Why It Is Important To Consider Culture and Identity When Choosing A Dance Therapist
Somatic Therapy San Francisco
As someone practicing somatic therapy in San Francisco, specifically dance therapy, I am a big fan of using somatic approaches for psychological healing. However, in these times where DEI is coming under attack, it is particularly important to address concerns clients might have about culture, ethnicity, and identity within therapy. Dance therapy is no exception. and this blog discusses how to find out if a therapist is a good fit for you. . .whatever Identity (or identities) you hold and challenges you are facing.
In your quest to find a therapist, how a therapist approaches different cultures is important, especially if those cultures or identities are really important to you or present a significant part of the reason you came to therapy. We all have different identities and how we examine those identities and beliefs about identity and cultural identity is extremely important as a therapist. It is my job as a therapist to make the client feel as seen as possible and by not acknowledging what is present in the room, I may harm my client. As a therapist, I may not be able to know everything about every culture or identity but how I address or don’t address the power or privilege that I have in regard to different identities makes a huge difference to my client.
Questions To Make Sure the Dance Therapist You Choose Is a Good Fit (Culturally and otherwise)
1) What is your experience working with my country or of my ethnicity (or religious background, sexual orientation, or other identity?)
This basic question will help you vet your therapist’s previous experiences and how the therapist answers will let you know if you feel comfortable (both with their experience and how transparent they are about their experience).
2) Have you taken any types of dance or movement from my particular culture or ethnicity? How familiar are you with these kinds of movement?
Dance therapists may have blindspots when it comes to both movement observation and interpretation (Caldwell, 2013) and their own movement preferences, just as verbal therapists have blindspots when it comes to talk therapy (Nichols, 2019). It can help to know what movement and dance experience your potential therapist has when deciding whether to move forward with that particular therapist.
3) How comfortable are you receiving feedback from me as your client regarding any misconceptions you may have?
This question lets you know how a therapist approaches potentially being wrong or having their view challenged. It is important to know that a therapist will respond with minimal defensiveness when a client brings something to their attention as a blindspot. Also, is the therapist willing to educate themselves to better serve clients in the future?
4) What role do you think culture, ethnicity, and identity play in therapy?
The way a potential therapist answers this question will shed a great deal of light on their views. Hopefully the dance therapist answers this question in such a way that you feel reassured about their approach to clients.
5) If there is a part of my culture or identity that you don’t understand, what would you do to educate yourself?
The answer to this question lets you know if a therapist is willing to do work outside of the session to make therapy a more comfortable place for you.
Dance therapy can be profoundly healing and if you are seeking a dance therapist, know that there are plenty out there! I hope these questions will help you when choosing a dance therapist and if you need any help in finding the right therapist for you, please contact me at lisa@lisamanca.com. I am happy to provide resources or help you connect to the therapist that will serve you best.
References:
American Dance Therapy Association (adta.org)
Caldwell, Christine. (2013). Diversity Issues in Movement Observation and Assessment. American Journal of Dance Therapy. 35. 10.1007/s10465-013-9159-9.
Nichols, Ebony, "Moving Blind Spots: Cultural Bias in the Movement Repertoire of Dance/Movement Therapists" (2019). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 150. https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/150