Dance therapy: description, history, essence of treatment

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Dance therapy is a completely unique phenomenon. What does it represent? This is a direction of psychotherapy in which movement and dance contribute to both the physical and emotional integration of the individual. This method has a rich history. And indeed, it is of some interest. So I would like to pay special attention to this topic.

About prerequisites

All people who are at least a little familiar with folklore, history and art are well aware that dance has been an integral part of various rituals, community life and other practices for centuries. It's more than just moving to music. The dance carried sacred, communicative, identification, expressive and recreational functions. He helped to freely express himself, contact with partners, emotionally discharge and relieve physical stress. In fact, the dance carries all of the above functions today.

The healing properties of dance in the 20th century prompted psychotherapists to use them as a new method of treatment. In addition, modernity appeared at that time. The dance of this genre has become quite special. After all, it emphasized the individuality of each person and the importance of the personal. The first dance therapists were people like Isadora Duncan, Mary Wigman and Rudolf Laban.

And, of course, talking about the prerequisites, one cannot fail to pay attention to the teachings of W. Reich. This specialist assured that all experiences and emotions not expressed by a person do not disappear anywhere. They accumulate in the muscles. And there are some kind of "blocks". In general, dance movement therapy, the exercises of which will be noted a little later, refers to the teachings of Reich. More precisely, to how the specialist explains the work of psychosomatic mechanisms. But his methods are not used as such.

In Russia

In our country, this direction appeared not very long ago - in the 90s. And initially there was not even such a thing as dance therapy. The theory says: in Russia it was originally presented as a method of personal growth and development. But in 1995, the concept has already appeared. And after him - ATDT (Association of Dance Movement Therapy). It was organized in Moscow. And ATDT is supported by American, European and International associations.

Now TDT is an independent direction in psychotherapy. And the scope of its application is very wide. dancetherapy is aimed at combating stress, Parkinson's disease, autism, post-traumatic disorders, etc.

About principles

Like any other treatment technique, this type of therapy relies on certain provisions and rules. They are followed by doctors working in this direction. The essence of the main principle is that the human body and his psyche are inseparable. And they constantly interact with each other. Dance is also perceived as a way of communication. And a person doing TDT comes into contact with himself, his partner and the whole world.

Another important principle is the unity of thoughts, feelings and behavior. Because any change in one aspect entails changes in the other two. In this, by the way, the principle of integrity is manifested. Also, the “highlight” is the perception of your body as not an object or object, but a process. The very awareness of this is reflected in the result, presenting the desired effect. And one more important principle - during the practice of dance therapy, the specialist turns to the creative resources of a person, as to an endless source of creative energy and vitality.

Goals

Dance therapy for children and adults is aimed at achieving the same result. The main goal is to expand the scope of awareness of your body, as well as its capabilities and features. It is important for a person to be able to develop trust in himself and improve his self-esteem. To do this, doctors are engaged in the development of the patient's body, instilling in him a love for this business.

Another goal is to improve social skills and integrate inner experience. It is important that the person establishes a special connection between movements, thoughts and feelings during the course of treatment.

Methods

It is worth noting that there are different dance therapy groups. The main one is clinical. This is an auxiliary type of therapy that forms an effective symbiosis in terms of treatment with medications prescribed to patients. Clinical TDT can last for a long time - sometimes for several years. But efficiency demands it. By the way, it is especially good at helping patients with speech and interpersonal communication disorders (that is, in communication). By the way, clinical TDT appeared more than 75 years ago.

Also, TDT is widely used in people with psychological problems. And this type of therapy is much more complex than the previously mentioned one. Because it is aimed at solving specific human problems. And such TDT is carried out both in a group with other patients, and individually. The method is usually based on analytical psychology.

And then there is dance therapy for those people who don't have any problems, but want something more out of their lives. For example, to discover your hidden self with the help of TDT, find a new way of expressing yourself and start interacting with others.

Innovation

As mentioned at the beginning, TDT gained popularity not so long ago. Which is not surprising, because this is an innovation. During sessions with patientsthe doctor uses the skills, abilities and knowledge that relate to psychology, creativity, art, physiology and therapy. It is important. After all, almost every disease is psychosomatic. And until the moment when the disease begins to manifest itself at the bodily level, it appears in the subconscious. That is, at the level of the psyche.

TDT is special in that during its implementation great attention is paid not only to mental processes and cognitive methods of rehabilitation, but also to the physical and creative part. In other words, both hemispheres are involved. And this is what a harmonious and holistic person needs. And be that as it may, but the most unexplored aspect of our world today is precisely man. Namely, how his body interacts with the psyche.

Benefit

Dance therapy, which has a very interesting history, is really effective. It is the best way to minimize physical stress and increase the mobility of a person. If you believe the notorious theory of Reich, it turns out that the same muscle "clamp" is eliminated. After all, a person begins to move, express his feelings and emotions during the dance. And the accumulated energy that was spent on maintaining the muscle “clamp” finds its use.

The value of artistic experiences is very high. In the dance, they even extract needs and desires from the unconscious, which the patient could not even guess about. In other words, he simply gets rid of them.

Besides, TDT is a great way tononverbal interaction. It is for this reason that group classes have recently gained popularity. A person begins to contact not only with the healer, but also with other participants. And this is an additional release of tension and a more relaxed atmosphere. Group classes significantly improve the emotional and physical condition of patients. And if they are also teenagers, then TDT helps them to increase their level of self-esteem and develop a more positive image of their own body. By contacting other members of the group, young people can awaken new, previously unexplored feelings.

Movements

So, we have considered the methods of dance therapy in as much detail as possible. Now you can touch the attention and exercises. There are no restrictions and generally accepted standards. After all, one of the goals, as mentioned earlier, is to demonstrate freedom and creativity. The most important thing is that the movements performed by the patient should be aimed at realizing his own feelings at this particular moment. His task is to express his feelings through dance. And the therapist, watching him, must understand what the patient is trying to convey. This is where psychoanalysis comes into play. The doctor's task is to analyze the patient's behavior as accurately as possible, which will help to understand his problem.

Then the healer, together with the person, begins to expand the limited potential of movements. This way it is possible to liberate the patient, direct him to overcome complexes and psychological problems. This is what dance therapy is all about.

Exercise is what the patient should concentrate on during exercise. When a person “stretches”, it is important for him to feel what exactly at the moment he feels. And the doctor, in turn, should help him come to the awareness of his physical sensations. In the last stage, the patient usually feels that his soul is one with the body, and conveys this through his dance.

What else is worth knowing?

There are no barriers for TDT. No age limits or restrictions on the diagnosis. Now there are centers that work with adults and children, which accept anyone who wants to, help to cope with personal problems, anxieties, fears, personal crisis, misunderstanding of oneself and loss of the meaning of life. There is also a marital TDT.

Special programs have been developed for children that can correct disharmonic development (which includes autism, developmental delay, minimal brain dysfunction). For adults, there is a program that helps to cope with compulsive overeating, anorexia and bulimia. With the help of TDT, you can even improve parent-child relationships.

And people who decide to do TDT (or they had to do it) assure that there is an effect. All the theory described is confirmed in practice. And therapy allows not only to replenish strength, but also to know yourself, to feel your light, uniqueness and value for this world, which is confirmed by many reviews.

Training

As you can already understand, the activity of a person who ownsarts such as dance therapy. Training of specialists of this profile also takes place in several stages. The program itself was created in 1995. This is so far the only technique that meets the requirements of the European Association of TDT. And the program is implemented by such a university as the Institute of Practical Psychology and Psychoanalysis. IPPiP is located in Moscow.

All students in this area will have to master many disciplines. The preparation is comprehensive and serious. Leading experts not only from Russia, but also from the USA and Europe are involved in teaching.

During the training, future therapists take theoretical seminars on TDT and psychological counseling. The program also includes supervision. Students will also undergo personal psychotherapy and clinical practice.

Educational nuances

It is important to note that this is not a 4-year course, but a professional retraining, at the end of which students are issued an appropriate diploma. This document gives specialists the right to conduct professional activities in the field of psychotherapy and, of course, TDT.

For admission, you must complete a questionnaire and write a meaningful essay (a kind of creative competition). Also, each future student is required to take an introductory course on TDT. This is necessary to identify the ability of a person to this activity. The program includes 10 hours of the basics of creative dance and 50 hours of the group TDT "Basic Life Themes". After completing the course, a person passesinterview and accepted for training.

By the way, today there is also a regional training program, which can be completed at the center of healing arts and creativity in Ufa, collaborating with the previously mentioned university (IPPiP).