suggests that our body may remember things our conscious mind has forgotten; so expression through movement can enable these memories and reactions to be worked with. The idea of movement metaphor is that a movement can encapsulate a symbol of unconscious expression that has meaning for the client.

dance movement therapy techniques.Meekums gives an example: ‘A person may adopt a hunched posture when describing the “burden” they carry in life.’ She gives an example of DMT with a man who felt he was spineless. She noticed he was moving only with his upper body as if broken off from his lower half. She worked with him physically on his coordination and balance until he was more able to deal with pressure. He was then able to make connections to his feeling and reflected that he now felt stronger.

Tags: dance movement therapy, therapy