Dance Therapy Essay - 1852 Words

Dance therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses movement to further the social, cognitive, emotional, and physical development of the individual. Dance therapists work with people who have many kinds of emotional problems, intellectual deficits, and life-threatening illnesses. They are employed in psychiatric hospitals, day care centers, mental health centers, prisons, special schools, and private practice. They work with people of all ages in both group and individual therapy. Some also engage in research. Dance therapists try to help people develop communication skills, a positive self-image, and emotional stability. Origins Dance therapy began as a profession in the 1940s with the work of Marian Chace. A modern dancer, she†¦show more content†¦Dance therapy is suitable even for people who are not accomplished dancers, and may even be good for those who are clumsy on the dance floor. The emphasis in dance therapy is on free movement, not restrictive steps, and expressing ones true emotions. Children who cannot master difficult dances or cant sit still for traditional psychotherapy often benefit from free-flowing dance therapy. Even older people who cannot move well or are confined to wheelchairs can participate in dance therapy. All they need to do is move in some way to the rhythm of the music. Dance therapy can be useful in a one-on-one situation, where the therapist works with only one patient to provide a safe place to express emotions. Group classes can help provide emotional support, enhanced communication skills, and appropriate physical boundaries (a skill that is vital for sexual abuse victims). Description There are currently more than 1,200 dance therapists in 46 states in the United Sates and in 29 foreign countries. Like other mental health professionals, they use a wide range of techniques to help their patients. Some of the major schools of thought in dance therapy include the Freudian approach, Jungian technique, and object relations orientation. Many therapists, however, do not ascribe to just one school, but use techniques from various types of dance therapy. The authentic movement technique is derived from the Jungian method of analysis in which peopleShow MoreRelatedDance Therapy1988 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Dance therapy is a kind of psychotherapy that uses movement to promote the social, mental, emotional, and physical improvement of an individual. Dance is the most important key of the arts it involves a direct expression of someone’s self over one’s body. It is specifically a powerful medium for therapy. Dance therapy is the use of movement to recover the mental and physical health of a person. Dance therapy is the use of movement to recover the mental and physical health of a personRead More Dance Therapy Essay1803 Words   |  8 PagesDance Therapy Dance therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses movement to further the social, cognitive, emotional, and physical development of the individual. Dance therapists work with people who have many kinds of emotional problems, intellectual deficits, and life-threatening illnesses. They are employed in psychiatric hospitals, day care centers, mental health centers, prisons, special schools, and private practice. They work with people of all ages in both group and individual therapyRead MoreInformative Essay About Dance Therapy1515 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is dance? Dance is defined as lively movement using one’s body with or without music. Dancing means to feel someone existence to feel vitality, joy, and most importantly to feel alive. Anyone can define dancing as whatever they would like, but how is dance useful to our lives? 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