General Questions
What is dance/movement therapy?
The American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) defines dance/movement therapy as the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration of the individual.
Dance/movement therapy is:
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Focused on movement behavior as it emerges in the therapeutic relationship. Expressive, communicative, and adaptive behaviors are all considered for group and individual treatment. Body movement, as the core component of dance, simultaneously provides the means of assessment and the mode of intervention for dance/movement therapy.
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Practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational and forensic settings, and in nursing homes, day care centers, disease prevention, health promotion programs and in private practice.
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Effective for individuals with developmental, medical, social, physical and psychological impairments.
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Used with people of all ages, races and ethnic backgrounds in individual, couples, family and group therapy formats.
What do dance/movement therapists do?
Dance/movement therapists focus on helping their clients improve self-esteem and body image, develop effective communication skills and relationships, expand their movement vocabulary, gain insight into patterns of behavior, as well as create new options for coping with problems. Movement is the primary medium dance/movement therapists’ use for observation, assessment, research, therapeutic interaction and interventions. Dance/movement therapists help develop treatment plans and goals, document their work in clinical records and collaborate with professionals from other disciplines.
Where do dance/movement therapists work?
Dance/movement therapists work in a variety of settings including nursing homes, schools, psychiatric, rehabilitation and medical facilities, drug treatment centers, counseling and crisis centers, and wellness and alternative health care centers.
What does a dance/movement therapy session look like?
The extensive range of dance/movement therapy techniques and the needs and abilities of participants allow for a wide variety of movement activities in dance/movement therapy sessions. Dance/movement characteristics, from subtle and ordinary movement behaviors to expressive, improvisational dancing could occur.
To learn more about the ways in which dance/movement therapists work, go to the ADTA YouTube page and Profiles of DMTs.
Becoming a Dance/Movement Therapist FAQs
How can I become a dance/movement therapist?
There are two routes one can pursue to become a dance/movement therapist. View the R-DMT Applicant Handbook for an in-depth guide of requirements.
#1: ADTA Approved Graduate Program
Graduates of approved programs meet all professional requirements for the Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT) credential. Please contact the school directly for application process, requirements, etc.
#2: Alternate Route
The Alternate Route is defined as a Master’s degree with dance/movement therapy training from qualified teachers. Other requirements include movement observation and assessment, psychology coursework, fieldwork, internship, and dance experience.
What degree/credential do dance/movement therapists receive?
The dance/movement therapy credential is awarded at the graduate level. Therefore, a Master’s degree is required. Upon completion of an ADTA Approved Graduate Program or the Alternate Route and acceptance by the Dance/Movement Therapy Certification Board, the Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT) credential is awarded. R-DMT represents attainment of a basic level of competence, signifying both the first level of entry into the profession and the individual’s preparedness for employment as a dance/movement therapist within a clinical and/or educational setting. The Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist (BC-DMT) credential can be obtained after the R-DMT is awarded, with additional requirements and experience. BC-DMT is the advanced level of dance/movement therapy practice, signifying both the second level of competence for the profession and the individual’s preparedness to provide training and supervision in dance/movement therapy, as well as engage in private practice.
What undergraduate degree should I pursue?
At the undergraduate level, there is no specific degree required. However, it is a good idea to have substantial exposure to topics related to both dance and psychology. For specific prerequisites, contact each ADTA Approved Graduate Program.
Where can I find information on how to volunteer/shadow a dance/movement therapist?
Opportunities to volunteer/shadow a dance/movement therapist are limited due to the nature of the work and the need for confidentiality. If you are interested in volunteering/shadowing, contact your region’s Member-at-Large or a local chapter.
What kinds of experience would be helpful for a future dance/movement therapist?
It is strongly encouraged to pursue a broad practice in dance, including a variety of dance styles and techniques, choreography, performance, and teaching. For education, focus on psychology courses and a course in kinesiology and anatomy. Helpful experience would include working or volunteering with people in various human service settings (i.e. summer camps, schools, hospitals, nursing homes).
How long does it take to become a dance/movement therapist?
If attending an ADTA Approved Graduate Program, expect to be in school for two to three years, full-time. For the Alternate Route, the length of time depends on many factors, such as committing full or part-time, location of courses (some travel may be required), when courses are offered, when the individual can attend, etc.
What school would you recommend?
Attending any of the ADTA Approved Graduate Programs provides in-depth knowledge and training from exceptional, experienced, board certified dance/movement therapists. The ADTA suggests contacting and/or visiting the school(s) to help decide if the institution is a good fit.
What does approval of graduate programs mean?
The ADTA approves programs that meet the requirements stated in the ADTA Standards of Education and Clinical Training. Graduates of approved programs meet all educational requirements for the Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT) credential.
Where can I find a list of Alternate Route offerings in my area?
Ongoing Alternate Route course offerings can be found in the Alternate Route Course Calendar and in the Alternate Route Graduate Coursework documents contained on the Alternate Route page. Also, check the Announcements section under the Forum, ADTA on Facebook, and ADTA LinkedIn.
Where can I find information on licensure requirements?
Licensure requirements vary state by state. Contact your state licensing board directly. Find your state’s board on the State Professional Counselor Licensure Board List.
Dance is an symbolized interest and approached therapeutically it can have several certain health related benefits[1]. Dance/movement therapy (DMT), is a type of therapy that uses movement to help individuals achieve emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration. Though it falls under the terms of psychotherapy, it can be beneficial to physiotherapists to treat movement disorders like Parkinson’s. At it’s core, DMT is influenced by:
- Psychodynamic theory
- Gestalt’s theory
- humanistic theory of psychotherapy[2].
DMT offers a way to work through issues that are difficult to articulate or are buried in the unconscious because they are painful, frightening, or simply difficult to access and address through cognitive means. (DMT) is an established profession and defined by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA)[3], as a method to therapeutically to strengthen the emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration of the individual(ADTA,2013; the European Association adds the ‘spiritual integration’to this list; EADMT, 2013).
How does it work?
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Dance interventions aim to aid the patients in achieving greater postural and balance control[4]. DMT is based on the theoretical interdependence between movement and emotion[5].
The psychological and physical improvements can be categorized into five areas[6]:
- nonverbal creative expression for emotional expression;
- total self- and body-awareness and enhanced self-esteem;
- muscular coordination, broader movement capabilities and tension release; and
- enjoyment through relaxation.
Dancing engages extensive areas of the cerebral cortex as well as several deep brain structures. A recent descriptive systematic review demonstrated changes in brain structure following dance intervention. These changes included[1]:
- increased hippocampal and parahippocampal volume (involved in memory),
- increased gray matter volume in the precentral gyrus (involved in motor control) and white matter integrity in the corpus callosum (involved in communication between the two hemispheres).
Dance/movement therapists assess body language, non-verbal behaviors, and emotional expressions. Interventions often include[1]:
- Utilizing “mirroring” (matching/echoing the person’s movements) to illustrate empathy for an individual and validation of his or her experience.
- Incorporating jumping rhythms into a dance with a group of people experiencing depression because research has shown decreased levels of vertical movement in people with depression.
- Making use of a “movement metaphor” to help a person physically demonstrate a therapeutic challenge or achievement (e.g. the therapist gives the person in treatment a white flag prop to help him or her celebrate an emotional surrender).
DMT is increasingly used to treat a variety of behavioral, psychological, and medical conditions to promote insight, integration and well-being, as well as to diminish undesirable symptoms. Studies have shown dance to be important in planning executive decisions.
Dance/movement therapy is a versatile form of therapy founded on the idea that motion and emotion are interconnected. The creative expression of dance therapy can bolster communication skills and inspire dynamic relationships. It is commonly used to treat physical, psychological, cognitive, and social issues such as:
Physical Issues:
Mental Health Issues:
- Anxiety
- Depression[8]
- Eating Disorders[9]
- Poor self-esteem
- Posttraumatic stress[10]
Cognitive Issues:
- Dementia[11]
- Autism[12]
- Communication issues
DMT is conducted by a certified therapist and is known bring positive changes over a wide range of patient population. They adhere to the following theoretical principles[13][14]:
- Body and mind are interconnected so that a change in one impacts the other.
- Movement can express aspects of the personality.
- Part of the therapeutic relationship is communicated through non-verbal means.
- Movements can be symbolic and can represent unconscious material/processes.
- Movement improvisation/experimentation can bring about new ways of being.
They aim to[15]:
- Facilitate life-span development.
- Prevent, diagnose, and treat issues that interfere with healthy functioning.
- Assess, evaluate, and develop treatment goals.
- Implement planned interventions.
- Develop and adjust treatment to continuously meet the needs of the client.
DMT is till an evolving field with many unexplored areas. However, its’s growing influence cannot be denied.
