Dance is used by a dance therapist to heal both the mind and the body. Dance therapy is based on the idea that one’s mental state can influence one’s overall health. In order to correct a variety of physical and emotional ailments, a dance therapist attempts to relieve stress and promote self-esteem in their patients.
A license from the American Dance Therapy Association is required to work as a dance therapist (ADTA). Marian Chace, who had been working to develop the field in the United States since the 1940s, founded the ADTA in 1966. For all dance therapists in the United States, this organization sets the standards and ethics codes.
A dance therapist typically holds a Master’s degree or equivalent training in psychotherapy or counseling. He or she must have dance and movement training, as well as a bachelor’s degree in dance. The ADTA assigns titles to therapists based on their level of experience. The entry-level title of “Dance Therapist Registered” (DTR) necessitates a minimum of 700 hours of clinical training. “Academy of Dance Therapists Registered” is the title given to those who have completed at least 3,640 hours of clinical work (ADTR).
Sessions are led by a dance therapist in the same way they are led by any other psychological professional. These sessions can be held in a group or one-on-one setting. They are designed to meet the patient’s specific physical and mental requirements.
A dance therapy session has four stages: preparation, incubation, illumination, and evaluation. Preparation is a simple warm-up that prepares the body and mind for the upcoming exercise. The patient is expected to express their emotions through symbolic movement during incubation, which is a relaxed release of control. The patient makes a connection between the symbolic movements and their true meanings during illumination. The verbal evaluation at the end of the session determines how far you’ve come.
Because dance therapy is such a new field, there haven’t been many official studies to assess its effectiveness. The few studies that have been conducted have shown that patients’ self-image has improved overall. This is especially beneficial for people who have body image issues, such as breast cancer survivors or people who have eating disorders. Dance therapy is currently being tested on patients with muscle disorders like Parkinson’s and is being used for those with communication problems like autism and Alzheimer’s. Dance therapists are also being used in prisons and mental hospitals to help people with troubled pasts improve their communication and self-esteem.