Dance Movement Therapy

What is Dance/Movement Therapy?

Dance/Movement Therapy is the use of dance and movement to support psychosocial well-being. These interventions accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship and setting. Dance/Movement Therapists are master’s level mental health professionals that have completed an approved Dance/Movement Therapy program.

For more information on Dance/Movement Therapy please visit https://www.adta.org

Goals of Dance/Movement Therapy?

At St. Louis Children's Hospital, patients use dance/movement for non-dance/movement goals including but not limited to:

• Increases emotion regulation through body awareness interventions
• Engages in self-expression and explores joy through movement
• Improves body image and self-image through positive connection to the body
• Redefines relationship with the body and movement following diagnosis

• Increases pain management through resourcing the body and somatic-based mindfulness techniques
• Decreases feelings of anxiety and stress through grounding and orienting skills
• Increase self-awareness and emotion awareness through body awareness
• Engage in positive socialization through mirroring and reflection of movement and body language

Who receives Dance/Movement therapy?

• Dance/Movement Therapist work as primary therapists within a treatment team, which include doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, child life specialists, physical, occupational and speech therapists, chaplains, and social workers.
• Dance/Movement Therapist at St Louis Children’s Hospital work with patients ages 3 years old/older, in individual sessions or dyads/small groups (which may include siblings, family members, and/or friends, if relevant to the treatment goals of the patient in the hospital setting).

Meet our Dance/Movement Therapist