Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) is defined by the American Dance Therapy Association as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote the emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration of individuals. DMT is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational, and forensic settings, and in nursing homes, day care centers, disease prevention, and health promotion programs. The dance/movement therapist focuses on movement behavior as it emerges in the therapeutic relationship. Expressive, communicative, and adaptive behaviors are used for group and individual treatment.”
In my undergraduate experience at Goucher College in the early seventies, I saw films about DMT, knew what I wanted to do with my life, and became a Dance and Psychology major. I had internships with Arlynne Stark, one of the mothers of DMT, in a large psychiatric hospital in Baltimore and was on my way! After completing my undergraduate education, I moved to New York City to live the life of a dancer and study with giants of Modern Dance: Alwin Nikolais, Murray Louis, and Hanya Holm. My next step was to get my Masters in DMT at Hunter College in the early eighties. As a DMT in New York City, I specialized in work with children with autism and other serious psychiatric diagnoses.
After moving to San Francisco, I worked at Herrick Hospital in Berkeley where I was the staff Dance/Movement Therapist for eleven and a half years. After doing post-doctoral work at both La Ventana and New Dawn Eating Disorders Treatment Programs for Eating Disorders, I moved down the coast to be on the staff at Castlewood Treatment at Monarch Cove in Pacific Grove, CA. I served on their staff as Primary Therapist and Activities Coordinator and my work was enriched by the excellent training I received there. I have incorporated Internal Family Systems work which I was trained in by its creator, Dr. Richard Schwartz and other practitioners at Monarch Cove. I find it to be extremely effective applied to work with clients with eating disorders and with trauma. I now serve clients with trauma as well.
I am currently focusing on my private practice in Dance/Movement Therapy in Monterey, CA.