She had a client who were severely depressed. The client could not speak at all and could barely move. After experienced of some movement, she was able to experience joy in the movement which surprises me that the severely depressed client eventually felt joy by practicing the movements. That is a great progress of her and the proof of the dance therapy actually can ease/help people’s depression.
The illness of depression is one that many individuals face, yet most go untreated. I think dance therapy could genuinely help so many more people if individuals knew about it. "The client experiences themself as seen and accepted" Too many people need to feel this way, but videos like this are helping get the word out so individuals can seek help in a form that works best for them.
I absolutely love this talk so much. The depth of her words were so powerful. Encouraging someone to choose their own life could go so far for someone who has absolutely no one. I like how instead of privileging words, they prioritize movement and emotions to guide the therapy talks. I love the idea of helping each other go through struggles. Finding a purpose to live by living for someone else, is a very touching and motivational technique.
The overall point she makes is that movement awakens us. Depressed people often times can’t verbally communicate what their feeling and become silent. So having a non verbal way to communicate is important for recovery and using the body to move helps to reconnect the mind and body. The most interesting part of this video is when she talks about the exercise with the talker and the mover. I found it interesting how in this exercise it helps to have someone else express an issue their having and do the work that their unable to do, and for the mover, having compassion for the other person helps them have compassion for themselves that their unable to do on their own. It just proves how connecting with others non verbally plays such an important role in our society and how impactful it is to have compassion for each other.
I like the way that she states that they don't privilege words but instead look to the emotions and memories stored inside their bodies. I think that especially for people who deal with depression and mental illnesses, this is a safer option for them to delve into and express those thoughts and emotions that they may be dealing with.
This is a wonderful presentation that really defines the struggles, both physical and emotional, that people with depression may face. Ms. Wittig presents her clients as well as the audience with the importance that moving for oneself and for others can have. Dance really is communication, and it is through this communication that people can express themselves and seek the help they have been needing.
"A depressed person moves for another, and in that, she discovers compassion for herself" This quote really resonated with me- the thought that depression is loneliness, stuck internally thinking, and moving to give the talker something to talk about is a beautiful way for them to connect to another person, and on some level feel understood while better understanding themselves.
I fully agree with what you said. Depression has a way of stripping away the world and trapping you in an isolated bubble. The exercise mentioned with the mover and the talker is a really interesting way to bring the world back in and open a person back up to what's going on around them. At least from my experience, really severe episodes can leave you unable to want to, or be able to, take care of yourself in even the smallest ways (personal cares for example). At the same time, seeing that pain held in someone else can spark the desire to help, to take action, to interact with the external. I think that it is really amazing dance/movement therapists have thought of and implemented a technique that draws on this unique strength.
I completely agree with that statement. Being able to connect with someone only through movement is so powerful for the one who is lonely. Being able to feel that connection i believe is so useful in being able to then understand themselves more.
The comment "As soon as one begins to move, one begins to make the transition to aliveness" is so powerful. It connects the idea that nonverbal communications and movements deeply relates with those feelings of loneliness. And that movement is a great way to access these emotions and help others understand those feelings as well.
The idea that a depressed person moves for another and finds compassion for theirself is such a powerful concept. The sense of nonverbal unity that can be gained through Dance/Movement Therapy is so unique and deep that I find it difficult to think of any other field that could replicate nonverbal unity to the same degree.
I think it's interesting how people with depression can have no problems helping others, but when it comes to themselves, they have more struggles. This exercise with a talker and a mover seemed like a really cool way to introduce new connections and help each other.
This presentation has helped to further depict the idea that there is a large part of yourself that is ignored in society when we rely on the brain. The example used of the women who had transferred from verbal therapy to DMT is a fantastic example of that there is an entirely separate mode of communication via the body that many of us are ignoring the use of.
This speech is so powerful as it talks about how dance/movement therapy can help people with a variety of mental health struggles or disorders. The beginning, where she spoke about suicide emphasized the importance of dance/movement therapy for someone struggling with depression. For someone with depression, it is often very difficult to speak on or explain how they're feeling through words, so by creating an environment where someone feels safe and heard, they are able to feel more comfortable and feel joy.
I like the "self to other" interpretation when discussing the relationship between the client and the dance therapist. I love her movement as she speaks almost as if she is conducting a DMT session. Very captivating and powerful.
I did not realize the power that simple and everyday movements, when done together, can create a sense of community and support. When Wittig explained what her group did I had a clear image of what types of movements they must have done. They were depicting their struggle as a group, but by moving together and overcoming their obstacles as a community I could see why simple movements can relieve and even help people overcome their depression.
I love how she really focuses on how movement is pivotal in actually making a person come alive and get out of their own swirling thoughts. The clients have to reveal themselves to the DMT therapist and it is the therapists job to work with what was revealed to them; this is a special responsibility. They are ultimately revealing and bridging the gaps between the conscious and unconscious mind. I also thought it was so cool to hear that through representing another person's movement and emotions, we can find compassion for ourselves.
It seems to me that a Dance Movement Therapist is a very special unique person. They must have fully developed the logical/verbal and the intuitive/non-verbal aspects of personality in themselves, in order to be able to do this work.
The idea that movement can be almost a distraction from the negative thoughts while also revealing parts of a person that have been hidden is powerful.
In this video there was aspects of nonverbal communication from the mirror neurons that where used in there sections. Because someone els was making the movement that they where explaining they where able to feel less alone and more empathized. I thought it was so interesting that the patient was saying that she didn't think she was done with therapy but she just didn't have anything els to say. That is exactly one of the reasons that i have interpreted from all this videos of what dance therapy is so important
Joan talks about the importance of movement and how movement awakens us. Movement creates a feeling of revealing one's self and self awareness. In this video Joan links nonverbal communication by talking about weight, lightness, space, and sensation. This is linked to Laban's Efforts of how we cope with external reality. I found it interesting how movement is an essential part to build relationships and communicate. With lack of movement there is a sign of depression. I really enjoyed how Joan mentioned how movement builds a connection with someone else and how it builds compassion for themselves. Movements nonverbal communication creates a sense sympathy/empathy towards others.
Joan Wittig worked with depressed patients and these patients exhibits nonverbal communication by not being themselves. As Joan said, they feel alone, withdrawn, and internally focused. They feel extreme sadness and because of this, they do not talk much. As a therapist, she lets them move freely and however they want so that she can be able to examine their feelings and emotions. She further states that by doing this it allows wisdom and memory to let the emotion get accessed. Joan also copies her patient’s movement to let them know that they are not alone; that she is there to help and connect with them. This mirroring allows sparks of help and relationship. It allows the patient to be seen, accepted, and no longer alone. Through this dance therapy, it enables her patient to feel joy in the movement and sense of aliveness. In her story of movers and talker, her goal was to let the talker know that someone is there for them and that movers can do the work for the talker and allows the talker to understand that they are not alone. What is interesting about this video is that fact that she was able to make them feel happy despite feeling extreme sadness. Through movement, she made it happen that the patient was able to discover their own self and feel a connection with another human being and most importantly to choose life.
This spoke to me quite poignantly. Sometimes, when I feel I can not speak, my movement shows me where to go, how to go. I am so grateful for dance/movement therapy and for the efforts of this association.
I totally agree with this! Movement is speaking without using your words, and it heals too. It can say a lot about ourselves without us even recognizing it.
I love this comment. It perfectly sums up DMT in a couple sentences. I find it interesting too that sometimes when I can't find the words that I want to say, that I can make movements or motions that can get my point across or help me say what I want. I have never attended a dance/movement therapy session. But after seeing all the good it can do, it would be a great experience to sit in or experience a session.
The way that she describes how the movement is aligned with progress is amazing. When the movement starts, so does the healing process. Her description of how movement connects to the feeling of being alive is a very interesting and very real idea that I can understand much easier. Movement and thought connect to bring a person out of the withdrawn state that depression often puts them in.
The idea that movement awakens us from our thoughts is super powerful. I think this is something not talked about or thought about often enough. I like that this can help someone with depression.
Joan Wittig explains in this video how dance/movement therapy can help individuals who suffer from depression. It isn't something that they can do alone, they need another person there to whom they can reveal themselves to and embody their deepest emotions through movement. She spoke about a client who was going to therapy but no longer had anything to say. She didn't have the words, however, nonverbally she expressed her feelings through movement. I thought it was interesting when Joan said we are able to help ourselves by helping someone else. I believe that this is true because I feel joy when I am able to help someone else or give them advice.
The movement that inpatient is making can awake their inner soul. It activates the liveness inside of every person. I have experience the same thing as our professor asked us to dance and move with her. Right away, after the class, students are smile to each other and interacting with each other. We are accessing to each other because during the process we share out body movement in the situation.
Joan did a great job of explaining how movement can awaken the life in a person who is stuck in a dark dead place. DMT helps these patients access the life inside them and express that outwardly. I thought it was very interesting that the therapist witnesses the patients movement and writes down what the movement communicates to them. The origins of the persons emotion can be discovered by watching them move.
I found it interesting that the DMT therapist writes down the movements of the patients as well. To me, if someone started writing and taking notes on my movement then I would not be as free and open with my movements. So I find it interesting that the DMT therapist is able to create such a free and open environment that they are able to do that. And just to add to your point that the origins of the persons emotions can be discovered by watching them move, these movements are also innate in everyone!
Using human connections and non verbal communication to help depression and mental illness is fantastic because many people with mental health issues feel withdrawn and isolated and so it helps them be more expressive. I really enjoy this talk and can sense Wittig's passion for what she does.
I appreciate you pointing out how her practice gets at the root of one of the challenges of depression, being isolation. DMT also seems wonderful because it utilizes another treatment for depression - movement, and is flexible with type of movement such that people suffering from fatigue can participate, or take on a talker role.
"Moving makes the transition to aliveness." I can relate to this statement. I never feel as alive as I do when I am moving. Encouraging that movement allows clients to feel freeing joy, while also releasing a lot of those pent up memories and emotions. Movement helps clients to get to the origin of confusing feelings. I really enjoyed the story of the woman who transitioned from 2 dimensional movement to 3 dimensional movement, and then experienced joy.
sorry to be so offtopic but does anyone know a trick to log back into an Instagram account..? I was stupid lost my login password. I love any assistance you can give me.
This video was amazing! I loved her analogy of the woman doing origami and how she started flat and lifeless, but as she added more folds (aka movements), she became more 3 demential. I also liked the activities that resonated with the clients, like the mover/talker one. witnessing someone else do their work for them allowed for individuals to find compassion for themselves because to care for someone else means they are one step closer to loving themselves. Dance/movement therapists infinite patients struggling with depression to choose life through their movements that will then transfer to their everyday life decisions to consciously live an abundant life. Overall, great video!!
As someone who has struggled with depression and made great strides in understanding its tendencies within myself, I wish I would have been able to have an experience like this earlier in my life! The mind-body connection is so apparent here, with movement=aliveness, and depression being the lack of feeling that at all, and being so stuck in the mind. Great explanation, thank you.
"The work begins as soon as the movement begins." I really like this quote because it explains that when someone is looking for help and improvement in therapy, dance/movement will be the initial opening for their emotions and feelings to be conveyed without words. This can be extremely therapeutic because many people struggle to use their words in therapy, so dancing and moving allows them to communicate in a different way. The quote is also inspiring because it demonstrates that getting to move in order to communicate in therapy beings the journey back to wellness.
As the speaker states in the beginning of this video the clients who suffer from depression are often withdrawn and internal. In this way when they come into the session they lack a repertoire of nonverbal expression. The way this in turn relates back to nonverbal communication is that the goal of these sessions is to open up the resource of movement to these clients. The speaker states that "movement leads to memories [and] emotions that are held in the body." She describes these feelings as "the material that brings people to therapy in the first place." Reflecting on these two statements this video relates to nonverbal comm because the goal of these sessions is to allow the clients to express their feelings non-verbally and kind of dredge them out of where they are lodged. The goal of this bringing forth of emotions is that hopefully when they are expressed they can finally be let go.
I love the continued idea throughout the practice of DMT that you start where the clients is at. In this case, when they are at their worst the therapist is willing to accommodate to them and start whenever they are at. DMT is meant to be a very safe space with little pressure but encourages to engage in the movement and take that step towards starting the healing process.
This amazing woman talked about how movement can reveal our innermost thoughts and feelings. Being depressed can make a person who used to be full of life become sunken. Depression makes the victims feel empty, lifeless. They may find their life is meaningless or feel like they are useless. Through Dance/Movement therapy, these feelings can be fixed even though it may take a lot of time and patience. It's amazing how movements can help someone to find their way out of the agony state they are stuck in. Kudos to all Dance/Movement Therapists!
I can feel Wittig's passion for her career through this talk. It was very moving and had a powerful message. I liked how she used human connection as a way to help her client's depression. We all naturally seek connections with others and thrive off of each other. Dance movement therapy can definitely use this fact as a way to heal.
I appreciate this about the talk too. I hadn't thought much about how dance/movement therapy provides connection and how important that can be in a therapeutic process, but this talk illustrated that aspect and importance.
I enjoyed listening to her talk about making her clients feel as if they are accepted and encouraged through dance therapy. It is interesting to see how much of an impact movement therapy can have not only physically, but also through the mind and personality. Her client felt joy and was able to learn that she is able to do beyond what she thought she could do.
It's amazing how conscious movement can change our thoughts and feelings by helping us access and work through our deeply held memories and traumas. In this video, she talks about how moving with a client helps the client to understand they are seen and accepted, and later, that moving for someone else can help a depressed person start to care about themself. When we move or interact with another person, our mirror neurons are activated, which helps activate compassion for both other people and for ourselves.
As someone who has severe depression and goes to therapy, I really resonated with this talk. Wittig discusses a patient who has gone to therapy and has depression but simply doesn't have anything to say. She goes to dance therapy which helps her find her voice again but without talking. With depression it is hard to find reasons to live for yourself, but what helps me stay positive and have hope is to make sure my loved ones are happy. Using dance therapy sounds like fun and I might look into it.
I enjoyed listening to how moving with clients helps them to find that spark of health in them that is alive, and wants to stay alive. The speaker mentioned how DMT is an integration of movement, sensation, and emotion which can be a unique and efficient way to connect with individuals suffering from depression.
I agree! I think it's also interesting how the client had been in talk therapy for over a decade and finally just didn't have anything else to say but was able to find things to say with her body that connected to her in a way that talk therapy couldn't
I loved the beginning when she talks about the metaphor of suicide or homicide; and then describes it as choosing yourself. DMT, I think is a good way to help yourself and choose yourself. I strongly agree when she says that movement awakens you and finds the place in you that is alive and wants to stay alive.
I'm glad that you mentioned your opinion about that. I was originally super on the fence when I heard her say that because I know some people might interpret "choosing homicide" as being it is okay to harm others. I appreciate that she clarifies it as meaning "choose life. Choose your life." That is such a powerful statement. Instead of just existing in the world, you take the active role of choosing to live in it. Depression, especially a severe episode, can make someone feel backed into a corner of suicide. D/MT provides a readily accessible and tangible option for learning to see and take action towards the contrary.
I also liked this metaphor because it can help anyone learn to choose themselves and put their own self first in life. With DMT, Wittig mentioned (and I agree) that dance and movement can help a person learn to love themselves through their bodily expression.
The use of movement and dance to ground oneself in physical, sensory experience and raise awareness of the external is valuable to those experiencing mental illness and others alike.
The bridging technique is fascinating to me. Being able to see how you feel helps take the emotional feeling and changes it to a physical feeling that allows the person to connect with someone else that is depressed or upset. This technique seems like it would do a great job with connecting in groups and allowing people who are depressed to know that they are not alone.
Movement for people with depression is very important. I really took a lot away from this comment "as soon as one begins to move, one begins to make the transition to aliveness." I feel like this is very true with different types of movement.
"Origins of feelings can be discovered through movement" - this is really fascinating to me because I feel like often times we may not truly understand why we feel upset or anxious or depressed so be able to discover that through movement is really beautiful
Communication truly is essential to thriving, and with depression, it is easy to stray away from communication, sometimes not by choice. It is beautiful to see the way that movement is communication in itself. Dance/movement therapy allows individuals to explore their feelings, and I love that while people can become more aware of their own feelings, they also have the opportunity to care for themselves through caring for other people. Dance/movement therapy is very healing in allowing movement as a form of communication for those who may not obtain their needs verbally. What the body feels and what the body communicates helps provide individuals the opportunity to find and help themselves again.
This really connects to what I've experienced being taught in class. The idea of attuning to a group as their leader and meeting them where they are, is equally as important in such incredibly detached people. To guide them along the path of reconnecting with themselves and with others is so incredibly helpful to people that have become lost. The story that she uses as an example was also fascinating.
Great point! Finding common ground while in a leadership position is important in DMT when guiding patients in an experience that brings them back to their own spark of life.
Wow this resonated with me so much. And I loved the reference to The Little Prince! I relate so much to Joan's description of physical barriers created by depression. I especially like how she described the aspect of emotions and memory; "movement releases memories held in the body"- there is more than just what happens in your thoughts. I also really liked the story of the woman who only after a few months of DMT could for the first time in a while experience joy and pleasure through movement. Just as Joan iterated, "movement lets us know we can do things, change things, get things done." I also really appreciated her explanation of the value of relationships for depressed people; "a good way to love yourself is to learn to care for someone else." So spot on and beautiful.
She talks about how movement leads to memories that are held in our body. Movement gives us a sense of agency and a sense of our liveliness. It lets us know we can get things done! Depressed people who dont talk much can express their feelings through movement. By using nonverbal communication, individuals can learn about themselves and better themselves as they express their problems. One of the main things in our lives is having connections with others and through connections one can learn to value life. This really shows how powerful nonverbal communication is.
Depression is an extremely desensitizing ailment which can negatively impair the way we communicate. individuals unconsciously shut themselves down when they're depressed and develops this downward spiral. It was very life changing to hear that movement therapy is an effective way of releasing and unlocking a part of our unconscious that aids in the improvement of our mental health. This just shows how impactful non-verbal communication is to our daily lives.
This is a great talk by Joan Wittig. Something that really resonated with me is the statement that movement awakens us. When I think about that statement more, I realize that everyday things start with movement. When I literally wake up, the first thing I do is move. It also implies that living is an active thing. One must put forth an effort to live. Interesting concept. I also like how she talked about the needed factors for self-revelation. Based on the word, I would think that it only takes one person (the self) in order to have a self-revelation. But, I like how Joan Wittig talks about how the self needs an other to guide the self towards self-revelation. it reminds me that we are never alone, even in our struggles, and that it is ok to ask for help.
I just love that dance/movement therapy allows individuals to express themselves without even saying anything. Many people can't express what they feel by talking in regular therapy. But movement therapy provides the opportunity to explore other ways to communicate their feelings.
Yes this is so so cool! It is awesome to learn about this because this form of therapy is not well known so I love having the opportunity to learn about it.
It is so interesting to learn more about dance therapy from these videos. It is so inspiring to hear that movement can truly help one explore their issues and work on them too.
"movement gives us a sense of agency" This comment is very powerful... one's ability to move around and do things, even if it was an imaginary obstacle like the boulder or filling up the hole with sand. Those mimed movements represented more and this really shows how dance therapy can affect people through simplifications of base abilities. It's taking what you can do and doing it, which those patients really needed because it gives them autonomy and some control where they were lacking it.
The part in the video where she says “as soon as one begins to move, one begins to make the transition to aliveness” - this I feel is so important for the distinction of nonverbal communication. Moving our bodies, whether it be exercise, dance, even just getting up out of bed, has a huge affect on our mental health. When we aren’t moving our bodies, our brain and energy feel stagnant, unhappy, depressed, unmotivated and the list goes on for the feelings of sadness correlating to depression. So her saying that statement is intentional. We do start to choose aliveness when we begin to move ur bodies. Our brains react very well to this and we feel more positive and optimistic after we do. It’s important that we treat our bodies well because it has direct contact with the brain and our overall well-being and mental health. She goes on to quote someone (and this is just my summarization) that when we begin to move, it triggers something inside of us that was otherwise neglected. We don’t realize there are parts of ourself that need tending to but when we move our bodies, it starts to speak to us on what we need and what we don’t need. For me, rollerblading is a huge hobby for me. And especially times when I am not feeling myself, it feels good to go for a 13 mile ride. I feel more rejuvenated, I feel more like myself, and it almost feels like I’m choosing aliveness.
It's so true that movement awakens us both literally and metaphorically. I realized that nonverbal movement helps us reveal what we are truly feeling. Our conscious and unconscious brains can share a bridge through movement. I also realized that movement gives us a true sense of agency to feel alive and connected as humans. We can support each other because we have empathy and understanding. Through compassion in our relationships, we can find compassion for ourselves.
The first thing a client must do is acknowledge that they are seen, accepted, and no longer alone. In my mind, depression hits deeper when the people around us have failed us in some way. I think a common idea people who have depression make, is that they feel useless, no longer needed by anyone or the people around them. And because of that, they tend to be more closed off and it becomes harder to reach out to others. But movement can bring back that ability to reach out. It is a sense of our aliveness, with it we get things done and can make changes in our lives. Hopefully, clients/patients realize that they can help others. I love this because it is such a practical step toward compassion. You can physically reach out to anyone and it can benefit both you and the receiver.
The speaker introduces her talk with a general idea of the starting point in DMT when dealing with people suffering from depression. She says that dance therapists are the ones that the people suffering from depression will be opening up to. The movements they do reflect the fact of the immense weight on their shoulders. I feel like this is a way for them to use movement as a way to let it go. Letting go of your pain through movement. She then also makes them get into pairs and improvise movement from listening to the other's problems. The speaker then proceeds to say a really beautiful thing. "A pretty good way to love herself is to care about someone else."
she emphasizes the awakening power of movement. Individuals who suffer from depression often struggle to convey their emotions verbally, leading to a state of silence. Therefore, having a nonverbal means of communication becomes crucial for their recovery, as it allows for the reconnection of the mind and body. The video highlights an intriguing aspect, namely the exercise involving the "talker" and the "mover." What fascinated me was the way this exercise enables someone else to express their issues and undertake the tasks they are unable to perform. Furthermore, for the mover, displaying compassion towards the other person facilitates self-compassion, which they find challenging to achieve independently. This underscores the significant role nonverbal connections play in our society and the profound impact of demonstrating compassion towards one another.
i think it is interesting and important for the fact that the first step is for the client to feel accepted, and how movement can be a catalyst to that step in the right circumstances and environments. the power of a supportive community is like no other, and i love how this is one of the first steps of Dance movement therapy.
After watching this video it has left me with an open mind. Several of us go through stages of being depressed but never know how to over come it or how to take action upon it. When you hear about people going to therapy it has been seen as not a thing but that is a mindset that we need to change. When someone goes to therapy they begin their healing journey and they don't do it alone. They move and grow together with their therapist. For most people it can be very difficult to find the right words to express how they are feeling which makes it really difficult for the to communicate correctly with the ones who are trying to help them. When movement is introduced it is a whole new world they are being introduced too. There is something about that allows us to know that we can do anything we want, it allows us to have connections with others. The freedom of movement relates to nonverbal communication because it is a way of expressing ourselves to one another. For instance, in the video she expressed how she does exercises with a talker and mover and while the talker is taking about their feelings the mover does movements that allows them to explore their feelings. By doing so it allows them to connect and understand what one another is going through.
I enjoyed the connections Joan makes between movement and memory during this talk. It is interesting to hear about how moving can bring up memories and things that have been stored up. I think this attests to how powerful dance/movement therapy can be, and it shows that this can be a crucial technique to help individuals make progress that they have not previously been able to.
I think that it is a beautiful comparison equating movement to life for I believe it's true, our first instinct when were born is to move, using our actions as a form of communication. For individuals who deal with depression, this is seemly an untouched perspective on some of the experiences that they are going through
I really enjoyed the part of this talk where the speaker discussed the bridging technique. I think its really powerful to see someone experience what you are going through so you can work through it together. To me, it brings a sense of common humanity, realizing that you are part of the larger human experience.
I agree Jordan! I found it powerful the impact that having someone translate your movement has on a client and how it can really lead to appreciation and understanding for the client to themselves and others.
This seems like an extrmely helpful and progressive tactic to help through recovery. I can imagine that in group therapy sessions, this is what is happening and can be more beneficial to some people- sharing an experience with others.
I enjoy how Joan explains the relationship between the therapist and the client. You can tell the importance of the relationship between the two and how it allows the client to be seen. This is very important, especially regarding depression.
I enjoyed watching this video for the great analogies Joan Wittig used to further explain her experiences with clients. The specific example that stood out to me the most the woman doing origami. She communicated to Joan non-verbally by "creating shapes" or making more movements. As she became "more three dimensional" it meant that she was opening up to her more and more. I find it intriguing that our physical movements often convey a larger message than our actual words.
The nonverbal actions of movement that can make people feel less alone and feeling accepted which is something people with depression do not feel most of the time. Having someone there to support them is incredibly beneficial to the client, the dance movement therapist gives them what they need by mirroring their actions as a way to show them that they are heard and they matter. Movement gives the client a relationship between the conscious and unconscious which allows them to feel something different. Her point that movement lets us do things and get things done is so important for depressed people, as just getting out of bed can usually be extremely difficult. Any support by helping each other creates unity and compassion, and more importantly compassion for themselves, a very important healing tool for people with depression.
What really intrigued me from this video was the exercise with the mover and the talker. The talker explains to the mover their inner feelings and emotions. The mover then creates movements from those words in front of the group. This is a great exercise to see how different people interpret feelings in their movement and how these depressed individuals could connect with each other.
I also found the mover and the talker activity to be intriguing. I always think it is interesting to hear about the specific activities that therapists implement in their sessions, as I am just starting to learn more about dance and movement therapy.
This relates to nonverbal communication because once one begins to move the patient begins to feel awaken. When moving it helps bring out positivity of the person and they are able to express themselves by being free with themselves. I found this interesting because when doing the treatment the patient finds self and revelation who they are.
When I read your comment, it made me think about how someone gains confidence while moving and dancing. As they find themself, they develop a sense of appreciation for the way they can move.
This therapist has a very interesting way of communicating key concepts to depressed people that I have not thought of before. I remember when I was struggling with some deep depression in the past, and I was told that I needed to volunteer somewhere or go help some people in order to get my mind off of myself, and start thinking selflessly. It was something that didn't appeal to me in the moment because of the broken down mind state that I was in, but if I were offered something like this then, I would have done it wholeheartedly. I guess that this relates to how we are able to feel empathy when in group settings and that empathetic side portion of our brains are heightened to the point that we feel agency instead of individuality. Help someone metaphorically and in an imaginary space? That's much accessible that having to do it in "the real world."
I thought the part when she talked about how people caring for someone else can help people to love themselves is so important and reminds us all that the best way to spread love and joy is to care for the people around us.
I agree. I also found it fascinating that she mentioned many people with depression were very willing to step in and help other people. Doing good makes you feel good!
I think it is very important that the dance therapist is making sure the individual they are working with feels seen, as well as in good company. I think it is awesome that the client she worked with was able to feel like they could actually move again, even though they previously did not feel like they could because of their depression.
You make a great point that it is really important to ensure that an individual feels seen while in a session. This can help build a strong relationship between client and practitioner.
Hi! I agree with your statement, sometimes you just need someone that can focus all there attention on you for some time. I feel it is very important to have a person you can go to when you are struggling mentally, and this person could include a Dance Movement Therapist.
One thing that really stuck out to me was her statement regarding movement providing life. Sometimes, we get too caught up in our thoughts and start to freeze. Moving allows us to get out of those thoughts and possibly look at them from another angle.
The part of the video that more resonated with me, was bringing more attention to our sensory experiences rather than to our thoughts. DMT can serve as a vital reminder to reconnect with our sensory experiences, which often fade into the background when we dwell in our thoughts. By engaging in movement, individuals can cultivate mindfulness, release tension, and embrace creative expression, ultimately leading to a more balanced and integrated sense of self.
Thank you Joan Wittig, I believe dance therapy could be a great outlet and help for depression. Personally I’ve been in a dark whole and seeing this video gave me hope. I learn from this video that movement awakens people, it give a spark where it allows you to want to stay alive. You said that the client experiences themselves as seen and accepted. It’s nice to know that you can feel the clients emotions as they move. You are a support system. Using non-verbal communication through movement helps depression by experiencing joy in the movement. Again, it gives us a sense of our aliveness. Thank you Wittig.
I thought it was really interesting using the origami as a way of moving; bending and opening and bending and reshaping. Also, making people help each other is very noteworthy because feeling alone can be a major contributor to depression. Having others help each other shows they aren't alone. Very impressive and inspiring.
I also found this part of the talk interesting. By finding a medium that an artist can understand, she was able to move and express her emotions. Also, I think her idea of having others go through it with you was profound because they can have a sense of commonality.
I love that the client used a movement she was comfortable with (oragami) to be heard and understood at a deeper level while still starting where she was.
I loved the idea of meeting people where they were at. It was cool to see the individual who was done with psychoanalytic therapy go onto DMT and find joy in life again. Sometimes we do not need to put ourselves in situations that we think may help because there may be another option we did not realize before. I think it is super important that therapists refer one another when the approach they use does not work well with a client.
I think the idea of meeting people where they are at is what makes DMT so special. Not forcing the client to talk about things they don't want to or do something they do not want to can create trust which can ultimately aid the therapeutic process.
I thought the part about self-revelation and the self and the other really encapsulated the important role that dance therapists play in their client's lives. They are a source of comfort and safety for the client to truly open up about their feelings and discover how to cope with them and grow.
Dance/Movement Therapy provides such a unique way to address their feelings. Using proprioception as a form of expression allows for so much more vibrant communication than I believe could be made with verbal communication.
Super insightful talk. Just like most other commenters in this video, I too struggle with clinical depression and my personal experience with voluntary movement as a form of therapy completely validates everything that Joan Wittig talks about in this video.
I really loved this video! As someone who has struggled with depression and is studying dance/movement therapy, it was so interesting to learn more about how the two connect!
The way that our mind and body are interconnected is often overlooked when it comes to mental health treatment. However, DMT shows us exactly how important it is to utilize both the mind and body in treatment and the benefits. I like how she mentioned that DMT can help clients with depression feel less alone. I think sometimes it can be hard for clients to go to therapy to talk about their issues because even though the therapist wants to help and is listening, the client may not feel understood or heard. With DMT the therapist is right alongside the client doing the same activities which makes the client feel more seen and less alone in their pursuit to find happiness.
This speaker makes an amazing point that I had never taken to moment to stop and think about, she talks about how movement can serve as the primary communication medium when speaking is not an option. When a person feels depressed they tend to withdraw and not engage with others, I believe that with Dance Movement Therapy we can learn to understand the nonverbal communication that is being conveyed and use that information to listen and aid in recovery. I have very recently learned what this type of therapy is and I am still discovering how powerful it can be. Traditional verbal therapy can be difficult in general but, when one has to talk in depth about emotions that they don't fully understand it can seem like an insurmountable obstruction. DMT removes that obstacle and allows the patient to reconnect with their most primal method of communication and start recovery from there. I am grateful that I have found this type of therapy and will be spreading the word about my personal experiences with it.
Some highlights I am taking away from this talk are “self revelation requires an encounter between self and other. Needs an other to whom to be revealed,” “movement leads to memories, emotions that are held in the body,” “the origins of feelings can be discovered in movement. We invite a relationship between the conscious and the unconscious,” “movement gives us a sense of agency, a sense of our aliveness.” I think these quotes speak to some of the key features of dance/movement therapy, and why this can be such a useful tool for people who can’t yet access traumatic memories, or can’t articulate their experiences verbally. As well as a tool to feel alive and embodied in therapeutic processing, where as some people may feel detached in verbal processing or certain events and experiences.
I agree that movement can be a way to express things that the body has been holding onto. Sometimes it can be hard to verbalize what you are going through, but the body still holds those emotions.
A quote that really resonated with me was that Dance/Movement Therapy "brings our attention to the sensory experience that's neglected when we reside in our thoughts". Focusing on our sensory experience and moving gives us a sense of our aliveness, which isn't typically present in someone facing depression. The dance/movement therapist allows the person to feel seen and accepted in their embodied experience.
The targeting of that sensory experience I think is so individualized that it allows for that self-compassion to occur. The dance therapist plays such a crucial role in creating a judgement free environment where that self-love can prosper.
Once one begins to move they transition into aliveness. This is a great way to describe how dance movement therapy relates to nonverbal communication. As someone who deals with depression I can relate to this, movement really does wake up my mind and gets me thinking more clearly and positively. That thinking then translates itself back into my body and my movement. Waking up your mind with movement really does help transition into aliveness.
I think that the implementation of dance/movement therapy into mental illness treatment could be greatly beneficial, especially for those who are depressed and anxious. The speaker quoted Maxine Sheets Johnstone by saying, "Movement awakens us, it brings our attention to a sensory experience that's neglected when we reside in our thoughts." I think this is a good reminder that movement is an important factor in mental illness because it can help calm the mind and distract from thoughts.
Hi! I would agree that including DMT as a form of treatment for the mentally ill may greatly benefit thousands of individuals. specifically I feel like DMT is a great way to treat children experiencing symptoms of mental illness. I feel like DMT should be introduced before trying other more invasive techniques of treatment.
Right away, something that caught my attention was the first few lines of her speech to choose homicide over suicide. I was of course terrified of both as both seem brutal, but I like the fact that she then said to choose to save your own life. I agree with the speaker when she states that movement “helps them find a spark of health that’s alive and wants to stay alive.” Movement in general is proven to have physical benefits (lowering cardiovascular disease, leveling melatonin levels for a better sleep), but dance/movement therapy is proven to also have emotional benefits such as having a sense of accomplishment and overall letting down boundaries down, which improves socialization skills.
When Wittig talked about how dance movement therapy helps when people have nothing left to say, I think it was super interesting how group settings can be super helpful for people with depression because the movements together shows that they are supporting each other
I like how the speaker compares movement to being alive. And if we aren't moving we are at a standstill and feel stuck. Personally movement does make me feel more alive and as I have my own choice in how I want my body to move.
It is clear that movement is a great way to release the stresses and emotions that our body has been harboring. This is an interesting line of work, and dance therapists have to adapt in a moments notice to help the client through their experience. Further emphasizing how movement is communication.
I agree! You can see how the speaker adapts each session for each patient. For example, the artist pretended to be oragomy since she was uncomfortable making movements by herself.
Its really eye-opening how the body stores so much information such as memories and the origins of these memories, movement can access the subconscious and is a powerful tool for revelation and awareness. Just like a little practice we did in Nonverbal class, these movements mean something meaningful to the mover even before they realize it.
This video in particular is very sensitive for me as I am someone who suffers from depression and always feels like there is no gateway out of it. Through nonverbal communication, as she said, it's so important to feel heard and seen. Having someone go out and express physically what you're going through is such a profound moment because of the fact that you feel taken care of and understood for the first time in probably a long time. While I understand the comment about suicide vs homicide, I don't think that's the best metaphor for this situation. Choosing life is all great and splendid, but saying choose homicide is also insinuating to not let someone else continue theirs, which should not ever be the case. Talking about how depression can be heard through dance movement therapy gives me hope because there are so many people that don't feel like they can be heard even though they've said every single thing they feel. When the client was just sitting on the couch for a while without saying anything, it made sense to me because not saying anything sometimes is saying everything. But having her move to a dance movement therapist helped her engage and express the remaining of what she wanted to express. Movement is our first language and it's so important to understand that it's so powerful to be able to be in tune with that and access movement because it says so so much.
Thank you for sharing such vulneralble information about yourself and your ideas. I also appreciate your honesty about the comment regarding suicide and homicide. The comment did not feel as though it was extremely important to the message being shared.
Dance/movement therapy can work to open a previously cluttered, confused pathway within a person and lead to self-revelation. Hurting individuals can reconnect with that internal spark that motivates them to live and discover that they are no longer alone. Comfort is found through the open invitation to offer and receive the help and support of others.
Movement is health. I totally agree with this. DMT brings you alive and makes you want to stay on this earth. I never realized how powerful DMT was until now, actually I never knew what DMT was before and I am thoroughly impressed. Movement can make you feel not alone anymore, which is very helpful to know. I could have used this in the past when I was faced with depression. This is something that needs to be known better among societies.
Yes! I think it is interesting that something as simple as movement can actually be so crucial for our well-beings. It is when we actively choose to engage with movement is when healing can occur.
This video from Joan Wittig connects to my understanding of dance/movement therapy with the notion of the significance of building rapport between the client and therapist. Additionally, she discusses that when working with clients that have depression, the goal is to find the light and motivation to live deep within them. This relates to how movement brings repressed memories from the unconscious back to the surface of consciousness. Usually, I understood that as negative feelings or memories being remembered through an expression of movement, but I think it applies to positive feelings as well; especially if someone has been living in a dark place and suffering from depression for a long period. Wittig says that one of the first things that occurs in dance therapy is the client experiencing a feeling of being seen and accepted. She goes on to describe writing about her clients' movements and how they made HER feel. This refers to being witnessed in a non-judgemental way and also conveys empathy for the client. Group therapy is also mentioned, and she explains that she started with a warm-up that resulted in the patients swaying side-to-side, then moving around the room, and pushing a 'boulder'. This refers to picking up movement and incorporating improvisation. She also explains an example of what work she did with compulsive eaters. She would pair them up and have a talker and a mover; the talker would explain some issue they were dealing with and the mover would respond through movement and then discusses what they discovered with the talker. This reminds me of what I've learned with a recent activity where we moved in response to another mover's initial movements. We then discussed what insights the response provided for the initial mover.
It is interesting that Joan Wittig explains the movement therapy using feeling depression. All the information she says are related with nonverbal communication. People do usually communicate with others without verbal in their lives. something like waving hands instead of saying hi. It is not just they do not want to say words. It is just what they want to say, What that mean is people used to good at this kind of specific movement therapy with unconsciousness. It is all true that we have to deep into these kinds of body therapy in unusual expressions we are not familiar.
I thought what she said as her opener was a very interesting way of introducing her topic. As she began to explain more about it and about choosing yourself, it makes a lot more sense in terms of DMT and how therapists work with the individual to encourage them to continuously choose themselves and their lives.
I really liked the speaker's interpretation of using movement to let us know that we have the ability to change things. I think that a lot of people could be positively affected by this rationale in the sense that feelings are discovered through movement. Thus, people who feel "stucK' in life would be able to find some of the answers they are looking for if they tried dance therapy.
It's so easy to find oneself in a stagnant state emotionally or energy-wise that is becomes the norm. Dance or movement can be a freeing force from that state of being and help us evolve in a multitude of ways.
Dance/movement therapy is a way to allow clients who are suffering from depression to access their emotions. That conscious movement really does allow individuals to begin seeing their healing process start as soon as they choose to begin moving. When individuals cannot express what they are feeling through words, they are using movement as nonverbal communication to convey how they feel. "Movement can begin the transition to aliveness." This helps them find that "spark" that wants too be alive and reminds them their life has a purpose. Joan makes the point that we invite expression through the body and be able to explore ourselves. Movement really connects the mind to our bodies by letting those good or bad memories flow into life until we feel joy again.
She had a client who were severely depressed. The client could not speak at all and could barely move. After experienced of some movement, she was able to experience joy in the movement which surprises me that the severely depressed client eventually felt joy by practicing the movements. That is a great progress of her and the proof of the dance therapy actually can ease/help people’s depression.
The illness of depression is one that many individuals face, yet most go untreated. I think dance therapy could genuinely help so many more people if individuals knew about it. "The client experiences themself as seen and accepted" Too many people need to feel this way, but videos like this are helping get the word out so individuals can seek help in a form that works best for them.
I absolutely love this talk so much. The depth of her words were so powerful. Encouraging someone to choose their own life could go so far for someone who has absolutely no one. I like how instead of privileging words, they prioritize movement and emotions to guide the therapy talks. I love the idea of helping each other go through struggles. Finding a purpose to live by living for someone else, is a very touching and motivational technique.
The overall point she makes is that movement awakens us. Depressed people often times can’t verbally communicate what their feeling and become silent. So having a non verbal way to communicate is important for recovery and using the body to move helps to reconnect the mind and body. The most interesting part of this video is when she talks about the exercise with the talker and the mover. I found it interesting how in this exercise it helps to have someone else express an issue their having and do the work that their unable to do, and for the mover, having compassion for the other person helps them have compassion for themselves that their unable to do on their own. It just proves how connecting with others non verbally plays such an important role in our society and how impactful it is to have compassion for each other.
I like the way that she states that they don't privilege words but instead look to the emotions and memories stored inside their bodies. I think that especially for people who deal with depression and mental illnesses, this is a safer option for them to delve into and express those thoughts and emotions that they may be dealing with.
This is a wonderful presentation that really defines the struggles, both physical and emotional, that people with depression may face. Ms. Wittig presents her clients as well as the audience with the importance that moving for oneself and for others can have. Dance really is communication, and it is through this communication that people can express themselves and seek the help they have been needing.
"A depressed person moves for another, and in that, she discovers compassion for herself"
This quote really resonated with me- the thought that depression is loneliness, stuck internally thinking, and moving to give the talker something to talk about is a beautiful way for them to connect to another person, and on some level feel understood while better understanding themselves.
I fully agree with what you said. Depression has a way of stripping away the world and trapping you in an isolated bubble. The exercise mentioned with the mover and the talker is a really interesting way to bring the world back in and open a person back up to what's going on around them. At least from my experience, really severe episodes can leave you unable to want to, or be able to, take care of yourself in even the smallest ways (personal cares for example). At the same time, seeing that pain held in someone else can spark the desire to help, to take action, to interact with the external. I think that it is really amazing dance/movement therapists have thought of and implemented a technique that draws on this unique strength.
I completely agree with that statement. Being able to connect with someone only through movement is so powerful for the one who is lonely. Being able to feel that connection i believe is so useful in being able to then understand themselves more.
The comment "As soon as one begins to move, one begins to make the transition to aliveness" is so powerful. It connects the idea that nonverbal communications and movements deeply relates with those feelings of loneliness. And that movement is a great way to access these emotions and help others understand those feelings as well.
The idea that a depressed person moves for another and finds compassion for theirself is such a powerful concept. The sense of nonverbal unity that can be gained through Dance/Movement Therapy is so unique and deep that I find it difficult to think of any other field that could replicate nonverbal unity to the same degree.
I think it's interesting how people with depression can have no problems helping others, but when it comes to themselves, they have more struggles. This exercise with a talker and a mover seemed like a really cool way to introduce new connections and help each other.
I agree with your initial comment. It is cool to recognize how focusing on others is easier.
Absolutely! That is so interesting
This presentation has helped to further depict the idea that there is a large part of yourself that is ignored in society when we rely on the brain. The example used of the women who had transferred from verbal therapy to DMT is a fantastic example of that there is an entirely separate mode of communication via the body that many of us are ignoring the use of.
This speech is so powerful as it talks about how dance/movement therapy can help people with a variety of mental health struggles or disorders. The beginning, where she spoke about suicide emphasized the importance of dance/movement therapy for someone struggling with depression. For someone with depression, it is often very difficult to speak on or explain how they're feeling through words, so by creating an environment where someone feels safe and heard, they are able to feel more comfortable and feel joy.
I agree with you that DMT can help people express their emotions when words are not realistic. Depression can be super difficult to talk about.
I like the "self to other" interpretation when discussing the relationship between the client and the dance therapist. I love her movement as she speaks almost as if she is conducting a DMT session. Very captivating and powerful.
I did not realize the power that simple and everyday movements, when done together, can create a sense of community and support. When Wittig explained what her group did I had a clear image of what types of movements they must have done. They were depicting their struggle as a group, but by moving together and overcoming their obstacles as a community I could see why simple movements can relieve and even help people overcome their depression.
America moves together as a community twice a day: rush hour traffic and yet the steel keeps us from connecting via touch.
I love how she really focuses on how movement is pivotal in actually making a person come alive and get out of their own swirling thoughts. The clients have to reveal themselves to the DMT therapist and it is the therapists job to work with what was revealed to them; this is a special responsibility. They are ultimately revealing and bridging the gaps between the conscious and unconscious mind. I also thought it was so cool to hear that through representing another person's movement and emotions, we can find compassion for ourselves.
It seems to me that a Dance Movement Therapist is a very special unique person. They must have fully developed the logical/verbal and the intuitive/non-verbal aspects of personality in themselves, in order to be able to do this work.
The idea that movement can be almost a distraction from the negative thoughts while also revealing parts of a person that have been hidden is powerful.
In this video there was aspects of nonverbal communication from the mirror neurons that where used in there sections. Because someone els was making the movement that they where explaining they where able to feel less alone and more empathized. I thought it was so interesting that the patient was saying that she didn't think she was done with therapy but she just didn't have anything els to say. That is exactly one of the reasons that i have interpreted from all this videos of what dance therapy is so important
Joan talks about the importance of movement and how movement awakens us. Movement creates a feeling of revealing one's self and self awareness. In this video Joan links nonverbal communication by talking about weight, lightness, space, and sensation. This is linked to Laban's Efforts of how we cope with external reality. I found it interesting how movement is an essential part to build relationships and communicate. With lack of movement there is a sign of depression. I really enjoyed how Joan mentioned how movement builds a connection with someone else and how it builds compassion for themselves. Movements nonverbal communication creates a sense sympathy/empathy towards others.
Joan Wittig worked with depressed patients and these patients exhibits nonverbal communication by not being themselves. As Joan said, they feel alone, withdrawn, and internally focused. They feel extreme sadness and because of this, they do not talk much. As a therapist, she lets them move freely and however they want so that she can be able to examine their feelings and emotions. She further states that by doing this it allows wisdom and memory to let the emotion get accessed. Joan also copies her patient’s movement to let them know that they are not alone; that she is there to help and connect with them. This mirroring allows sparks of help and relationship. It allows the patient to be seen, accepted, and no longer alone. Through this dance therapy, it enables her patient to feel joy in the movement and sense of aliveness. In her story of movers and talker, her goal was to let the talker know that someone is there for them and that movers can do the work for the talker and allows the talker to understand that they are not alone. What is interesting about this video is that fact that she was able to make them feel happy despite feeling extreme sadness. Through movement, she made it happen that the patient was able to discover their own self and feel a connection with another human being and most importantly to choose life.
This spoke to me quite poignantly. Sometimes, when I feel I can not speak, my movement shows me where to go, how to go. I am so grateful for dance/movement therapy and for the efforts of this association.
I totally agree with this! Movement is speaking without using your words, and it heals too. It can say a lot about ourselves without us even recognizing it.
I love this comment. It perfectly sums up DMT in a couple sentences. I find it interesting too that sometimes when I can't find the words that I want to say, that I can make movements or motions that can get my point across or help me say what I want. I have never attended a dance/movement therapy session. But after seeing all the good it can do, it would be a great experience to sit in or experience a session.
The way that she describes how the movement is aligned with progress is amazing. When the movement starts, so does the healing process. Her description of how movement connects to the feeling of being alive is a very interesting and very real idea that I can understand much easier. Movement and thought connect to bring a person out of the withdrawn state that depression often puts them in.
The idea that movement awakens us from our thoughts is super powerful. I think this is something not talked about or thought about often enough. I like that this can help someone with depression.
Joan Wittig explains in this video how dance/movement therapy can help individuals who suffer from depression. It isn't something that they can do alone, they need another person there to whom they can reveal themselves to and embody their deepest emotions through movement. She spoke about a client who was going to therapy but no longer had anything to say. She didn't have the words, however, nonverbally she expressed her feelings through movement. I thought it was interesting when Joan said we are able to help ourselves by helping someone else. I believe that this is true because I feel joy when I am able to help someone else or give them advice.
The movement that inpatient is making can awake their inner soul. It activates the liveness inside of every person. I have experience the same thing as our professor asked us to dance and move with her. Right away, after the class, students are smile to each other and interacting with each other. We are accessing to each other because during the process we share out body movement in the situation.
Joan did a great job of explaining how movement can awaken the life in a person who is stuck in a dark dead place. DMT helps these patients access the life inside them and
express that outwardly. I thought it was very interesting that the
therapist witnesses the patients movement and writes down what the
movement communicates to them. The origins of the persons emotion can be
discovered by watching them move.
I found it interesting that the DMT therapist writes down the movements of the patients as well. To me, if someone started writing and taking notes on my movement then I would not be as free and open with my movements. So I find it interesting that the DMT therapist is able to create such a free and open environment that they are able to do that. And just to add to your point that the origins of the persons emotions can be discovered by watching them move, these movements are also innate in everyone!
Using human connections and non verbal communication to help depression and mental illness is fantastic because many people with mental health issues feel withdrawn and isolated and so it helps them be more expressive. I really enjoy this talk and can sense Wittig's passion for what she does.
I appreciate you pointing out how her practice gets at the root of one of the challenges of depression, being isolation. DMT also seems wonderful because it utilizes another treatment for depression - movement, and is flexible with type of movement such that people suffering from fatigue can participate, or take on a talker role.
"Moving makes the transition to aliveness." I can relate to this statement. I never feel as alive as I do when I am moving. Encouraging that movement allows clients to feel freeing joy, while also releasing a lot of those pent up memories and emotions. Movement helps clients to get to the origin of confusing feelings. I really enjoyed the story of the woman who transitioned from 2 dimensional movement to 3 dimensional movement, and then experienced joy.
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This video was amazing! I loved her analogy of the woman doing origami and how she started flat and lifeless, but as she added more folds (aka movements), she became more 3 demential. I also liked the activities that resonated with the clients, like the mover/talker one. witnessing someone else do their work for them allowed for individuals to find compassion for themselves because to care for someone else means they are one step closer to loving themselves. Dance/movement therapists infinite patients struggling with depression to choose life through their movements that will then transfer to their everyday life decisions to consciously live an abundant life. Overall, great video!!
As someone who has struggled with depression and made great strides in understanding its tendencies within myself, I wish I would have been able to have an experience like this earlier in my life! The mind-body connection is so apparent here, with movement=aliveness, and depression being the lack of feeling that at all, and being so stuck in the mind. Great explanation, thank you.
"The work begins as soon as the movement begins." I really like this quote because it explains that when someone is looking for help and improvement in therapy, dance/movement will be the initial opening for their emotions and feelings to be conveyed without words. This can be extremely therapeutic because many people struggle to use their words in therapy, so dancing and moving allows them to communicate in a different way. The quote is also inspiring because it demonstrates that getting to move in order to communicate in therapy beings the journey back to wellness.
As the speaker states in the beginning of this video the clients who suffer from depression are often withdrawn and internal. In this way when they come into the session they lack a repertoire of nonverbal expression. The way this in turn relates back to nonverbal communication is that the goal of these sessions is to open up the resource of movement to these clients. The speaker states that "movement leads to memories [and] emotions that are held in the body." She describes these feelings as "the material that brings people to therapy in the first place." Reflecting on these two statements this video relates to nonverbal comm because the goal of these sessions is to allow the clients to express their feelings non-verbally and kind of dredge them out of where they are lodged. The goal of this bringing forth of emotions is that hopefully when they are expressed they can finally be let go.
This is a great comment! Recognizing the connections between movement and expression is important in patients with depression.
I love the continued idea throughout the practice of DMT that you start where the clients is at. In this case, when they are at their worst the therapist is willing to accommodate to them and start whenever they are at. DMT is meant to be a very safe space with little pressure but encourages to engage in the movement and take that step towards starting the healing process.
This amazing woman talked about how movement can reveal our innermost thoughts and feelings. Being depressed can make a person who used to be full of life become sunken. Depression makes the victims feel empty, lifeless. They may find their life is meaningless or feel like they are useless. Through Dance/Movement therapy, these feelings can be fixed even though it may take a lot of time and patience. It's amazing how movements can help someone to find their way out of the agony state they are stuck in. Kudos to all Dance/Movement Therapists!
Dance, singing, and music is the best medicine
and breath is the link between the body and the mind.
I can feel Wittig's passion for her career through this talk. It was very moving and had a powerful message. I liked how she used human connection as a way to help her client's depression. We all naturally seek connections with others and thrive off of each other. Dance movement therapy can definitely use this fact as a way to heal.
I appreciate this about the talk too. I hadn't thought much about how dance/movement therapy provides connection and how important that can be in a therapeutic process, but this talk illustrated that aspect and importance.
I enjoyed listening to her talk about making her clients feel as if they are accepted and encouraged through dance therapy. It is interesting to see how much of an impact movement therapy can have not only physically, but also through the mind and personality. Her client felt joy and was able to learn that she is able to do beyond what she thought she could do.
It's amazing how conscious movement can change our thoughts and feelings by helping us access and work through our deeply held memories and traumas. In this video, she talks about how moving with a client helps the client to understand they are seen and accepted, and later, that moving for someone else can help a depressed person start to care about themself. When we move or interact with another person, our mirror neurons are activated, which helps activate compassion for both other people and for ourselves.
As someone who has severe depression and goes to therapy, I really resonated with this talk. Wittig discusses a patient who has gone to therapy and has depression but simply doesn't have anything to say. She goes to dance therapy which helps her find her voice again but without talking. With depression it is hard to find reasons to live for yourself, but what helps me stay positive and have hope is to make sure my loved ones are happy. Using dance therapy sounds like fun and I might look into it.
I enjoyed listening to how moving with clients helps them to find that spark of health in them that is alive, and wants to stay alive. The speaker mentioned how DMT is an integration of movement, sensation, and emotion which can be a unique and efficient way to connect with individuals suffering from depression.
I agree! I think it's also interesting how the client had been in talk therapy for over a decade and finally just didn't have anything else to say but was able to find things to say with her body that connected to her in a way that talk therapy couldn't
I loved the beginning when she talks about the metaphor of suicide or homicide; and then describes it as choosing yourself. DMT, I think is a good way to help yourself and choose yourself. I strongly agree when she says that movement awakens you and finds the place in you that is alive and wants to stay alive.
I'm glad that you mentioned your opinion about that. I was originally super on the fence when I heard her say that because I know some people might interpret "choosing homicide" as being it is okay to harm others. I appreciate that she clarifies it as meaning "choose life. Choose your life." That is such a powerful statement. Instead of just existing in the world, you take the active role of choosing to live in it. Depression, especially a severe episode, can make someone feel backed into a corner of suicide. D/MT provides a readily accessible and tangible option for learning to see and take action towards the contrary.
I also liked this metaphor because it can help anyone learn to choose themselves and put their own self first in life. With DMT, Wittig mentioned (and I agree) that dance and movement can help a person learn to love themselves through their bodily expression.
The use of movement and dance to ground oneself in physical, sensory experience and raise awareness of the external is valuable to those experiencing mental illness and others alike.
The bridging technique is fascinating to me. Being able to see how you feel helps take the emotional feeling and changes it to a physical feeling that allows the person to connect with someone else that is depressed or upset. This technique seems like it would do a great job with connecting in groups and allowing people who are depressed to know that they are not alone.
Movement for people with depression is very important. I really took a lot away from this comment "as soon as one begins to move, one begins to make the transition to aliveness." I feel like this is very true with different types of movement.
"Origins of feelings can be discovered through movement" - this is really fascinating to me because I feel like often times we may not truly understand why we feel upset or anxious or depressed so be able to discover that through movement is really beautiful
Communication truly is essential to thriving, and with depression, it is easy to stray away from communication, sometimes not by choice. It is beautiful to see the way that movement is communication in itself. Dance/movement therapy allows individuals to explore their feelings, and I love that while people can become more aware of their own feelings, they also have the opportunity to care for themselves through caring for other people. Dance/movement therapy is very healing in allowing movement as a form of communication for those who may not obtain their needs verbally. What the body feels and what the body communicates helps provide individuals the opportunity to find and help themselves again.
This really connects to what I've experienced being taught in class. The idea of attuning to a group as their leader and meeting them where they are, is equally as important in such incredibly detached people. To guide them along the path of reconnecting with themselves and with others is so incredibly helpful to people that have become lost. The story that she uses as an example was also fascinating.
Great point! Finding common ground while in a leadership position is important in DMT when guiding patients in an experience that brings them back to their own spark of life.
Wow this resonated with me so much. And I loved the reference to The Little Prince! I relate so much to Joan's description of physical barriers created by depression. I especially like how she described the aspect of emotions and memory; "movement releases memories held in the body"- there is more than just what happens in your thoughts. I also really liked the story of the woman who only after a few months of DMT could for the first time in a while experience joy and pleasure through movement. Just as Joan iterated, "movement lets us know we can do things, change things, get things done." I also really appreciated her explanation of the value of relationships for depressed people; "a good way to love yourself is to learn to care for someone else." So spot on and beautiful.
She talks about how movement leads to memories that are held in our body. Movement gives us a sense of agency and a sense of our liveliness. It lets us know we can get things done! Depressed people who dont talk much can express their feelings through movement. By using nonverbal communication, individuals can learn about themselves and better themselves as they express their problems. One of the main things in our lives is having connections with others and through connections one can learn to value life. This really shows how powerful nonverbal communication is.
Depression is an extremely desensitizing ailment which can negatively impair the way we communicate. individuals unconsciously shut themselves down when they're depressed and develops this downward spiral. It was very life changing to hear that movement therapy is an effective way of releasing and unlocking a part of our unconscious that aids in the improvement of our mental health. This just shows how impactful non-verbal communication is to our daily lives.
This is a great talk by Joan Wittig. Something that really resonated with me is the statement that movement awakens us. When I think about that statement more, I realize that everyday things start with movement. When I literally wake up, the first thing I do is move. It also implies that living is an active thing. One must put forth an effort to live. Interesting concept. I also like how she talked about the needed factors for self-revelation. Based on the word, I would think that it only takes one person (the self) in order to have a self-revelation. But, I like how Joan Wittig talks about how the self needs an other to guide the self towards self-revelation. it reminds me that we are never alone, even in our struggles, and that it is ok to ask for help.
Interesting points! From the moment we form as living beings, movement never stops. Movement is crucial for our well-being and health.
I just love that dance/movement therapy allows individuals to express themselves without even saying anything. Many people can't express what they feel by talking in regular therapy. But movement therapy provides the opportunity to explore other ways to communicate their feelings.
Yes this is so so cool! It is awesome to learn about this because this form of therapy is not well known so I love having the opportunity to learn about it.
It is so interesting to learn more about dance therapy from these videos. It is so inspiring to hear that movement can truly help one explore their issues and work on them too.
"movement gives us a sense of agency" This comment is very powerful... one's ability to move around and do things, even if it was an imaginary obstacle like the boulder or filling up the hole with sand. Those mimed movements represented more and this really shows how dance therapy can affect people through simplifications of base abilities. It's taking what you can do and doing it, which those patients really needed because it gives them autonomy and some control where they were lacking it.
The part in the video where she says “as soon as one begins to move, one begins to make the transition to aliveness” - this I feel is so important for the distinction of nonverbal communication. Moving our bodies, whether it be exercise, dance, even just getting up out of bed, has a huge affect on our mental health. When we aren’t moving our bodies, our brain and energy feel stagnant, unhappy, depressed, unmotivated and the list goes on for the feelings of sadness correlating to depression. So her saying that statement is intentional. We do start to choose aliveness when we begin to move ur bodies. Our brains react very well to this and we feel more positive and optimistic after we do. It’s important that we treat our bodies well because it has direct contact with the brain and our overall well-being and mental health. She goes on to quote someone (and this is just my summarization) that when we begin to move, it triggers something inside of us that was otherwise neglected. We don’t realize there are parts of ourself that need tending to but when we move our bodies, it starts to speak to us on what we need and what we don’t need. For me, rollerblading is a huge hobby for me. And especially times when I am not feeling myself, it feels good to go for a 13 mile ride. I feel more rejuvenated, I feel more like myself, and it almost feels like I’m choosing aliveness.
It's so true that movement awakens us both literally and metaphorically. I realized that nonverbal movement helps us reveal what we are truly feeling. Our conscious and unconscious brains can share a bridge through movement. I also realized that movement gives us a true sense of agency to feel alive and connected as humans. We can support each other because we have empathy and understanding. Through compassion in our relationships, we can find compassion for ourselves.
The first thing a client must do is acknowledge that they are seen, accepted, and no longer alone. In my mind, depression hits deeper when the people around us have failed us in some way. I think a common idea people who have depression make, is that they feel useless, no longer needed by anyone or the people around them. And because of that, they tend to be more closed off and it becomes harder to reach out to others. But movement can bring back that ability to reach out. It is a sense of our aliveness, with it we get things done and can make changes in our lives. Hopefully, clients/patients realize that they can help others. I love this because it is such a practical step toward compassion. You can physically reach out to anyone and it can benefit both you and the receiver.
The speaker introduces her talk with a general idea of the starting point in DMT when dealing with people suffering from depression. She says that dance therapists are the ones that the people suffering from depression will be opening up to. The movements they do reflect the fact of the immense weight on their shoulders. I feel like this is a way for them to use movement as a way to let it go. Letting go of your pain through movement. She then also makes them get into pairs and improvise movement from listening to the other's problems. The speaker then proceeds to say a really beautiful thing. "A pretty good way to love herself is to care about someone else."
she emphasizes the awakening power of movement. Individuals who suffer from depression often struggle to convey their emotions verbally, leading to a state of silence. Therefore, having a nonverbal means of communication becomes crucial for their recovery, as it allows for the reconnection of the mind and body. The video highlights an intriguing aspect, namely the exercise involving the "talker" and the "mover." What fascinated me was the way this exercise enables someone else to express their issues and undertake the tasks they are unable to perform. Furthermore, for the mover, displaying compassion towards the other person facilitates self-compassion, which they find challenging to achieve independently. This underscores the significant role nonverbal connections play in our society and the profound impact of demonstrating compassion towards one another.
i think it is interesting and important for the fact that the first step is for the client to feel accepted, and how movement can be a catalyst to that step in the right circumstances and environments. the power of a supportive community is like no other, and i love how this is one of the first steps of Dance movement therapy.
After watching this video it has left me with an open mind. Several of us go through stages of being depressed but never know how to over come it or how to take action upon it. When you hear about people going to therapy it has been seen as not a thing but that is a mindset that we need to change. When someone goes to therapy they begin their healing journey and they don't do it alone. They move and grow together with their therapist. For most people it can be very difficult to find the right words to express how they are feeling which makes it really difficult for the to communicate correctly with the ones who are trying to help them. When movement is introduced it is a whole new world they are being introduced too. There is something about that allows us to know that we can do anything we want, it allows us to have connections with others. The freedom of movement relates to nonverbal communication because it is a way of expressing ourselves to one another. For instance, in the video she expressed how she does exercises with a talker and mover and while the talker is taking about their feelings the mover does movements that allows them to explore their feelings. By doing so it allows them to connect and understand what one another is going through.
I enjoyed the connections Joan makes between movement and memory during this talk. It is interesting to hear about how moving can bring up memories and things that have been stored up. I think this attests to how powerful dance/movement therapy can be, and it shows that this can be a crucial technique to help individuals make progress that they have not previously been able to.
I think that it is a beautiful comparison equating movement to life for I believe it's true, our first instinct when were born is to move, using our actions as a form of communication. For individuals who deal with depression, this is seemly an untouched perspective on some of the experiences that they are going through
I really enjoyed the part of this talk where the speaker discussed the bridging technique. I think its really powerful to see someone experience what you are going through so you can work through it together. To me, it brings a sense of common humanity, realizing that you are part of the larger human experience.
I agree Jordan! I found it powerful the impact that having someone translate your movement has on a client and how it can really lead to appreciation and understanding for the client to themselves and others.
This seems like an extrmely helpful and progressive tactic to help through recovery. I can imagine that in group therapy sessions, this is what is happening and can be more beneficial to some people- sharing an experience with others.
I enjoy how Joan explains the relationship between the therapist and the client. You can tell the importance of the relationship between the two and how it allows the client to be seen. This is very important, especially regarding depression.
I think making someone feel less alone is super important when dealing with people with depression so I totally agree
I enjoyed watching this video for the great analogies Joan Wittig used to further explain her experiences with clients. The specific example that stood out to me the most the woman doing origami. She communicated to Joan non-verbally by "creating shapes" or making more movements. As she became "more three dimensional" it meant that she was opening up to her more and more. I find it intriguing that our physical movements often convey a larger message than our actual words.
I also enhjoyed this aspect of the talk. I think it also shows the relationship of art and other creative therapies
The relationship that is created through movement and patient allows the client to feel as though they are no longer alone.
The nonverbal actions of movement that can make people feel less alone and feeling accepted which is something people with depression do not feel most of the time. Having someone there to support them is incredibly beneficial to the client, the dance movement therapist gives them what they need by mirroring their actions as a way to show them that they are heard and they matter. Movement gives the client a relationship between the conscious and unconscious which allows them to feel something different. Her point that movement lets us do things and get things done is so important for depressed people, as just getting out of bed can usually be extremely difficult. Any support by helping each other creates unity and compassion, and more importantly compassion for themselves, a very important healing tool for people with depression.
What really intrigued me from this video was the exercise with the mover and the talker. The talker explains to the mover their inner feelings and emotions. The mover then creates movements from those words in front of the group. This is a great exercise to see how different people interpret feelings in their movement and how these depressed individuals could connect with each other.
I also found the mover and the talker activity to be intriguing. I always think it is interesting to hear about the specific activities that therapists implement in their sessions, as I am just starting to learn more about dance and movement therapy.
This relates to nonverbal communication because once one begins to move the patient begins to feel awaken. When moving it helps bring out positivity of the person and they are able to express themselves by being free with themselves. I found this interesting because when doing the treatment the patient finds self and revelation who they are.
When I read your comment, it made me think about how someone gains confidence while moving and dancing. As they find themself, they develop a sense of appreciation for the way they can move.
This therapist has a very interesting way of communicating key concepts to depressed people that I have not thought of before. I remember when I was struggling with some deep depression in the past, and I was told that I needed to volunteer somewhere or go help some people in order to get my mind off of myself, and start thinking selflessly. It was something that didn't appeal to me in the moment because of the broken down mind state that I was in, but if I were offered something like this then, I would have done it wholeheartedly. I guess that this relates to how we are able to feel empathy when in group settings and that empathetic side portion of our brains are heightened to the point that we feel agency instead of individuality. Help someone metaphorically and in an imaginary space? That's much accessible that having to do it in "the real world."
I thought the part when she talked about how people caring for someone else can help people to love themselves is so important and reminds us all that the best way to spread love and joy is to care for the people around us.
I agree. I also found it fascinating that she mentioned many people with depression were very willing to step in and help other people. Doing good makes you feel good!
Yes! It's so easy to get hung up on something, so allowing ourselves to continue to love ourselves and others is a great way to feel joy.
I think it is very important that the dance therapist is making sure the individual they are working with feels seen, as well as in good company. I think it is awesome that the client she worked with was able to feel like they could actually move again, even though they previously did not feel like they could because of their depression.
You make a great point that it is really important to ensure that an individual feels seen while in a session. This can help build a strong relationship between client and practitioner.
Hi! I agree with your statement, sometimes you just need someone that can focus all there attention on you for some time. I feel it is very important to have a person you can go to when you are struggling mentally, and this person could include a Dance Movement Therapist.
One thing that really stuck out to me was her statement regarding movement providing life. Sometimes, we get too caught up in our thoughts and start to freeze. Moving allows us to get out of those thoughts and possibly look at them from another angle.
The part of the video that more resonated with me, was bringing more attention to our sensory experiences rather than to our thoughts. DMT can serve as a vital reminder to reconnect with our sensory experiences, which often fade into the background when we dwell in our thoughts. By engaging in movement, individuals can cultivate mindfulness, release tension, and embrace creative expression, ultimately leading to a more balanced and integrated sense of self.
Thank you Joan Wittig, I believe dance therapy could be a great outlet and help for depression. Personally I’ve been in a dark whole and seeing this video gave me hope. I learn from this video that movement awakens people, it give a spark where it allows you to want to stay alive. You said that the client experiences themselves as seen and accepted. It’s nice to know that you can feel the clients emotions as they move. You are a support system. Using non-verbal communication through movement helps depression by experiencing joy in the movement. Again, it gives us a sense of our aliveness. Thank you Wittig.
I thought it was really interesting using the origami as a way of moving; bending and opening and bending and reshaping. Also, making people help each other is very noteworthy because feeling alone can be a major contributor to depression. Having others help each other shows they aren't alone. Very impressive and inspiring.
I also found this part of the talk interesting. By finding a medium that an artist can understand, she was able to move and express her emotions. Also, I think her idea of having others go through it with you was profound because they can have a sense of commonality.
I love that the client used a movement she was comfortable with (oragami) to be heard and understood at a deeper level while still starting where she was.
I loved the idea of meeting people where they were at. It was cool to see the individual who was done with psychoanalytic therapy go onto DMT and find joy in life again. Sometimes we do not need to put ourselves in situations that we think may help because there may be another option we did not realize before. I think it is super important that therapists refer one another when the approach they use does not work well with a client.
I think the idea of meeting people where they are at is what makes DMT so special. Not forcing the client to talk about things they don't want to or do something they do not want to can create trust which can ultimately aid the therapeutic process.
I love that the origins of feelings can be discovered through movement. It's incredible what power the mind to body connection has!
I thought the part about self-revelation and the self and the other really encapsulated the important role that dance therapists play in their client's lives. They are a source of comfort and safety for the client to truly open up about their feelings and discover how to cope with them and grow.
I also thought that this was a great point. Movement helps people open up, and it leads to memories that have been stored in the body.
Dance/Movement Therapy provides such a unique way to address their feelings. Using proprioception as a form of expression allows for so much more vibrant communication than I believe could be made with verbal communication.
Super insightful talk. Just like most other commenters in this video, I too struggle with clinical depression and my personal experience with voluntary movement as a form of therapy completely validates everything that Joan Wittig talks about in this video.
I really loved this video! As someone who has struggled with depression and is studying dance/movement therapy, it was so interesting to learn more about how the two connect!
The way that our mind and body are interconnected is often overlooked when it comes to mental health treatment. However, DMT shows us exactly how important it is to utilize both the mind and body in treatment and the benefits. I like how she mentioned that DMT can help clients with depression feel less alone. I think sometimes it can be hard for clients to go to therapy to talk about their issues because even though the therapist wants to help and is listening, the client may not feel understood or heard. With DMT the therapist is right alongside the client doing the same activities which makes the client feel more seen and less alone in their pursuit to find happiness.
This speaker makes an amazing point that I had never taken to moment to stop and think about, she talks about how movement can serve as the primary communication medium when speaking is not an option. When a person feels depressed they tend to withdraw and not engage with others, I believe that with Dance Movement Therapy we can learn to understand the nonverbal communication that is being conveyed and use that information to listen and aid in recovery. I have very recently learned what this type of therapy is and I am still discovering how powerful it can be. Traditional verbal therapy can be difficult in general but, when one has to talk in depth about emotions that they don't fully understand it can seem like an insurmountable obstruction. DMT removes that obstacle and allows the patient to reconnect with their most primal method of communication and start recovery from there. I am grateful that I have found this type of therapy and will be spreading the word about my personal experiences with it.
Some highlights I am taking away from this talk are “self revelation requires an encounter between self and other. Needs an other to whom to be revealed,” “movement leads to memories, emotions that are held in the body,” “the origins of feelings can be discovered in movement. We invite a relationship between the conscious and the unconscious,” “movement gives us a sense of agency, a sense of our aliveness.” I think these quotes speak to some of the key features of dance/movement therapy, and why this can be such a useful tool for people who can’t yet access traumatic memories, or can’t articulate their experiences verbally. As well as a tool to feel alive and embodied in therapeutic processing, where as some people may feel detached in verbal processing or certain events and experiences.
I agree that movement can be a way to express things that the body has been holding onto. Sometimes it can be hard to verbalize what you are going through, but the body still holds those emotions.
A quote that really resonated with me was that Dance/Movement Therapy "brings our attention to the sensory experience that's neglected when we reside in our thoughts". Focusing on our sensory experience and moving gives us a sense of our aliveness, which isn't typically present in someone facing depression. The dance/movement therapist allows the person to feel seen and accepted in their embodied experience.
I agree, emotions can get trapped in the body in the case of depression or traumatic experiences. Movement is a great releasal method!
The targeting of that sensory experience I think is so individualized that it allows for that self-compassion to occur. The dance therapist plays such a crucial role in creating a judgement free environment where that self-love can prosper.
Agree! That quote highlights the importance of being present in our bodies, allowing us to experience life more fully and authentically.
Once one begins to move they transition into aliveness. This is a great way to describe how dance movement therapy relates to nonverbal communication. As someone who deals with depression I can relate to this, movement really does wake up my mind and gets me thinking more clearly and positively. That thinking then translates itself back into my body and my movement. Waking up your mind with movement really does help transition into aliveness.
I think that the implementation of dance/movement therapy into mental illness treatment could be greatly beneficial, especially for those who are depressed and anxious. The speaker quoted Maxine Sheets Johnstone by saying, "Movement awakens us, it brings our attention to a sensory experience that's neglected when we reside in our thoughts." I think this is a good reminder that movement is an important factor in mental illness because it can help calm the mind and distract from thoughts.
Hi! I would agree that including DMT as a form of treatment for the mentally ill may greatly benefit thousands of individuals. specifically I feel like DMT is a great way to treat children experiencing symptoms of mental illness. I feel like DMT should be introduced before trying other more invasive techniques of treatment.
Right away, something that caught my attention was the first few lines of her speech to choose homicide over suicide. I was of course terrified of both as both seem brutal, but I like the fact that she then said to choose to save your own life. I agree with the speaker when she states that movement “helps them find a spark of health that’s alive and wants to stay alive.” Movement in general is proven to have physical benefits (lowering cardiovascular disease, leveling melatonin levels for a better sleep), but dance/movement therapy is proven to also have emotional benefits such as having a sense of accomplishment and overall letting down boundaries down, which improves socialization skills.
When Wittig talked about how dance movement therapy helps when people have nothing left to say, I think it was super interesting how group settings can be super helpful for people with depression because the movements together shows that they are supporting each other
It's crazy how making someone who feels alone into a group setting of acceptance and commonality can dramatically change their levels of depression
I like how the speaker compares movement to being alive. And if we aren't moving we are at a standstill and feel stuck. Personally movement does make me feel more alive and as I have my own choice in how I want my body to move.
I also like how the speaker did this!
It is clear that movement is a great way to release the stresses and emotions that our body has been harboring. This is an interesting line of work, and dance therapists have to adapt in a moments notice to help the client through their experience. Further emphasizing how movement is communication.
I agree! You can see how the speaker adapts each session for each patient. For example, the artist pretended to be oragomy since she was uncomfortable making movements by herself.
Its really eye-opening how the body stores so much information such as memories and the origins of these memories, movement can access the subconscious and is a powerful tool for revelation and awareness. Just like a little practice we did in Nonverbal class, these movements mean something meaningful to the mover even before they realize it.
This video in particular is very sensitive for me as I am someone who suffers from depression and always feels like there is no gateway out of it. Through nonverbal communication, as she said, it's so important to feel heard and seen. Having someone go out and express physically what you're going through is such a profound moment because of the fact that you feel taken care of and understood for the first time in probably a long time. While I understand the comment about suicide vs homicide, I don't think that's the best metaphor for this situation. Choosing life is all great and splendid, but saying choose homicide is also insinuating to not let someone else continue theirs, which should not ever be the case.
Talking about how depression can be heard through dance movement therapy gives me hope because there are so many people that don't feel like they can be heard even though they've said every single thing they feel. When the client was just sitting on the couch for a while without saying anything, it made sense to me because not saying anything sometimes is saying everything. But having her move to a dance movement therapist helped her engage and express the remaining of what she wanted to express. Movement is our first language and it's so important to understand that it's so powerful to be able to be in tune with that and access movement because it says so so much.
Thank you for sharing such vulneralble information about yourself and your ideas. I also appreciate your honesty about the comment regarding suicide and homicide. The comment did not feel as though it was extremely important to the message being shared.
Dance/movement therapy can work to open a previously cluttered, confused pathway within a person and lead to self-revelation. Hurting individuals can reconnect with that internal spark that motivates them to live and discover that they are no longer alone. Comfort is found through the open invitation to offer and receive the help and support of others.
Movement is health. I totally agree with this. DMT brings you alive and makes you want to stay on this earth. I never realized how powerful DMT was until now, actually I never knew what DMT was before and I am thoroughly impressed. Movement can make you feel not alone anymore, which is very helpful to know. I could have used this in the past when I was faced with depression. This is something that needs to be known better among societies.
Yes! I think it is interesting that something as simple as movement can actually be so crucial for our well-beings. It is when we actively choose to engage with movement is when healing can occur.
This video from Joan Wittig connects to my understanding of dance/movement therapy with the notion of the significance of building rapport between the client and therapist. Additionally, she discusses that when working with clients that have depression, the goal is to find the light and motivation to live deep within them. This relates to how movement brings repressed memories from the unconscious back to the surface of consciousness. Usually, I understood that as negative feelings or memories being remembered through an expression of movement, but I think it applies to positive feelings as well; especially if someone has been living in a dark place and suffering from depression for a long period. Wittig says that one of the first things that occurs in dance therapy is the client experiencing a feeling of being seen and accepted. She goes on to describe writing about her clients' movements and how they made HER feel. This refers to being witnessed in a non-judgemental way and also conveys empathy for the client.
Group therapy is also mentioned, and she explains that she started with a warm-up that resulted in the patients swaying side-to-side, then moving around the room, and pushing a 'boulder'. This refers to picking up movement and incorporating improvisation. She also explains an example of what work she did with compulsive eaters. She would pair them up and have a talker and a mover; the talker would explain some issue they were dealing with and the mover would respond through movement and then discusses what they discovered with the talker. This reminds me of what I've learned with a recent activity where we moved in response to another mover's initial movements. We then discussed what insights the response provided for the initial mover.
It is interesting that Joan Wittig explains the movement therapy using feeling depression.
All the information she says are related with nonverbal communication.
People do usually communicate with others without verbal in their lives. something like waving hands instead of saying hi. It is not just they do not want to say words. It is just what they want to say, What that mean is people used to good at this kind of specific movement therapy with unconsciousness. It is all true that we have to deep into these kinds of body therapy in unusual expressions we are not familiar.
I thought what she said as her opener was a very interesting way of introducing her topic. As she began to explain more about it and about choosing yourself, it makes a lot more sense in terms of DMT and how therapists work with the individual to encourage them to continuously choose themselves and their lives.
I agree that her comparison at the beginning helped me to understand how this kind of therapy can be helpful for people struggling with depression
I really liked the speaker's interpretation of using movement to let us know that we have the ability to change things. I think that a lot of people could be positively affected by this rationale in the sense that feelings are discovered through movement. Thus, people who feel "stucK' in life would be able to find some of the answers they are looking for if they tried dance therapy.
It's so easy to find oneself in a stagnant state emotionally or energy-wise that is becomes the norm. Dance or movement can be a freeing force from that state of being and help us evolve in a multitude of ways.
Thank u..this has helped me tremendously.👍
Dance/movement therapy is a way to allow clients who are suffering from depression to access their emotions. That conscious movement really does allow individuals to begin seeing their healing process start as soon as they choose to begin moving. When individuals cannot express what they are feeling through words, they are using movement as nonverbal communication to convey how they feel. "Movement can begin the transition to aliveness." This helps them find that "spark" that wants too be alive and reminds them their life has a purpose. Joan makes the point that we invite expression through the body and be able to explore ourselves. Movement really connects the mind to our bodies by letting those good or bad memories flow into life until we feel joy again.