Understanding Movement Therapy: The Science of Healing Through Movement
Movement therapy (or Movement-based therapy) encompasses a breadth of mind-body activities that promote wellness in diverse populations across psychopathology. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials, dance exercises with vigorous intensity demonstrated a large effect size and reductions in depression symptoms as compared to walking, jogging, and aerobic exercises (Noetel et al., 2024).
Formerly popularized by dance educator Marian Chace in the 1940s, dance/movement therapy (DMT) has a long history of therapeutic practice that predates the movement therapy landscape of today. Movement therapies can be traced back to 200 BCE in Eastern traditions and Indigenous ceremonial rites. For example, yoga is a spiritual practice commonly explored in movement therapies that originates from early Indian civilizations. “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj,” which means “to unite.” Movement therapies promote the union of the body and mind.
What are the distinctions between movement therapy and art therapy?
The differences between DMT, art therapy, and therapeutic arts are nuanced. DMT and art therapy typically require the completion of a course sequence and certifications to practice in clinical settings, whereas therapeutic arts can ideally be taught by paraprofessionals. DMT is defined as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual, for the purpose of improving health and well-being" (ADTA, 2020). Although not mutually exclusive, DMT and therapeutic arts that integrate physical movements fit within the domain of movement therapies.
What are the clinical implications of movement therapy?
Movement therapy is a powerful tool for promoting psychological well-being. Rigorous studies in the field of neuro-arts have examined the benefits of dance in lowering the risk of dementia and depression (Verghes et al., 2003). Dance integrates interconnected brain regions involved in learning and focus, resulting in multidimensional benefits that extend across cognitive and psychological domains. Neuroimaging studies confirm that the art of dance has been clinically proven to activate multiple brain systems (i.e., cerebellum, occipital lobe, frontal lobe) and neural circuits associated with the motor cortex. The motor cortex synchronizes areas of the body involved in coordination and voluntary movement. There is cognitive load in completing tasks involved in dance movements, such as learning a new routine and coordinating one's body motion with the timing of the music. Attention, planning, memory, and bodily attunement are select skills that dance promotes and can be leveraged in clinical settings.
What are the other benefits of dance in movement therapy?
Social dancing has been shown to improve holistic wellness across the lifespan. This activity fosters wellness and interpersonal connection, as highlighted by research on the multidimensional impact of dance. A cross-sectional study of 81 college-aged women who regularly attended dance classes found increases in mindfulness and life satisfaction (Muro & Artero, 2016). A meta-analysis of 19 studies found that adults who regularly engage in communal dance experiences reported increased quality of life and social engagement (Sheppa & Broughton, 2020). Dance is a therapeutic and scientifically grounded approach to promote interpersonal connection among children, youth, and older adults with diverse clinical presentations.