by Molly Weiler
A Brief Treatment on the Topic of Dance Therapy
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Somatic Psychology and Dance/Movement Therapy constitute a rapidly emerging field based on body-mind-spirit integration in the greater field of psychotherapy. This brief treatment of the field is designed to serve as a cursory introduction to the application of Dance/Movement Therapy (D/MT) as a treatment tool.
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%26ldquo;Dance Therapy is a form of psychotherapy, differentiated from traditional psychotherapy in that it utilizes psychomotor expression as its major mode of intervention. Its basic premise is that body movement reflects inner emotional states, and that changes in movement behavior can lead to changes in the psyche, thus promoting health and growth%26hellip;to regain a sense of wholeness by experiencing the fundamental unity of body, mind, and spirit is the ultimate goal of dance therapy%26rdquo; (Levy, xi p.1)
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One assumption that Dance/Movement Therapists make is that %26ldquo;all movement is reflective of both intrapsychic dynamics and one%26rsquo;s socially evolved mode of relating. Dance Therapy, therefore, deals with personality as it is made manifest in the movement behavior, and attempts to make changes on this level%26rdquo; Schmais, p. 26). %26ldquo;The Dance Therapist is able to recognize what %5Bthe client%26rsquo;s%5D limitations are in order to develop, through movement, a broader movement repertoire to better cope with everyday life. The premise is that a wide repertoire of movement and response is a sign of health, because one is then able to alternate means of dealing with stress%26rdquo; (p.27).
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From my clinical experience I have come to believe that the body contains inherent wisdom and health. A person can realize this wisdom, this potential, when the body, psyche and spirit are connected. As the body contains our memories, we have the ability to access and heal these memories through movement sequencing. I maintain the perspective that when painful memories are repressed, they promote mental illness. Illness can be seen as a detachment or splitting-off from one%26rsquo;s physical self to avoid certain sensations or emotions. This split creates a body-psyche separation and can manifest in a variety of clinical disorders (such as depression, eating disorders, addiction, and dissociative identity disorders, among others). D/MT is a powerful tool for body/psyche integration.
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Christine Caldwell, author and founder of the Somatic Psychology department at Naropa University, states %26ldquo;any recovery is incomplete until we reinhabit and enjoy being in our bodies%26rdquo; (p.9). Recovery involves %26ldquo;not just the absence of disease, but a gutsy, full-bodied, vibrant celebration of life, an actual experience of pleasure in the events of life, a rejoicing in being here that makes us all poets and dancers, lovers and painters, humanitarians of the highest order (p.9)%26rdquo; I endeavor to empower my clients with this experience.
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Recovery based on the body is different. The mind is tricky and slippery, but the body cannot lie. Frequently, this is why we dissociate from the body when we engage in our addictions and unhealthy behaviors. The truth that our bodies offer forth is too raw, too much to handle. This is often interpreted as %26ldquo;unsafe.%26rdquo; In reality, our bodies are doing everything theycan to protect and save us. They hold the keys to our recovery. It is in rediscovering the wisdom of the body that we find the most direct route to recovery. My job is to make that safe.
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As a side note, my education is in both Somatic Psychology as well as traditional psychotherapy. I fully recognize the import and legitimacy of traditional therapy. What I want to offer is that and more. I want my clients to get the most out of their recovery potential%26mdash;all that mind, body and spirit can offer. Experience is key. We can theorize and learn and memorize ad nauseum, but living recovery is what makes recovery real. It is work, and it is transformation. I want more than anything to give my clients all the tools they need to do this work, to manifest this transformation.
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Sources
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Caldwell, Christine. 1996. Getting our bodies back: Recovery, healing, and transformation through body-centered psychotherapy. Boston: Shambhala.
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Levy, Fran. 1988. Dance/movement therapy: A healing art. Reston, VA: The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.
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Schmais, Claire %26amp; White, Alissa. 1986. Introduction to Dance Therapy. American Journal of Dance Therapy. Vol. 9, 23-30.
About the Author
Certified Dance Therapist