Trauma-Informed Dance/Movement Therapy in the Age of Telehealth

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated an unprecedented shift from in-person therapy to telehealth. Dance/movement therapists, along with other somatic and creative arts therapists faced unique challenges in adapting their work under such unexpected conditions. Much of the inspiration and clinical insight for this chapter comes from therapists who persevered and developed effective therapeutic approaches during the pandemic. Drawing on their own discoveries, dialogues with colleagues, and insights from a series of dance/movement therapy (DMT) peer support groups, the authors introduce telehealth concepts relevant to DMT, emphasizing the importance of a trauma-informed approach. The chapter presents a collection of vignettes to explore both challenges and possibilities of dance/movement teletherapy. Telehealth poses unique considerations for DMT. It necessitates adjustments from in-person work, and is not always a viable option. However, DMT has a great deal to offer to the range of possibilities for serving clients in rich and meaningful ways as remote therapy continues to develop. Working through a trauma-informed lens allows therapists to work more safely and effectively in the context of telehealth with clients whether they have a known trauma history. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)