Thursday, March 22, 2012: 10:45 AM-12:15 PM
Opal One (The Charleston Marriott)
Clinicians will learn how to establish a more empathic bond within the therapeutic relationship using techniques stemming from dance/movement therapy. The focus will be on attuning to and understanding nonverbal nuances as part of the development of a richer treatment style. Teaching methods will include lecture, discussion and experiential exercises
I. Intro/ Overview:
A. Underpinnings of theoretical framework : Healing takes place primarily within the context of relationship
B. Use of Self : our greatest therapeutic tool
C. Therapeutic Alliance : facilitating meaningful experiences within relationship
D. Neurobiology : Importance of establishing empathic bonds within the relationship
E. The Language of the Body : Our most acute means of recognizing our needs and expressing ourselves
II. Theoretical Framework: What is Dance/Movement Therapy
III. Concepts & techniques underlying dance/movement therapy : “thinking” with the “ body mind”
- Rhythmic Synchrony – Getting in rhythm w/ self & others
- Kinesthetic Awareness- Self awareness on a body level
- Kinesthetic Empathy- Using self awareness with others
!V. Experiencing the process
V. Adapting the process
VI. Processing the experience
- Guided journaling ( Cognitive Markers)
- Verbal processing
VII. Closure. Q & A
Clients with eating disorders tend to ignore their bodily-felt experience while engaging in obsessive and repetitive thoughts that keep them moving in circles. This chaotic “dance of self” represents a frequently seen behavioral pattern that underlies eating disorders. Creating a barrier to purposeful movement toward recovery, it blocks the establishment of genuine connection with self and others. Trying to break through this coping pattern to help clients discover their authentic feelings and thoughts is often a frustrating goal for clinicians and clients alike. However, as clinicians are able to encourage their clients to risk experiencing feelings and sensations on a body level, a shift begins to evolve in the therapeutic process. The heightened awareness that comes from accepting and understanding the body’s language allows clients to move into consciousness, examine feelings and thoughts, and self soothe. This new “dance of connection” calls for a different way of “being” with clients as the clinicians' own experience of embodiment, ability to access their own unconscious material, and way of being in their body, plays a meaningful role in the therapeutic process. Essentially, it requires the clinician to step out of the more traditional and technical approach they may be familiar with and incorporate a more embodied presence – the same thing they are wanting for their clients. This workshop presents and explores techniques stemming from dance/movement therapy that will help attendees foster the ability to establish a more empathic bond within the therapeutic relationship using techniques stemming from dance/movement therapy. This bond will help them sense the needs of their clients, increase internal awareness of self on a body level and help clients articulate their discoveries and insights meaningfully. Clinicians will learn how to apply the presented techniques in their own settings, become better attuned to nonverbal nuances and decode of the language of the body, all as part of the development of a richer, more powerful treatment style. Teaching methods will include didactic lecture, collaborative discussion and experiential exercises.
Primary Presenter:
Susan Kleinman, MA, BC-DMT, NCC
Susan Kleinman, MA,BC,DMT,NCC, is dance/movement therapist for residential and outpatient services at The Renfrew Center of Florida. Ms. Kleinman is a trustee of the Marian Chace Foundation, a past president of the American Dance Therapy Association and a past Chair of The National Coalition for Creative Arts Therapies. She is a co- editor of The Renfrew Center Foundation’s Healing Through Relationship Series and a frequent presenter at national and international conferences.She was the recipient of ADTA’s 2009 Outstanding Achievement Award.
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