Using Dance Therapy to Heal and Spark Joy
Dance Therapy For Healing—Somatic Therapy San Francisco
Somatic therapy refers to any of a variety of therapies that incorporate the body to help with mental health. Dance therapy is a unique, evidence based form of somatic therapy that has existed since the 1940s. Dance therapy incorporates both movement and verbal therapy to address psychological concerns, be it stress, trauma, depression, etc. In San Francisco. where innovation and wellness overlap, there is a growing interest in dance therapy and all that it can offer.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy is based of the belief that the body holds the effects of trauma and stress. In order to release the psychological trauma and stress the body holds, the therapist uses techniques that incorporate the body. Somatic therapy helps clients regulate their nervous systems. Often clients can be stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn when they have been consistently exposed to traumatic circumstances. Somatic therapy can regulate the nervous system, helping clients feel safe in their bodies often for the first time in years. Since there are many types of somatic therapy, there are many paths to holistic healing; however, the abundance of options can be overwhelming.
What Makes Dance Therapy a Unique Form of Somatic Therapy?
Dance therapy is more than just movement or dance—it's a clinical, therapeutic modality. Dance therapists are trained to analyze movement (and what it means in relation to psychological health) as well as provide therapeutic movement interventions. In training to become a dance therapist we observed body language as well as movement within dance therapy groups and studied psychological illnesses in order to be able to diagnose and treat clients. Dance therapy allows clients to access memories that are based in the body and helps clients access unconscious emotional patterns—and change them—by changing their movement patterns. Best of all, dance therapy helps clients find ways of expressing themselves that don’t rely solely on words.
The Benefits of Dance Therapy for Emotional and Physical Healing
Dance therapy uses music and rhythm to help clients understand and express emotions that words cannot encompass. Since we live in our bodies, the whole of our lives is experienced in our bodies. Dance therapy allows clients to connect with their bodies in a way that is free of judgment and allows for an increase in self-compassion. Dance therapy can help clients foster a sense of body awareness and experience movement that feels freeing. Dance therapy also improves mood and decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression. Dance therapy aligns with clients that are seeking holistic mental health treatment that integrates the mind and body in a joyful, expansive way. Clients can process not only those difficult emotions that they have avoided but all the positive emotions that come when they move.
Who Can Benefit from Dance Therapy?
Many people can benefit from dance therapy because if they can move in any way, they can benefit from dance therapy. Dance therapy has been used in a variety of settings including but not limited to: inpatient psychiatric hospitals, prisons, hospices, wellness centers, schools, and businesses. However, for those looking for somatic therapy in San Francisco, dance therapy is great for:
Individuals dealing with trauma, anxiety, stress, or disconnection from their bodies.
People who struggle to express themselves or have not found healing with traditional talk therapy.
Clients in San Francisco seeking cutting-edge somatic therapy modalities.
Dance Therapy in San Francisco: Why It's Thriving
In a city like San Francisco, with its openness to creativity and wellness-oriented culture, dance therapy is growing in popularity. As a somatic therapy modality is increasingly offered by board certified dance therapists in clinical, corporate, school, and wellness settings.
Part of the reason dance therapy is becoming a common therapy modality is not only for its potential to heal trauma but for the ability to enhance a person’s quality of life. It is one thing to treat psychological symptoms and establish a better baseline for mental health by no longer feeling pain but another to go beyond feeling “ok” and incorporate joy and connection. Dance therapy offers participants a way to connect with themselves and their bodies and also to connect with others. When people move together, they create community and rapport. In summary: movement, music, and socializing are great ways to increase vitality and dance therapy combines all of those elements.
Conclusion
Dance therapy is a powerful, body-centered approach to emotional healing that almost anyone can benefit from. If you are looking to feel better and find sustained joy in your life, please reach out to me at lisa@lisamanca.com. I would love to discuss how this form of somatic therapy San Francisco can benefit you!