Can Anyone Benefit from Dance Therapy?
Defined, dance/movement therapy (DMT) is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance as a part of treatment and recovery programs. It can affect our moods and our state of well-being by triggering memories and other emotional experiences. It can also become an outlet for expressing thoughts and feelings.
A form of movement psychotherapy, dance therapy can range from traditional dancing like ballroom to more subtle forms of movement like yoga and stretching. A licensed DMT practitioner leads sessions within a therapeutic setting, using movement to help you achieve emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration.
At Honey Lake Clinic, dance movement therapy is used in correlation with other forms of treatment and education, offering you a deeper awareness of yourself and a perfect environment in which to explore your feelings, behaviors and interactions with others.
What Is Dance Movement Therapy and How is it Different from Regular Dancing?
Movement in a dance therapy setting is more than just exercise. The actions, fluidity, and movement are interpreted more like a language. Therapist respond to the movements, assessing body language, nonverbal behaviors and emotional expressions to address each clientโs specific needs. Movement is the primary way dance therapists observe, evaluate, and implement therapeutic intervention.
Feelings and life experiences live inside your body and can get trapped there. The body can be the key to unlocking profound levels of healing. DMT is not a dance class. It is a therapeutic exposure that can be used in conjunction with other therapies to help access genuine, long lasting change.
Benefits and Advantages
The benefits and advantages of dance therapy for individuals with specific physical, emotional, mental or social needs are many. Here is a list of several general benefits you can expect:
Emotional Expression
Dance therapy is a great way to express emotions that are sometimes not easily expressed verbally. Feelings and life experiences live inside your body and can get trapped there. Dance can be key in unlocking profound levels of healing.
Stress Relief
Dance movement is great for relieving stress in mind and body. It is emotionally therapeutic; a release. Since movement can be related to thoughts and feelings, dancing can bring changes to emotions and attitudes almost instantly.
Improved Fitness and Gross Motor Skills Development
Dance is a great way to improve fitness. And itโs fun. By focusing on strength, coordination, posture and balance, gross motor skills development is encouraged.
Self-confidence and Self-esteemย
Dance therapy can increase confidence, social and communication skills, as well as improve self-esteem. Dance can help you begin to see yourself and your struggles from a fresh perspective.
Creativity and Imagination
Creativity and imagination are celebrated in dance and expressed in movement. They are powerful tools in our lifeโs arsenal to coping with lifeโs disappointments and meeting its obstacles. The degree to which liberated creativity and imagination can benefit your emotional and mental health is immeasurable.
Dance movement therapy is another example of the unique treatment options available at Honey Lake Clinic which enable us to help you address their health across all three spheresโspirit, mind and bodyโoffering you the greatest potential for wholeness and transformative growth.
At Honey Lake, weโre committed to providing you with compassionate care and the practical equipping necessary to significantly improve the condition which brought you to our program. A faith-informed model, experienced staff, licensed professional caregivers, individualized treatmentโall in a beautiful and tranquil 1300-acre lakeside settingโweโre here for you.