Movement For Children During Cancer Treatment

We are delighted to propose Dance/ Movement therapy (DMT) as part of your Creative Arts program in order to support well-being during cancer treatment. DMT is provided in group and in individual sessions addressing the psychosocial needs of children with cancer and facilitating greater integration of factors related to coping.

By its nature of integrating body, mind and spirit, DMT offers constructs that promote holistic approaches to cancer care. DMT includes a wide variety of approaches, such as expressive movement, creative dance, role-playing, imagination, storytelling and a blend of structured and improvised movement experiences. Dance therapy helps to develop a nonverbal language that offers information about what is going on in one’s body.

Through movement observation and interaction, the dance/movement therapist meets the child on a primary, nonverbal level, which helps the child to develop body awareness; improving self-concept and self-esteem; reducing stress, anxiety, and depression; decreasing isolation, chronic pain, and body tension; and increasing communication skills and feelings of well-being, a positive self-image.

THEMES

RESEARCH REFERENCES

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Winters,A.F. (2008). Emotion, and mirror neurons in dance/ movement therapy: a connection across disciplines.