Systemic Dance Movement Therapy
… like all forms of dance therapy employs typical dance-therapeutic methods and techniques such as Authentic Movement, Chace technique, or specific movement assignments to music. It also utilizes movement analysis according to Laban and Kestenberg to elucidate a person’s options for appropriation of the world and shaping of relationships. (see also Individual Sessions)
In a wider context systemic dance therapy is related to systemic thinking / acting itself, and perceives any person systemically as an inseparable sub-entity of a larger network.
Therefore basic assumptions and approaches from systemic (family) therapy complement the dance therapeutic interventions.
To name a few important mindsets and techniques of systemic therapy:
A substantial part of any person’s reality is subjective and constantly re-created by her/him; this creation of reality is usually affected by her/his personal conditioning which spawns our concepts and belief systems about what the world is like; these in turn cause certain behavioral patterns.
The family of origin plays an important role in the development of such belief systems and behavioral patterns; often strategies and patterns are transferred from the family of origin and automatically activated with other people / groups. (system effectiveness).
As therapist I always act, intervene, and question in such a way that the number of possibilities increases.
Also as therapist I think and act resource-oriented rather than problem-oriented; establishing a classical diagnosis is not important.
This builds on the insight that a „problem“ or an „illness“ only exist if we define and name them as such
As systemic therapist I describe a certain behavior merely as what it is instead of terming it „sick“, „pathological“, or „problem“.
I also remain neutral towards different behaviors or points of view; I work with what is present.
Reframing and assigning new connotations to certain states, points of view, behaviors etc. is a central part of this
Specific types of question, such as circular questions, help to expose certain connections and interdependencies which in turn can open up new options
Behavioral suggestions, rituals, or paradoxical interventions allow to experiment with new behavioral patterns in real-life
However when it comes to human dignity and fundamental rights I follow a clear value code and am decidedly non-neutral
Therefore I respect people, not concepts
The therapy only addresses whatever the client specifies; the therapeutic process starts with client and therapist clarifying and agreeing on the therapy’s scope; this agreement can be revisited and updated as the therapy progresses.
It may well prove helpful to schedule sessions with larger intervals, e.g. several weeks.
As systemic therapist I perceive in a person their connectedness and therefore interdependency of systems as well as their personal responsibility.
from: von Schlippe / Schweitzer: Textbook of systemic therapy and counseling;
S. Bender: Systemic dance therapy (unpublished manuscript)
