“Is dance/movement therapy a therapy for dancers? Or is it physical therapy using dance technique?”

D/mt is actually a psychotherapy - which means it is therapy for your mind and your mood. Psychotherapy is traditionally thought of as talking, having a conversation with a therapist. D/mt includes the whole body in the conversation.

“Who is a good candidate for dance/movement therapy? Do I need a background in dance?”

Everyone is welcome to explore and express in dance/movement therapy, regardless of background, experience, or range of motion. Dance/movement therapists perceive all bodies as dancing bodies. For many people, d/mt includes a mix of movement, talking, and other forms of creative expression.

“I’ve heard of music therapy and art therapy - is dance/movement therapy like that?”

D/mt lives under the umbrella of creative arts therapies alongside music, art, poetry, and drama therapies. Creative arts therapists share the foundational belief that human beings are innately creative, that creativity allows us to access deeper parts of ourselves, and that creative expression is vital for coping, healing, and thriving.

“How does dance/movement therapy impact my physical well-being?”

D/mt can provide many benefits to physical health, including stress reduction, nervous system regulation, expanded movement repertoire, and an increased sense of vitality in the body. Dance/movement therapists study developmental and functional movement, and often work with clients experiencing a range of physical health challenges.

“How does dance/movement therapy differ from a dance class? Isn’t all dancing therapeutic?”

Dance/movement therapy prioritizes your lived experience in your body and the process of expressing and making sense of this in collaboration with a trained therapist. Movement is guided at times, and skills may be taught and practiced - but the essence of a d/mt session is that it is collaborative and completely adaptive to the present moment. Dance/movement therapy embraces all movement expression as worthy of our attention and exploration.