[Workshop] Introduction to Dance/Movement Therapy

19 Jan

Introduction to Dance/Movement Therapy

A three-day introductory workshop offering foundational orientation to the profession of dance/movement therapy (DMT)

Workshop

Dr. Christina Devereaux

About the course

This three-day introductory workshop offers participants a foundational orientation to the profession of dance/movement therapy (DMT). Designed for those new to the field and individuals considering formal DMT training, the workshop introduces the historical development of the profession, core theoretical foundations, and guiding principles of practice. Through a combination of brief lectures, discussion, and structured experiential activities, participants will explore how dance/movement functions as a medium for expression, regulation, communication, and relational connection across the lifespan and within diverse cultural and clinical contexts.

Experiential components emphasize learning through the body rather than personal therapy. Movement activities are intentionally structured as educational demonstrations that illustrate foundational DMT concepts such as embodied awareness, attunement, and the relationship between movement and psychological processes.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this three-day workshop, participants will be able to:

Describe the historical development, professional identity, and core principles of dance/movement therapy as a mental health profession.
Identify and experience foundational embodied practices used in dance/movement therapy, including movement observation, embodied awareness, and relational movement exploration, within an educational framework.
Reflect on the application of dance/movement therapy with diverse populations and articulate how this introductory experience informs their interest in and readiness for formal DMT training.

Instructor:

Dr. Christina Devereaux

Christina Devereaux, PhD, LCAT, LMHC, BC-DMT, NCC is an Associate Clinical Professor and Program Director for the Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling program at Drexel University, College of Nursing and Health Professions. She is former Program Director and Associate Professor at Antioch University New England in the Department of Applied Psychology and Adjunct Associate Professor at Pratt Institute for 13 years. She currently serves on the senior faculty at Inspirees, a training program for DMT in China, and an international faculty member for Dance Therapy New Zealand. She served as co-editor of the American Journal of Dance Therapy from 2011-2017 and a two time President’s Award recipient from the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) for her outstanding contributions to the profession (2008 and 2017). She was featured on National Public Radio (NPR), CCTV, the largest television station in China, and as a presenter for the 2014 ADTA Talks series focusing on DMT and autism. In addition to authoring many chapters and journal publications, she has a blog with Psychology Today ‘Meaning in motion: Dancing with the mind in mind’.