Understanding Dance Therapy

During a continuing education workshop, Élysa Côté-Séguin, a psychologist and doctor in psychology, presented the numerous benefits of dance therapy for mental health.

What is dance therapy?

Dance therapy is a form of therapy that uses body movement as its main tool to foster self-expression and psychological well-being. It helps participants reconnect with their bodies, release blocked emotions, and explore unconscious dynamics. Unlike simple physical activity, dance therapy offers a space where the body and mind interact. This connection facilitates better emotional, physical, cognitive, and social integration.

A structured method

Dance therapy in a group process follows a four-step structure:

1. Warm-up: Gentle, progressive movements that help participants connect with their bodies and their environment.
2. Release: Through more intense movements, the goal is to release held emotions and open up a space for expression.
3. Development: This stage is dedicated to further exploration of the themes at play, expanding the body’s movement repertoire, and verbalizing emotions.
4. Centering: A calm moment to integrate and assimilate the experiences lived during the session.

The participants in the training had the opportunity to experience a short session of dance therapy and feel the impact of movement on emotional management and body expression.

Concrete applications and tangible results

Élysa Côté-Séguin shared examples of cases where dance therapy showed significant results:

• Eating disorders: In her doctoral thesis, she demonstrated the beneficial effects of group dance therapy on anxiety and interoception (the ability to sense internal bodily sensations) in adolescent girls hospitalized for eating disorders.
• Children in social precarity: She also worked with young people to develop their social skills and improve their emotional regulation by creating spaces for bodily expression.

Ultimately, dance therapy has proven to be a powerful tool for strengthening self-esteem, promoting group cohesion, and improving emotional management.