The use of dance as a therapeutic tool is founded in the idea that body and mind are completely integrated. While the relationship between the mind and body is constantly being explored, theorized and discussed, the discipline of dance therapy highlights the ingenuity of the created masterpiece: the human being. Dance/movement therapy is an expressive psycho-dynamic therapy that combines the theories of psychoanalysis and early child development. This approach is intended to facilitate and foster a positive, integrative method for the psychological, social, and emotional development of the individual. This therapeutic approach incorporates movement expression into everyday action to provide a place for self-exploration, self-awareness and overall well-being.
The wonderful thing about dance therapy is that you don't need to speak the same language because movement reveals so much without words. Dance therapists help people develop a nonverbal language that offers information about what is going on in their body and mind.
The therapist observes a person's movements to make an assessment and then designs a program to attend to the specific needs of the individual. The frequency and level of difficulty of the therapy is usually tailored to meet and strengthen the abilities of the participants. The therapist appreciate the therapeutic value of aesthetic and artistic experience of dance and understand the interrelationship of the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive dimensions of human behavior.
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