FAQs about Dance Therapy in San Francisco

 So you have decided to see a dance therapist in dance therapy to improve your mental health.  Maybe you are simply talked out and verbal therapy sounds unappealing . . .or maybe you love dance and would like to work through your anxiety and depression by using movement.  Whatever the case may be, you surely have questions about dance therapy.  Below are some frequently asked questions about dance therapy in San Francisco to help you learn more.

What is dance therapy?

Dance therapy uses the mind-body connection to help improve mental health.  The mind and body connection means that by working with your body you can work with your mind.  Dance therapists also analyze movement to find out more about your psychological health and what movement interventions are appropriate for your symptoms.

Do I need to be a good dancer to do dance therapy?

You, as the client, don’t need to be a dancer in any way to do dance therapy.  If you can move, you can benefit from dance therapy.  For dance therapists, the dance training part of dance therapy is necessary so that they can observe movement and use movement interventions with clients.

Will dance therapy teach me to dance?

In short, no.  Dance therapy doesn’t involve learning a specific type of dance.  It will, however, connect you with your body and your emotions to improve your mental health.  It can also help you learn new coping skills as well, since if you change how you move, you change how you relate to the world. 

Does dance therapy really help with my mental health? How?

Yes!  Dance therapy will help with your mental health.  We store all our experiences and memories in our bodies. By working with the body and using movement, we can access memories that we might not be able to readily talk about. 

Does a dance therapist have training in psychology?

Yes, dance therapists have training in psychology, dance, and analyzing movement for psychological themes.  They have a master’s degree that combines courses in both dance and psychology and become board-certified through the American Dance Therapy Association. Many dance therapists also have a license that allows them to practice in mental health (licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed creative arts therapist, etc).

What does a dance therapy session look like?

A dance therapy session has a beginning, middle, and end.  Usually in the beginning the therapist checks in verbally with the client to find out what mental health themes they might need to explore.  In the middle of the session, the therapist and client explore psychological themes through movement.  At the end of the session, the therapist helps the client verbally process and make meaning from the movement they explored.   

Hopefully this blog helped answer some of the frequently asked questions about dance therapy in San Francisco.  If you are still curious and want to learn more about dance therapy, please feel free to contact me, Lisa Manca, MA, LPCC, BC-DMT, at (415) 212-8780.  Emails are also welcome: lisa@lisamanca.com.