Dance & movement therapy
Dance and movement therapy, or DMT, is a creative way to move toward better mental health.
How is our approach to dance & movement therapy different?
Expert guidance
Dynamic activities
Virtual access
Non-verbal emotional release
Group environment
Benefits of dance & movement therapy
Embodied expression
Facilitates the release of pent-up emotions through physical movement, promoting healing.
Increased body awareness
Helps people understand the connection between physical sensations and emotions.
Stress relief
Physical activities help reduce stress and anxiety.
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Who should try dance and movement therapy?
Dance/movement therapy is a versatile form of treatment that’s used everywhere from nursing homes to schools to private practices to private homes. It can be done in a group, as a couple, or even on your own; it’s even possible to practice DMT while sitting or lying down.
DMT has been shown to effectively treat a variety of mental health symptoms and conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Disordered eating
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
What to consider
While DMT has displayed clear benefits for certain mental health conditions, there are a few things to consider before you decide if dance/movement therapy is right for you. DMT tends to be more physical than other forms of therapy so it might not be the best fit (at least to start) for people with low energy levels, restricted movement, injuries, or other physical limitations. DMT can also be challenging for people who have experienced trauma and are not yet ready to explore body-based forms of treatment.
Combining other types of talk therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is even more effective when used in combination with other types of talk therapy and, if needed, psychiatric care. Other types of therapy that may be used in tandem with CBT include DBT skills, exposure therapy, and motivational interviewing –– all of which are modalities practiced at Charlie Health.
Emotional regulation
Emotional regulation offers people a chance to deal with their emotions before those emotions lead to unhealthy feelings or behaviors. This component of DBT teaches a person that they have the power to choose to recognize and change their emotions in order to avoid giving into emotional urges.
FAQs about dance & movement therapy
See All FAQsIs dance and movement therapy different from regular dancing?
Dance is a sequence of movement that is often accompanied by music. For some people, dance is a performance art designed to display aesthetics and skill. For others, it’s purely a way to express themselves—an athlete’s jig after scoring a goal or a “happy dance” after acing an exam.
Dance/movement therapy also prioritizes emotion and expression, but it’s important to remember that it’s still a type of psychotherapy. With DMT, a therapist will use the elements of dance—body awareness, rhythm, time, space, gesture, posture, and movement dynamics—as the framework for exploration and change. In addition to dancing, DMT can also involve breathing exercises, meditation, and stretching. The actual movement is up to each person, and it’s the therapist’s job to observe and facilitate the therapy session.
What is dance and movement therapy?
According to the American Dance Therapy Association, dance/movement therapy uses movement to help people improve their overall wellbeing through mental, emotional, physical, and social integration.
First practiced in the 1940s, DMT is based on the idea that movement is our first language, beginning in utero and continuing throughout a person’s life. The theory states that the mind, body, and spirit are interrelated and people can utilize movement to help them process and understand their emotions.
Facilitated by a master’s level clinician with a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT) credential, DMT uses movement as both the intervention method and the assessment tool. During the therapy session, the therapist will encourage a person to track their breath and bodily sensations, while using that information to explore the connection with their emotions.
What are the benefits of dance and movement therapy
Dance/movement therapy offers a variety of physical and mental health benefits, and can be used in conjunction with other treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Depending on a person’s mental health needs and physical abilities, DMT can help to increase strength, improve flexibility, boost coordination, and reduce muscle tension.
Importantly, DMT has also been shown to support mental wellbeing and overall quality of life by:
- Improving self-esteem
- Improving interpersonal skills
- Promoting self-awareness
- Promoting calm
- Teaching coping skills
- Teaching empathy
