Movement
Dance therapy
เต้นบำบัด
A form of psychotherapy that uses movement and dance to support emotional, social, cognitive and physical well-being.
IntensityGentle
Origin
United States
History
Emerged as a field in the 1940s; professional association founded in 1966
Licence in Thailand
Not required
Where it comes from
Dance/movement therapy emerged as a field in the United States in the 1940s. A key pioneer was Marian Chace (1896–1970), a dancer trained at the Denishawn school, who in 1942 was invited to work at St. Elizabeths, a federal psychiatric hospital in Washington, D.C. There she offered what she called 'Dance for Communication', and in 1947 she became the hospital's first full-time dance therapist.
The American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) was founded in 1966 to support the profession and set its standards, with Marian Chace as its first president (1966–1968).
Today, in the United States, dance/movement therapists train at master's level. The entry credential R-DMT is awarded after an approved graduate programme or an alternative route, and the advanced BC-DMT credential allows therapists to supervise others and work in private practice.
The principle
The ADTA defines dance/movement therapy as 'the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual'. It rests on the idea that body and mind are interconnected, so that working with movement can also affect feelings, thoughts and relationships.
It is a form of therapy, not a dance class: the aim is not to learn steps or perform. Therapists use movement together with verbal and non-verbal communication, with individuals, couples, families or groups. Techniques such as mirroring, where the therapist reflects a person's movements, are commonly used.
What people come for
- Expressing feelings that are hard to put into words
- Reconnecting with the body and with others
- Support alongside other care for low mood or anxiety
- Building confidence and social skills
- Exploring movement freely, without needing dance experience
How it works on the body
Dance/movement therapy uses spontaneous or guided movement as a way to explore and express what is happening inside, with the therapist observing and responding.
A session, step by step
- 01
Check-in
The session usually begins with a short conversation or a moment to notice how you feel today.
- 02
Warm-up
Gentle movement, often to music, helps the body and the group settle in.
- 03
Movement exploration
The therapist proposes themes or follows your movements, sometimes mirroring them, to explore feelings or relationships.
- 04
Integration
A quieter phase helps you notice what came up in the body.
- 05
Reflection and closing
Sessions usually end with time to talk about the experience and close calmly.
Precautions
- Dance/movement therapy is a psychotherapy: it can bring up strong emotions. Check that the practitioner has recognised training in dance/movement therapy and in mental health, rather than only dance teaching.
- Tell the therapist about injuries, joint problems, heart or blood pressure conditions, or pregnancy, so movements can be kept gentle and adapted; you can move at your own pace, seated if needed.
- Research shows encouraging but limited results: studies are often small and of variable quality, so it should complement, not replace, medical or psychological care.
- If you are in a mental health crisis or have severe symptoms, seek medical or psychiatric help first.
- Stop or slow down if you feel pain, dizziness or breathlessness.
Complementary practice: does not replace medical advice.
In Thailand
Dance/movement therapy is still uncommon in Thailand. We did not find a Thai licence or official register specific to dance/movement therapists, and some 'dance therapy' sessions may in fact be expressive dance or wellness classes rather than psychotherapy. When choosing a practitioner, it is reasonable to ask whether they hold a recognised qualification (for example the US R-DMT or BC-DMT, or an equivalent from another country) and whether they also have mental-health training.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know how to dance?
No. Dance/movement therapy is not about technique or performance. Any movement, even small or seated, can be part of the session.
Is it the same as a dance class?
No. A dance class teaches steps; dance/movement therapy is a form of psychotherapy led by a trained therapist, focused on emotional and personal goals.
Is it done in groups or individually?
Both. Therapists work with individuals, couples, families and groups, depending on needs.
What does research say?
A 2019 meta-analysis of 41 studies found small but consistent effects of dance movement therapy on depression, anxiety and quality of life, but many studies had methodological weaknesses, so more good-quality research is needed.
Also in Movement
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Sources
- American Dance Therapy Association – What is Dance/Movement Therapy?
- American Dance Therapy Association – About Us (founded 1966)
- American Dance Therapy Association – Marian Chace Biography
- American Dance Therapy Association – Become a Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT, BC-DMT)
- Koch S.C. et al. (2019) – Effects of Dance Movement Therapy and Dance on Health-Related Psychological Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis Update, Frontiers in Psychology 10