The saying ‘dance like no one is watching’ inspires us to express ourselves without judgment or self-consciousness. And that’s what movement therapy does too – promote self-expression and the flow of movement, while also treating physical, emotional and mental illness.
Tempted to try movement therapy? Here’s everything you need to know:
What is movement therapy all about?
Also known as dance therapy, movement therapy combines creativity with therapy to bring about health and healing. As we all know, every system in our body is connected. And everything in nature is in a constant state of flow, forever moving.
Movement therapy adopts the same philosophy. By moving our bodies – either spontaneously or in a routine of specific sets – we release blockages, discover new ways to communicate our thoughts and feelings, and move closer to self-love.
In this way, movement or dance therapy is the ideal accompaniment to art and music therapy.
How can movement therapy help me?
It doesn’t matter where you’re at in life. Young or old, anyone can use and benefit from movement as a form of therapy. Whether you are experiencing stress, depression or anxiety, an eating disorder, illness or disease, or simply want to improve your physicality for a long life, all you need to do is move!
Today, movement therapy is open to interpretation. Some practitioners combine it with psychotherapy or counselling to move through deep emotions and behaviour patterns. Some people use it with alignment techniques, while some simply turn up the tunes and dance spontaneously in a freeform way.
Movement therapy is yoga. It’s horse riding. It’s even gardening. It’s simply moving in a positive way.
Researchers are even investigating how movement can help victims of stroke or spinal injuries with nerve regeneration and healing.
It’s incredible how movement therapy can help so many people in so many different ways.
How can I try movement therapy?
The best way to experience movement therapy is to simply start moving! You can join a movement therapy class in your local area, look for an expressive dance group such as No Lights No Lycra, or incorporate more movement into your life. Look for activities you love – horse riding may be the ideal movement therapy for one person, while another prefers to walk or do yoga or Pilates.
That’s the beauty of movement therapy – it’s about the way you move.
