Expressive and Creative Arts Psychotherapy

I am a qualified dance/movement psychotherapist and believe in working with the body and mind as a whole utilising the body’s wisdom within the therapy space. The most recent studies in trauma work have provided clear evidence that our experiences are stored within our body and that engaging in both non-verbal somatic and creative work alongside verbal processing work produces more positive outcomes from therapy than talking therapies do alone. Expressive Therapies is widely recognised as a safe, effective and evidenced based way to do this for all ages who have experienced trauma, mental health concerns and relational challenges or just want to deepen their understanding of themselves, relationships and coping strategies or find themselves struggling in an area of life and would like some support to work through this.

 Dance Movement Psychotherapy is defined by the Association of Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK (ADMPUK) as;

“Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP) recognises body movement as an implicit instrument of communication and expression. DMP is a relational process in which client(s) and therapist engage creatively using body movement and dance, as well as verbal and non-verbal reflection.

Dance Movement Psychotherapists offer embodied interventions that take into account the client’s lived experience in the context of the social system they live in, how they experience living in their body and relationship to their body, how they think about themselves and their relationships, as well as emotional responses that may be hard to put into words. Each Dance Movement Psychotherapist’s approach will be individual and underpinned by their own education and philosophical stance, but at the heart of this is the intrinsic belief in the inter-relationship between psyche, soma, and spirit.

When used in a psychotherapeutic context, dance movement is utilised for a range of neurological, psychological, relationship, and social problems. It also provides opportunities for people who wish to develop their own creative potential.” (ADMPUK website, what is DMP https://admp.org.uk/what-is-dance-movement-psychotherapy/)

Sessions including expressive therapy can utilise music, movement, rhythm, play and art creation to support you to reach set therapy goals as an individual (adult or child), couple, family or parent-child dyad. Sessions are client led and scaffolded by the therapist and you are never engaged in something you are uncomfortable with. Dance/movement psychotherapy requires no prior dance or movement experience to engage in, it is about the story in your body and not about ‘moves’ or ‘hitting shapes’. I pride myself in walking and dancing alongside you in your journey to support you to reach your goals as a family, couple, parent-child dyad or individual.

Dance/Movement psychotherapy falls under the umbrella of creative arts therapies or expressive therapies and is recognised as an Allied Health Profession under the Arts therapies category as well as a specialised form of counselling/psychotherapy