Keywords: narrative, self, diversity, creative arts modalities, dance theatre, creativity

Page #: 36

Narrative Dance Theatre introduces a creative psychotherapeutic technique developed by the author which incorporates the principles of dance movement therapy, the ideas of self-object experience in self psychology, and the principles of narrative therapy to externalise and re-author an alternate narrative. Narrative Dance Theatre aims to offer insights to diversify the implementation of dance movement therapy with other forms of creative arts modalities and other facilitation styles. It aims to utilise creativity to broaden expressivity, to enrich the embodied healing experience and to create change within a psychotherapeutic setting. Narrative Dance Theatre can also be employed in the creative arena with the integration of psychotherapeutic elements during the creative making process to promote psycho-education and eliminate social stigma around mental health issues.

 

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Keywords
disabilities, special needs, early intervention, group work, attunement, Bartenieff Fundamentalism, families

Emerging from experiences teaching dance to children and offering creative dance to adults with disabilities, came the idea to create a DMT program focussed on early intervention for children experiencing disabilities to share a therapeutic group space with their parents. Focussing on the concepts of attunement in the parent-child bonds, the therapist hopes to create a ‘therapeutic living environment’ for the child, rather than just a one hour per week experience with her. Her activities in the program are discussed as offering experiences intending to; support integration of body movements, social interactions and relational patterns with their parents, raise self-awareness and to develop a healthy relational bonds and emotional boundaries. (pp 37-38)

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