DMT in the ATL

You have been forced to enter empty time. The desire that drove you has relinquished. There is nothing else to do now but rest And patiently learn to receive th...e self You have forsaken for the race of days. At first your thinking will darken And sadness take over like listless weather. The flow of unwept tears will frighten you. You have traveled too fast over false ground; Now your soul has come to take you back. Take refuge in your senses, open up To all the small miracles you rushed through. Become inclined to watch the way of rain When it falls slow and free. Imitate the habit of twilight, Taking time to open the well of color That fostered the brightness of day. Draw alongside the silence of stone Until its calmness can claim you. Be excessively gentle with yourself. Stay clear of those vexed in spirit. Learn to linger around someone of ease Who feels they have all the time in the world. Gradually, you will return to yourself, Having learned a new respect for your heart And the joy that dwells far within slow time. ~ John O'Donohue, "For One Who Is Exhausted, a Blessing." [Image: Konsta Punkka]

Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT), also called movement psychotherapy, is the psychotherapeutic use of body movements to maintain and improve intellectual, motor, an...d emotional abilities of the body DMT is based on the conception that movement is a language, movement can be communicative and expressive, movement can be both an assessment tool and a primary mode of intervention, and the mind, body, and spirit are interconnected. Furthermore, dance movement therapists can look at a person's movements to assess and intervene, thus enabling it to contribute to the treatment of mental health problems. How is dance therapy different from regular dancing? Most people understand that dancing can be good for their health; it improves cardiovascular endurance, muscle tone, balance, and coordination. Dance can also boost a person's mood, improve his or her body image, and provide an opportunity for fun that may lower overall stress and anxiety. While these elements are certainly beneficial, dance/movement therapy takes therapeutic dance to another level. People in treatment with a qualified dance therapist have the right to confidentiality, and dance therapists provide a safe space for people to express themselves. Movement becomes more than exerciseit becomes a language. People in treatment communicate conscious and unconscious feelings through dance, which allows a therapist to respond in kind. Dance therapists help people work on issues through the use of a movement vocabulary that is centered around physical expression instead of words. Dance/movement therapists assess body language, non-verbal behaviors, and emotional expressions. Treatment interventions are tailored to address the needs of certain populations. Some intervention examples may include: 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 has also been found to have a positive effect on children's cognitive development. Dance can use spirituality, intelligence, spontaneity, and discovery while the body is producing movements, which is a form of art. Dance therapy can create a good environment for cognitive development. Dance/movement therapy can help children with emotional regulation by: Providing a physical outlet for emotional energy: Movement, dance, and body-based interventions are the primary modes of interaction. Physical movements on their own can offer children a chance to exert emotional energy. Dance/movement therapists are uniquely trained to offer movement interventions within a child's scope of tolerance while providing a safe space for them to engage in physical activity. Movement as treatment can also assist children who over-regulate to physically express some of their suppressed emotions. Increasing body awareness: As with repetition in any form, increased practice results in increased skill. Youth who participate in dance/movement therapy learn to use their body through focused intervention on a regular basis. This participation results in increased body control and increased body awareness. This awareness in turn helps children learn to recognize and understand physical signs of distress. Responding to early physical signs of distress is an important part of learning to cope, manage, and regulate emotions. Offering a new way to cope: Not all children are able to sit still and engage in activities like coloring to self-regulate. Many children need to move. Just as creating art, listening to music, and playing video games can help children cope with emotions, so can dance and movement. Through the dance/movement therapy process, children not only get to move around and increase body-based self-awareness, but they also learn to use movement and dance to cope. Children may practice movement-based coping strategies in session with the therapist and learn through experience how dance and movement can help improve emotional well-being. Alternative to talk-based processing: An expressive arts therapy, dance/movement therapy uses movement as a tool for processing feelings, events, and experiences. In session, movement is the primary avenue for children to create and re-experience, directly or indirectly, through metaphor and play. Dance/movement therapists can assist children in expressing traumatic experiences, challenging social circumstances, and reliving those experiences through a strength-based, movement lens. Children interact and experience the world through movement and physical engagement. They tend to express their fears, frustrations, joys, and challenges through their bodies. Some children struggle to manage their emotional experiences. Others may suppress their emotions and withdraw. Dance/movement therapy can be of benefit in both situations. This clinical medium for movement-based processing and coping can help children work toward independent emotional regulation. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10465-016-9235-z www.openaccesslibrary.org//XEW191_Asmita_Vilas_Balgaonkar. https://www.goodtherapy.org//how-dance-movement-therapy-ca https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.010 https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-//dance-movement-therapy #neurochild #dance #therapy #mindbodyconnection

A friend just sent me this. Its useful and seems spot on. We know the human animal body is meant to connect directly with other human animal bodies. There is no... substitute for nervous system to nervous system, brain to brain, heart to heart, flesh to flesh, bone to bone: I don’t care how much familiarity you had with video conferencing pre-quarantine, I guarantee there’s some aspect of your life that you were showing up for in 3 dimensions that you are now figuring out how to show up for virtually. I want to validate the cognitive dissonance that is created by the phenomenon of being together-but-not-really-together. It’s confusing and tiring. In fact, by creating an illusion of normalcy, virtual connecting might end up highlighting how very much we have lost. I want to share something I read on Twitter by Gianpiero Petriglieri that captures this so well: ’ . ’ ’ . ’ . . ’ ’ , ’ , ’ . , , , . ’ . . There’s no solution, really. Just acknowledgement. Thank goodness for the technology that allows us to stay in school, see our therapists, and connect with people who meant the world to us. But let’s extend ourselves the utmost kindness when we feel drained instead of passionate, sad instead invigorated. And let’s extend that kindness to each other too. Wishing you a path of gentleness today. By Dr. Alexandra Solomon

Dear friends- Andrea Isabel Mindreau is an amazing DMT dedicated to providing services for children affected by violence in the Sacred Valley of Perú. Please consider supporting this important cause which is close to my heart. https://www.gofundme.com/f/children-of-the-rainbow-dance-mo

https://www.elephantjournal.com//ive-retired-from-the-goo/

https://www.facebook.com/193511797522369/posts/1331541453719392/?d=n

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrXlf0SnklZ/?igshid=r3gzdrwlv0lw