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Dance/movement therapy in the treatment of post traumatic stress: A reference model
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Dance/movement therapy in the treatment of post traumatic stress: A reference model

Rebekka Dieterich-Hartwell
The Arts in psychotherapy, v 54, pp 38-46
Jul 2017

Abstract

Dance/movement therapy Interoception Recovery Trauma Treatment model
•A first stage clinical treatment model for trauma survivors is proposed.•This model is based on recent findings in neuroscience and focuses on the improvement of interoception in trauma survivors.•Included in this model are dance/movement therapy techniques and applications. Given the debilitating effects of psychological trauma, the development of effective treatments is critical. Current treatment trends are increasingly inclusive of body-centered and alternative techniques. Nevertheless, the creative arts therapies (CATs) continue to be underrepresented in the literature in their work with this population. In this paper I focus on the phenomenon of interoception in the recovery process from trauma and present a dance/movement therapy (DMT) application model that is grounded in empirical findings. In three steps, safety, regulating hyperarousal, and attending to interoception, I offer practical suggestions and guidelines for the treatment of trauma survivors in the beginning stage of their recovery. This model is not meant to be exhaustive. Instead, it is hoped that, as it hones in on the basic issues of physical disconnection and lack of interoception in trauma survivors, it might function as an initial building block for a more complete treatment model in the future.

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Web of Science research areas
Psychology, Clinical
Rehabilitation
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