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Promoting kinesthetic empathy with dance/movement therapy: an evidence-informed protocol to support de-escalation
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Promoting kinesthetic empathy with dance/movement therapy: an evidence-informed protocol to support de-escalation

Kathryn Elizabeth Lodwick
Master of Arts (M.A.), Drexel University
May 2018
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/D8PM3Z
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Abstract

Dance therapy Conflict management Muscular sense Psychiatric hospital patients
The purpose of this capstone is to develop and implement an evidence-informed practice protocol that promotes kinesthetic empathy in de-escalation practice in inpatient psychiatric care. The protocol will be developed as a one-hour in-service and be implemented on an inpatient psychiatric unit in an urban university medical center. Foci within the in-service include kinesthetic empathy, self-awareness, non-verbal communication, somatic countertransference, and identification of early warning signs of aggression. Relevant literature and research will be included to help inform the process and guide the protocol formation as well as reflections on participants' experiences of the in-service following its implementation. The literature review includes research studies and theoretical articles examining de-escalation trainings, psychiatric nurses' emotional experiences of patient violence, the effects of burnout on empathy, and dance/movement therapy skills including mirroring, attunement and clashing, and kinesthetic empathy. The protocol was developed to address identified limitations within psychiatric nursing literature, however is also beneficial to other mental health staff. It seeks to support and emphasize body-related aspects of de-escalation practice to bolster staff's body awareness, empathy, and non-verbal cues of both themselves and others. Sections detailing the experience of staff who attended and participated in the in-service experience will be included, highlighting their past experiences of de-escalation and their efforts to improve their process. The method will show how a dance/movement therapy informed supplemental de-escalation in-service can help mental health staff implement kinesthetic empathy into their de-escalation process.

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