Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) is the psychotherapeutic use of dance, movement, body awareness and embodied communication to foster healing and wellness for all ages. Embodied therapy has become popular because there is increasing awareness that trauma, stress, and unresolved emotions are not just stored in the mind but are also held within the body. By bringing attention to physical sensations, posture, breath, and movement, you can access emotional experiences and effectively work through them.
Movement is our first language, and the body does not lie, so listening to the body’s cues is a source of wisdom that can help a person move through their challenges to promote wellbeing. By inviting the whole self into the session, DMT simultaneously supports the mind and the body to facilitate deep healing, particularly with challenges that don’t respond to talk therapy alone, such as trauma or somatic complaints connected to emotions.
We are all moving by breathing. No dance experience is required, and each DMT session is tailored to its participant(s). There are no expectations of how much or how one will move. Some sessions can include considerable movement and dance and possibly music, with time to discuss and integrate the experience, while some sessions can be mostly talking and sedentary, but with an awareness of the body’s story included.
As we know, movement is good for the physical body, and it can also help you become unstuck from a problem, taking you out of your head. DMT allows for personal growth and can be fun and creative. It helps you guide how you want to move through the world.
