Today I met a wonderful woman that works helping sexually abused girls & women. When I told her that I teach Hula & Tahitian she said "that's great - let me have your business card, I often recommend Polynesian dance as a therapy to help heal the physical and psychological wounds these women have to overcome from being sexually abused."
She went on to say that "many girls & women become very stiff and ridged with the lower half of their body and she recommends hula dance so that they may become whole agin. Polynesian dance helps them to reconnect with their bodies and see themselves as beautiful."
Needless to say I was very happy and proud that I would be able to help through my knowledge and love of Tahitian and Hawaiian dance!
Dance therapy is founded on the premise that the body and mind are an interrelated continuum, that the state of the body may affect mental and emotional wellbeing in manifold ways.
Reconnection to their Bodies
In a study of sexually abused young women - participants talked about how they had rejected their bodies because it felt fragile or because it had enticed their abuser. They felt that they were not completely present in their bodies and experienced dissociation.
For example, one participant explained that she had spent the majority of her life feeling like her body walked in front of her. Dance therapy helped them become more aware and comfortable with physical sensations and different parts of their bodies (Mills & Daniluk, 2002).
A reconnection with their bodies increased their sense of safety, control, self-acceptance and care of their bodies. Their increased sense of control and safety helped them remain present in their bodies when painful emotions and sensations emerged about their past sexual abuse. The participants contended that dance therapy helped them learn alternative ways to deal with painful memories.
Dance therapy taught them to utilize their bodies as a way to "anchor" them in the present when dealing with painful memories (Mills & Daniluk, 2002). In addition, dance therapy allowed them to decrease their use of defensive reactions to cope with psychological pain. The women also reported that dance therapy increased their emotional awareness. The women could more easily and accurately discover and identify emotions (Mills & Daniluk, 2002).
She went on to say that "many girls & women become very stiff and ridged with the lower half of their body and she recommends hula dance so that they may become whole agin. Polynesian dance helps them to reconnect with their bodies and see themselves as beautiful."
Needless to say I was very happy and proud that I would be able to help through my knowledge and love of Tahitian and Hawaiian dance!
Dance therapy is founded on the premise that the body and mind are an interrelated continuum, that the state of the body may affect mental and emotional wellbeing in manifold ways.
Reconnection to their Bodies
In a study of sexually abused young women - participants talked about how they had rejected their bodies because it felt fragile or because it had enticed their abuser. They felt that they were not completely present in their bodies and experienced dissociation.
For example, one participant explained that she had spent the majority of her life feeling like her body walked in front of her. Dance therapy helped them become more aware and comfortable with physical sensations and different parts of their bodies (Mills & Daniluk, 2002).
A reconnection with their bodies increased their sense of safety, control, self-acceptance and care of their bodies. Their increased sense of control and safety helped them remain present in their bodies when painful emotions and sensations emerged about their past sexual abuse. The participants contended that dance therapy helped them learn alternative ways to deal with painful memories.
Dance therapy taught them to utilize their bodies as a way to "anchor" them in the present when dealing with painful memories (Mills & Daniluk, 2002). In addition, dance therapy allowed them to decrease their use of defensive reactions to cope with psychological pain. The women also reported that dance therapy increased their emotional awareness. The women could more easily and accurately discover and identify emotions (Mills & Daniluk, 2002).
Yes, Dance is amazing therapy. Dance therapy helps to providing relief against many communicating disorders and other diseases.
ReplyDelete