What is dance/movement therapy, and how can it be an effective therapy for children with ASD?
What is Dance/movement therapy (DMT)?
According to the American Dance Therapy Association,
Dance/movement therapy is:
“The psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual, for the purpose of improving health and well-being. DMT as an embodied, movement-based approach is often difficult to describe, as it is necessary to actively engage in the process to get a true sense of what it is.”
Uses of Movement:
Movement is our first language, and it can be functional, communicative, expressive, and developmental. In DMT, movement can be used as one tool to assess clients, plan interventions, and engage the body in mental health counseling. DMT began through the use of dance as psychotherapy, and is based on the idea that the mind will reflect changes in the body, and vice versa. Dance/movement therapists are trained to utilize movement as another form of communication, which makes it an ideal therapy for individuals who are nonverbal.
Movement Interventions:
Movement interventions can help target many common challenges related to ASD such as:
Body awareness/boundaries
Self-expression
Coping skills
Nonverbal communication
Self-regulation
Individualized goals and interventions
Attunement
Grounding
Movement Profile:
When a movement therapist builds a movement profile for an individual, they are then able to develop interventions that are tailored to that individual. Below is an example of a child's movement profile who demonstrated impulsivity, aggressive behaviors, and limited attention span:
Below is an example of some interventions to target their challenging behaviors based on their movement profile:
These interventions can be utilized during movement sessions to help target these specific challenges. When a therapist utilizes an individualized plan, they are able to effectively support that individual. Additionally, dance/movement therapists can share therapeutic interventions and observations with the treatment team.
If you would like to learn more about Dance/movement therapy, please contact me or check out ADTA.org for more information!
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