It is notoriously difficult to explain what an individual’s movement therapy session might look like since each meeting is tailored to you and what your unique emotional needs are on that particular day! Depending on your individual goals, this work has the potential to help build body awareness, acceptance, or increase comfort and access emotional regulation more efficiently. For some movers this could include breath work, identifying sensations in the body, or experimenting with expressive movement. Sessions may also include the use of metaphor, imagery, or symbolism as ways of embodying any current therapy themes you may be working with.

It is not uncommon for individuals struggling with their relationship to food to feel disconnected from their bodies. This is certainly understandable given that the body, and therefore our nervous system, produces our emotions and patterned reactions to stress and anxiety - which can feel overwhelming. As a result, we may use disordered eating to cope or ‘numb out’ with or without realizing it. However, there can be great empowerment in working with the body instead of against it. Becoming more aware of our bodies and the sensations they produce can actually allow us to re-pattern our responses to certain situations, foods, or people instead of fighting against our automatic responses or habits. The more our sense of embodiment increases, the more our intuition increases which can directly support our intuitive eating work by strengthening hunger/fullness cues, building body neutrality and appreciation, increasing body trust, and decreasing the reliance on external measures such as numbers, diets, or fitness plans.

Very creatively! For many years, DMT was primarily practiced in person. With the rise of telehealth and its popularity due to the accessibility it provides, some therapists are now adapting their work to meet these needs. The biggest difference between conducting DMT in person versus online, is the amount of observation the therapist is able to do. When sharing the same room, both the therapist and participant’s bodies are fully visible in the space. This allows the therapist to fully observe the breath and body movement of the client which may allow them to provide a wider range of therapeutic suggestions or intervention. When conducted over telehealth, our bodies may be less visible to each other which can be both comforting or intimidating! Client and therapist may spend more time over telehealth negotiating how they would like to arrange the space when they meet, and client will have more choice around what elements of their movement are visible to the therapist and when.

This is a perfectly normal response! Since explorative and expressive movement is not super normalized for adults in our society, being nervous or uncomfortable moving your body on camera makes a lot of sense. We also recognize that it can be difficult to be observed in your movement when struggling with body image or body dysmorphia. Since telehealth allows for more client choice around the visibility of their body, bringing these concerns up to your therapist can help them offer you ‘bite sized’ interventions that give you the chance to experiment with how much time you spend on camera. Many movers experiment with being half on or half off screen or turning their camera on and off to practice observing the differences they feel, and the emotions that are evoked.

Providers in the eating disorder field often need to consider the impact of movement on a client’s health and sometimes will recommend movement restrictions out of medical concern. While this is an important factor to consider, since DMT’s focus is not on physical fitness or body modification, it is easily adapted to each individual client’s needs. Many individuals who struggle with disordered eating or body image may find that truly connecting to their body can be a scary ask. This work allows us to practice embodiment and the emotional experiences that come with it at the pace that you need.

That’s ok! While many of us may thing of particular dance techniques or disciplines when we hear the word, DMT simply views dance as movement for the purpose of emotional expression rather than and particular function. The idea of moving our body or connecting to our body this way can be intimidating, but relating to our bodies from a creative, expressive lens is also what can make this work so special.