Rehabilitation comes in all shapes and sizes – and in this case, it comes in groovy steps and stretches. The connect between art and mental health has only now begun to be explored, putting a spotlight on visual art, theatre, dance and music as forms of therapy. Among these, Dance and Movement Therapy (DMT) has progressed across the world as a professional course that enables patients to use dance creatively to address their psychological, social and physical well-being. As an art form, dancing has always been an outlet for one to express himself, but as a form of therapy, dancing helps form a concrete relationship between movement and emotion. By no means is dance therapy only for those who “dance well” – in fact, it is not nearly as much about performance as it is about honesty.
This form of psychotherapy works with movement in general, building upon the fact that movement in the body triggers mental relaxation. While movement therapy can be difficult for many people at first – especially those who are not used to regular physical exercise – it has proven to be an excellent way of mental healing. Much like art therapy, movement therapy helps a psychotherapist analyze the connection between the way you express yourself and elements of your trauma that have gone unresolved. Be it stress, mood swings, body image issues or self-esteem, this sort of therapy helps you acknowledge and work through your problems. Easy, fun and extremely beneficial, Dance and Movement therapy has garnered great popularity across the world. India is fast catching up: many universities, like the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) are offering a year long course that trains you to be a dance therapist. Many counseling centres offer dance and movement therapy sessions, playing an important role in bringing mental health into the spotlight. Here’s a list of four such centres across India:
I. KINESTHETICS
Location: Chennai
Kinesthetics is a centre for dance movement psychotherapy and counseling, built on the philosophy that each individual is unique. They aim to help the individual understand and communicate their feelings using a combination of expressive outlets like dance, art, music, drama. The in-house dance therapist, Preetha is a trained professional who looks to further her patient’s wellbeing through dance. They offer their services to adults as well as children, for individuals and groups.
II. SYNCHRONY
Location: Mumbai & Chennai.
With a great emphasis on empowerment, dignity and community-focused work, Synchrony offers frequent Dance and Movement Therapy workshops and sessions. You don’t need any prior dance knowledge or experience to participate in these workshops. This organization aims to use dance therapy to deal with self confidence, interpersonal communication, social skills, violence and abuse. Keep up with the website to find out when their next workshop is!
III. CREATIVE MOVEMENT THERAPY ASSOCIATION OF INDIA (CMTAI)
Location: Varying.
Best thing about this organization? They have workshops all over the country! By fusing a theoretical framework with a creative healing experience, CMTAI aims to empower students, in an individual capacity as well as in groups. Working with different focus points like dealing with FOMO (fear of missing out), self care, etc, they use dance-based creative healing to help the participants express and explore. Stay tuned to their facebook page for their frequent workshops across the country!
IV. THE BEACH HOUSE
Location: Goa
The Beach House in Goa is known for its retreats – but along with other programs, they also offer a wonderful dance therapy workshop. This organization makes psychotherapeutic use of movement to further the emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration of the individual. Promising complete confidentiality and a safe space, the beach house offers a great program for you to explore.
V. HORIZON THERAPY CENTRE
Location: Chennai
The Horizon Therapy Centre offers a comfort zone for children and young adults to help them accept and cope with difficulties through creative expression. The dance therapy program at Horizon uses body and movement as a medium of exploration and expression. It does not involve teaching a dance form, nor does it require you to have any experience!
If you try your hand at Dance and Movement Therapy, you’ll notice that here, dance is read almost like a language. Your own way of expressing yourself through dance helps a psychotherapist understand and encourage a pattern of healing. Moreover, it acts as a great outlet for your emotional frustration, among other things. Take a leap and try it out – you might just find a new way of healing.
If you enjoyed reading this article, we suggest you read: