Mary Coaten
Durham University
I am a dance movement psychotherapist working in the National Health Service in the UK. For the past 10 years I have delivered dance movement psychotherapy groups within the acute adult in-patient mental health setting. My special interest is in the use of embodied approaches for those people who may be experiencing severe mental distress. There is an emerging field of philosophically-led research into embodiment highlighting the importance of understanding severe mental distress in terms of the "lived-body" experience. At present I am engaged in doctoral research in this area at Durham University.I also work as a dance movement psychotherapist within an out-patient service primarily working with people who may have experienced some type of trauma.I recently qualified as a Kestenberg Movement Profile analyst.
When people are experiencing severe mental distress they often report disorders of embodiment (Stanghellini et al, 2016). For example, experiencing time as speeded up or slowed down, having a sense of déjà-vu, having... [ view full abstract ]
When people are experiencing severe mental distress they often report disorders of embodiment (Stanghellini et al, 2016). For example, experiencing time as speeded up or slowed down, having a sense of déjà-vu, having premonitions about oneself and loss of relationship to being in the present moment (Stanghellini et al, 2016). These are significant symptoms, and can effect how the person moves in and relates to their environment; yet these important experiences are often minimised, seen as difficult to assess, non-measurable and unscientific (op.cit, 2016).
There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP) is effective in reducing symptoms in schizophrenia/psychosis (Cochrane Review, 2012, Martin et al, 2016, Röhricht and Priebe, 2006). There is little understanding or investigation of why this might be the case. Is part of DMPs efficacy as an intervention related to its capacity to change the way people relate and move together in their environment, thus re-configuring an abnormal perception of time?
As a Dance Movement Psychotherapist working in Acute Adult Mental Health in-patient settings in the NHS, I am interested in linking emotional awareness with body awareness, understanding the processes taking place for those experiencing emotional distress. I am currently undertaking doctoral research at Durham University in this area. The workshop will explore how people move in and relate to their environment, focusing on a sense of self in relation to space, force and time; the essential dynamics of movement. I have over the years become very curious about the connections between bodily feelings, movement and relationship. This workshop highlights the importance of having alternative therapeutic options available in order to better understand what is being communicated, especially non-verbally. Dance Movement Psychotherapy is one particular option, which focuses on symbolic and metaphoric communication, expressed non-verbally in and through the body.
Therapeutic relationships , Other arts therapies , Other group therapies
