How much physical ability is required to engage in dance and movement therapy?

what CAN you move?

The quick answer is that there are no limitations.

The long answer can be summed up by another question… How long is a piece of string? I’m not trying to be frustrating, the open-endedness of this is actually incredibly helpful.  

Please indulge me in two more questions: 

1. How much can you move? 

2. How much do you want to move? 

In a session we will start with your first answer...

If you need to remain seated, we’ll start there.

If you want to lay on the floor and curl into a blanket, we’ll start there.

If you want to shuffle or sway from side to side but can’t or don’t feel like reaching out with your arms, we’ll start there.

In terms of your second answer, you might have an idea of how mobile you have been, before you felt this way. We can explore that, remember it, imagine how it would feel to be that way again, even work towards regaining some of this ability.

Maybe your second answer is along the lines of ‘not much’. Guess what? We will start there and if this answer develops over the session or between sessions then great.

Maybe your second answer is ‘a lot, I want to run and jump and throw things’. We can absolutely do that. We'll use movement to get all the energy out safely and find emotional equilibrium. Then we can work out how to move sensations through the body when they threaten to affect your ability to get through the day easily.

Whatever your answers to the above questions, we will explore the reason why you can/want to move this much. We will find what movements work for you and try to build on them. Whatever your personal limitations, and the reasons for them we will work with your capacity on the day. 

It is important to remember that any movement can help to process negative emotions and assist in feeling better, no matter how small it seems.

Whether your goals are based on increasing physical or mental health, dance is a noncompetitive, creative option. We will work together to unstick whatever is holding you back, or to embrace the capacity you have and make it work for you.