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Dance/movement therapy as a holistic health mechanism: regulation of physiological and psychological systems through the use of movement-based mental health practices
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Dance/movement therapy as a holistic health mechanism: regulation of physiological and psychological systems through the use of movement-based mental health practices

Brianna Sarah Dill
Master of Arts (M.A.), Drexel University
Jun 2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001504
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Dill_Brianna_CulmProj_2021300.78 kBDownloadView

Abstract

Dance therapy Movement therapy Holistic Medicine Integrative Medicine
This paper examines where the work of dance/movement therapy (DMT) is situated in the literature on the connections between psychological and physiological health. It begins with an introduction summarizing my interest in this topic. A literature review is presented highlighting the psychological and physiological impacts of movement-based mental health interventions, investigating mind/body connections on a biochemical level through research in DMT, yoga, polyvagal theory, and neuroscience. The culminating project portion of this paper synthesizes the experience of interviewing professionals across various fields and draws out key themes from the process. It includes perspectives from the fields of DMT, naturopathic medicine, and holistic kinesiology and chiropractic care. The overarching consensus amongst all the interviewees was the energetic overlaps between the body and the mind, proposing the integrated nature of these areas from an understanding of the body's electromagnetic field as it pertains to mental and emotional health. Overall, the goal of this project is to develop a holistic picture of the mind/body connection, and a theoretical and research-based understanding of how DMT impacts the conditions of the human health experience as a whole.

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