Dance / movement therapy (DMT), sometimes called "movement psychotherapy," is the therapeutic use of movement and/or dance to better integrate the intellectual, emotional, and physical aspects of the body for improved health and well-being. This therapeutic practice dates back to the 1940s and is grounded in the idea that changes in the body are closely tied to changes in the mind. DMT includes everything from yoga, to traditional dance, to simple stretching. It is often used to help support eating disorder recovery, improve body image, self-esteem, and develop communication skills. DMT is not just dancing, or just another form of exercise. A therapist specializing in DMT will be trained to read your movements, body language, and other nonverbal cues to address your specific needs. Think this approach might work for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s DMT specialists today.
M.S Dance/Movement Psychotherapy with 10+ years of experience using the body as a resource for healing and recovery.
— Jennifer Sterling, Creative Art Therapist in New York, NYI integrate Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) as a pathway to self-discovery and emotional well-being. My approach merges cultural understanding, embodied healing, and evidence-based practices to help clients move beyond adversity and step into their full potential. Whether through therapy, coaching, or education, I am committed to guiding individuals toward thriving, not just surviving.
— Dr. Vanetta Williams, Therapist in Douglasville, GAYou don't need to be a dancer to benefit from movement as a way to connect with your body’s wisdom, get in touch with your creativity, and support emotional healing. This is especially true for areas that don't improve with talk therapy alone.
— Rebecca Gotterer, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Montclair, NJDMT is the therapeutic use of movement to further the emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration of the individual, based on the empirically supported premise that the body, mind and spirit are interconnected. Movement is used as a catalyst, and a means into the person's inner feelings and a way to express, cope, interact with others, and integrate their experiences. Is it fancy? No! Movement&dance can be anything from breathing, posture, communicating, the way we hold ourselves.
— Kim Stevens, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Oakland, CAThis is a creative and somatic method that invites in body awareness as well as expressive movement. Movement signifies vitality, change, adaptability, and is the opposite of stuckness and stagnation. When we mindfully allow thoughts and emotions to move, we can ride the waves of life with grace.
— Lauren Pass Erickson, Psychotherapist in Boulder, COI am an expert in dance movement therapy, a specialized form of therapy that uses movement and body awareness to promote emotional, physical, and cognitive healing. With a background in both psychology and the arts, I integrate the expressive power of movement with traditional therapeutic techniques to help clients process emotions, reduce stress, and enhance self-awareness. Dance movement therapy allows individuals to connect with their bodies in a nonverbal way.
— Frankie Wanger, Counselor in York, SCI am a registered Dance/Movement therapist and also incorporate other expressive arts modalities into my work.
— Elizabeth Hough, Licensed Clinical Mental Health CounselorDance/movement therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration of the individual. What does that mean? It means that my approach will always consider both mind and body. We express ourselves in many ways. This includes verbal language, movement, artistic expression and beyond. This approach allows for therapy to be tailored to an individual's needs, in each session and over time for optimal support.
— Anne Vick, Creative Art TherapistIn 2017 I began working with clients through an Authentic Movement-based somatic approach in individual and group therapy, and also more seriously developing my personal dance therapy self-care practice. Clients are able to communicate themselves in a very direct manner and, in couples or group sessions, hone their ability to attend to others. Moving emotion through moving your body helps clients with trauma to reconnect to their body, to feel more comfortable with themselves.
— David Wieder, TherapistI am a registered dance/movement therapist and learning how the body reacts to emotions, tensions and movements can strengthen your mind/body connection creating a deeper understanding of the unique language of your body.
— Katie Hochleutner, Licensed Professional Clinical CounselorWhen I use DMT techniques, it can be as minimal as increasing awareness and mindfulness of one’s body and mind such as noticing how you ascribe somatic cues (physiological experiences) to your experience of emotions, how particular thoughts can elicit particular emotions or physiological experiences, or how your posture changes when different topics are discussed, for example.
— Michela Farnsworth, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Vancouver, WAD/MT stands for Dance/Movement Therapy. It is both a Somatic and Creative Arts psychotherapeutic modality that uses body movement as part of the counseling process. I am a Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist.
— Kendall Hagensen, Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Vancouver, WAI am a Board Eligible Dance/Movement Therapist, under the supervision of Lauren Higgins, BC-DMT. I expect to receive Board Certification in 2024. I was trained at the Pratt Institute, in NY, with additional training from Kinections, and Suzanne Hastie, KMPA. I am a Professional Member of the American Dance Therapy Association and Treasurer of the Southern Chapter of the ADTA.
— Melissa Meade, Counselor in Chattanooga, TNDance/movement therapy combines my interest in body-based practices with psychology. I offer a safe, compassionate, and empathetic space for therapy; I use a trauma-informed lens and I want to create a space that feels safe for you. My unique perspective as a dance/movement therapist might bring attention to the mind/body, invite awareness of nervous system responses, and help navigate your unconscious life to help you make more conscious choices.
— MEREDITH CASIMIRO, Creative Art Therapist in New Paltz, NYThe client will learn about their movement repertoire and discover how certain bodily movements act as defenses (whether healthy or unhealthy) from the environment. DMT supports the physical, intellectual and emotional health of the individual. Often times, words alone cannot access the psychological and behavioral concerns of the individual. Clients will learn to travel inwardly, finding stories inside that they couldn't access with verbal therapy.
— Orith Zabari, Psychotherapist in Monroe, NYI am a registered dance/movement therapist (R-DMT). I studied under elite dance/movement therapists in the field and have cultivated my own relationship to my body, so that I can provide the same for others. Dance/Movement Therapy (D/MT) is a time where we get to be with our body with intention and authenticity. D/MT is a somatic therapy and can look and shape itself into many forms as each body has its own layout. Thus, D/MT sessions will not look the same for everyone.
— Peter Navarro, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor