Is Dance/Movement Therapy Relevant to the Process of Achieving a Healthy Sexuality?

Abstract

Emotional resonance and empathy are the tools of body-based ways of knowing, central to fostering healthy sexuality. As dance/movement therapists strive to provide their clients with comfortable challenges while holding a nonjudgmental attitude, it is useful to keep in mind certain identified techniques which are designed to develop healthy sexuality. The activities described can be used with groups and individuals. They include here-and-now exercises, guided imagery, assertiveness training, sensory integration activities, and other experiential elements relevant to the development of body image and self esteem.

Breaking Free: One Adolescent Woman’s Recovery from Dating Violence Through Creative Dance

“…Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is repeatedly and successfully employed with rape victims (Chang & Leventhal, 2008). Adolescent women need to re-establish body-based agency after they have experienced direct bodily violence (Springer, 1997) and creative dance offers a path to this without having to discuss the problem at the outset (Kierr, 2011). The creative movement group process is ideal when working with victims of sexual abuse as it reduces the characteristic social isolation of victimized girls (Chang & Leventhal, 2008); provides body-based agency through kinaesthetic empathy with others (Koch, 2008); and facilitates spontaneity and unity while maintaining identity (Margolin, 2014;Mills & Daniluk, 2002).…”

“…I respected Shirley's decision and recognized the trust she imparted by disclosing this knowledge. From a feminist clinical perspective, it was important I showed her that I believed in her capacity to choose her own direction (as discussed in Kierr, 2011). However, I found myself thinking about Shirley's safety throughout the rest of the project.…”

Gender Differences in Contraceptive Self-Efficacy: A Cross-Sectional Study of South Korean College Students

“…The World Health Organization notes that "sexual health requires a positive approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence" [1]. The perception of healthy or harmful sexual experiences should be examined from the perspective of different genders and the cultural context where individuals live [2].…”

Examination of Body Composition, Flexibility, Balance, and Concentration Related to Dance Exercise

“…In addition to the use of dance as a tool that will help individuals explain themselves; benefits of dance in the human body as a sportive tool have been investigated by many studies (Adame et al, 1991;Hui et al, 2009). Dance, a multidimensional experience, involving emotional, physical, spiritual and social elements (Murciaa et al, 2010) can raise perceived levels of physical and mental well-being and social contact (Kierr, 2011) including among those diagnosed with depression and anxiety (Payne and Stott, 2010). Dance has such physical restrictions as muscle mass, joint structure, size, weight, flexibility and place (Stevens et al, 2000).…”