Dance / Movement Therapy

As a dance teacher, I believe deeply in the profound connection between the mind and the body. In Western culture, we are often out of touch with our bodies. Athletes are taught to push through pain, and our culture is often so fast-paced, we don't take time to check in, to breathe deeply, and to locate where we hold our tension. We only get one, so how can we learn to listen, to cherish, and to nurture our own unique body?

I trained as a Dance/Movement Therapist at Lesley University. Additionally, I completed an intensive 2 year training in the practice of Authentic Movement. I always offer my clients the option of movement during sessions. My approach to therapy is heavily inspired by the theoretical foundations of DMT: I recognize and celebrate strengths, meet each client in the present moment, and inherently trust in the wisdom of the body.

We experience life with our bodies & eating disorders, while definitely mental disorders are also a fight between the body, mind, and soul. To only focus on the mind leaves much out of the recovery equation. Don’t get me wrong, I love talk therapy (I better since I'm a therapist), but I also believe there are times talking can only go so far. Yoga is a unique healing modality, offering individuals safe, supported, healing practices & tools to navigate the challenges of recovery.

Throughout my life, I have held countless positions in the field of dance and movement. I have been a conscious dance facilitator for over a decade. Before I attended graduate school, I had a private somatic practice in which I engaged clients in embodiment sessions in a dance studio setting, often accompanied by music. I love incorporating movement into my somatic sessions with therapy clients.

The tension, stress, and negative memories are often held physically in our bodies. Have you ever noticed when you are stressed you might have shoulder pain, a clenched jaw, or a headache? Yoga-informed therapy sessions may consist of talk therapy, mindfulness techniques, breath work, and yoga. Through this combination of techniques, you will gain the tools to regulate your nervous system, integrate your experiences in mind/body/spirit, and overcome the obstacles that are holding you back.

Dance/movement therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement in therapy. Our bodies hold experiences we have had in life, and learning ways to become more aware of our felt experiences and increase our body awareness is important work. A session with a DMT might include noticing tension in the body as a “check-in” then exploring where this tension is from and how the body can release. This could be a skill you take into life to notice and cope with feelings throughout the day.

Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist, since 2016

DMT 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.

This 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.