Take Up Dance Movement Therapy

Experts have known for a long time that Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) is an excellent form of therapy for those with Down syndrome and autism where communication by movement is necessary.

Now, DMT is considered an unusual form of therapy that diverts from the traditional style of oral therapy. It can help you achieve cognitive, physical and emotional benefits and also help reduce stress, prevent diseases and manage anger.

The added benefits of dance therapy are that your muscle tone and strength will improve and you’ll get a healthy dose of self-esteem. You’re able to express yourself freely in a safe space and do it without judgment from others.

Dance therapy can improve the way you see your body and boost communication skills. Also, use it to address such physical problems as arthritis, heart disease, chronic pain, obesity and cancer.

Or, use it with typical oral therapy to lessen symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and eating disorders. Medical experts are also finding that it can help with dementia and other communication disorders.

Dance therapy is an effective method for almost every mental and physical health issue. The sessions can either be structure or free-form and done in groups or individually. One of the key principles of DMT is that what happens to the body also affects the mind – and vise-versa.

The free-form type of dance therapy lets you express your own feelings by moving in ways that help free your mind and body from the normal ways of moving and thinking. Normal dance moves are also beneficial to the mind and body, but therapeutic-type dancing takes it to the next level.

DMT is a language of movement – dependent on physical moves rather than a spoken language. It has been a type of therapy for the past century, when ideas formed that took dance beyond the arena of entertainment.

It emerged as a form of expression and a way to communicate that eventually created DMT. All dance therapists must know the theories of psychodynamics, Gestalt and humanistic and all must have training and certification in dance movement therapy.

When you research DMT, you’ll find that link between the body and soul. The connection that DMT focuses on is intrinsic to movement being vital to our health and mental well-being.

It’s a well-known fact that movement of the body facilitates endorphins that can lift your mood and help you sleep better. It’s now known that regular movement helps you maintain a higher energy level and resist caving in to the emotional or mental challenges life throws at you.

You’ll find varied programs in the realm of DMT. Many focus on the more traditional forms of dance movement such as ballroom dancing while others promote movements much like you’d find in yoga – slow and deliberate stretching and other movements to calm the mind and body.

By building self-esteem through expressive movements, you’re achieving emotional and physical benefits that include mood management and improvement of cognitive abilities. As you learn how to be more communicative with movements, your relationship skills may improve.

Those who teach and participate in dance therapy realize that it’s not only the exercise that helps – it’s the fluidity of the movements and type of movements. Therapists know how to interpret these moves and can then intervene to meet the needs of the client.

One intervention style of therapists might be to mirror the person’s movements as the person is dancing. This promotes a validation in the client’s mind of what he or she is feeling by matching the expressive movements.

Through dance movement therapy, you’ll be able to release the toxic feelings and experiences and finally heal your emotions. Since it fosters long-lasting change, you can go on with your life without the baggage that keeps you from success.

You’ll also learn to trust yourself and your abilities to make positive changes in your life and live authentically rather than bowing to the needs and wants of others. Understanding yourself is a part of recovery from depression, anxiety and other forms of doubting yourself and let you continue on the journey of recovery.

If dance movement therapy interests you as a way to reduce stress and get in touch with your inner self, research the treatment centers near your home. Many times, this type of therapy can be found through eating disorder therapists.

Sessions will vary according to the therapist and what he or she is trying to accomplish and it’s important to find the one that suits your needs. Research online about the various forms of dance movement therapy and decide which you’d like to try.