Dance Movement Therapy ETDs

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    Supporting Transgender/Gender Diverse Identity Development Through Embodied Exploration of Gender Euphoria, Joy, and Resilience
    (2024-05-01) Cianciotto, Rey
    Transgender/gender diverse identity development is an embodied process that requires the ability to sense one’s inner experience of gender and, usually, explore ways of expressing and embodying that gender that feel authentic to one’s inner experience. Dance/movement therapy provides a unique platform for transgender/gender diverse individuals to explore and express their gender identities in an embodied way, allowing for a deeper understanding of themselves beyond societal expectations. As a strength-based practice, dance/movement therapy can address the needs of transgender/gender diverse people in a way that cultivates positive experiences of living as a transgender/gender diverse person as a counter to narratives of distress and victimization. Dance/movement therapy interventions can provide transgender/gender diverse individuals and groups with opportunities to experience gender affirmation, celebrate their diverse identities, and find strength in the transgender/gender diverse community. Embodied exploration of gender euphoria, joy, and resilience in dance/movement therapy can support a transgender/gender diverse person’s development of a positive self-concept in their individual process of embracing their authentic self. Integrating these themes into a gender affirming dance/movement therapy framework provides a holistic view of transgender/gender diverse experiences and empowers transgender/gender diverse people to live joyful, fulfilling lives.
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    Honoring the Spirit: A Model for Observing, Witnessing, and Celebrating Spirituality and Religion in Dance/Movement Therapy
    (2023-05-01) Brown, Rebekah
    Research has shown that people of color are less likely to seek out therapy for mental health care. Instead, they, specifically members of spiritual Black communities, have relied on turning to leaders in religious communities or spiritual practices. There is a stigma around mental health care amongst Black communities. These stigmas are deeply rooted in the racial disparities in the mental health field and the historical oppression of our spiritual practices or rituals throughout the African diaspora. My intention is to help bridge the gap between religious/spiritual Black communities and mental health care by offering a model for observing, witnessing, and celebrating one's relationship to their religion and/or spirituality. Dance/movement therapy serves as the ideal modality for the integration of spirituality into the therapeutic setting. Given our unique training, dance/movement therapists are able to highlight and interact with spiritual elements on a body level as it arises in movement. In the end, the goal is to create an informed space where individuals can feel seen, on both a physical and spiritual level, while celebrating and honoring their experience. Keywords: spirituality, religion, dance/movement therapy, healing, black communities
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    Divorce and Dance/Movement Therapy: Helping School-Aged Children Find a Sense of Self-Agency
    (2021-08-01) Vouros, Madeleine
    The divorce rate currently sits at 50% for families in the United States. Divorce can and will look different for all families. Children are directly impacted by this event externally as their familial structure is shifts and internally on a body-level. This can cause children to have feelings of shame, neglect, self-doubt, fear of abandonment, embarrassment as well as behavioral issues.Many times, these feelings can go unaddressed and can cause new “challenging” behaviors. Dance/movement therapy is a therapeutic approach that presents tools which are beneficial for school-age children going through divorce. More specifically, using body-based grounding techniques can help school-aged children who are struggling to find a sense of agency.
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    Follow My Lead: Partner Dancing as an Intervention for Couples Therapy
    (2023-08-01) Biswas, Ashmita
    Couples seek therapy for various reasons, including managing or navigating conflict, aggression, and infidelity, separation or divorce issues, and navigating psychological disorders or medical issues. Differences in communication style can also contribute to conflicts in couples, and much of this communication happens on a subconscious, non-verbal level. There are various components of partner dancing like,. This thesis proposes utilizing the elements of partner dance, such as nonverbal communication through the roles of lead and follow, use of music for synchronicity, spatial proximity, gesture and posture as interventions in dance/movement therapy with couples. Dance/movement therapy can help individuals be more aware about themselves, express themselves and communicate with others in an authentic way. Dance/movement therapy has the ability to foster attunement, empathy and social bonding in individuals. Dance/movement therapists may facilitate joy, attunement, empathy, emotional regulation, conflict management, effective communication and intimacy between couples utilizing the framework of partner dancing.
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    Embracing Unity: Reconnecting with the Self in Contemporary Culture through Dance/Movement Therapy Values
    (2023-08-01) Akpinar, Dilara
    This thesis explores the interplay between a sense of wholeness, environmental factors, inner conflict and injuries, and the transformative journey towards rediscovering one's sense of Self on a psyche somatic level. This paper delves into the significance of the Self as a central archetype in the human psyche: the totality of one's consciousness, encompassing both the conscious and unconscious aspects of an individual. By recognizing and confronting the unconscious aspects– of inner conflicts, polarities and perceptions– individuals can start to develop a healthier sense of self, based on self-acceptance and self-compassion. The interconnection between movement through dance/movement therapy values and self-acceptance is profound. Movement and inner-witnessing entails embracing the freedom to move without any judgment, enabling individuals to express their true selves through bodily motions. Within this practice of self-expression and exploration lies the potential for gaining profound insights into one's emotions and thoughts. As individuals learn to observe and embrace their movements without harsh criticism, they naturally foster a sense of self-acceptance that grows within them.