Dance/Movement Therapy & Mental Illness

"[Dance/movement therapy] lifts the movement experience into the realm of the imagination where a patient can interpret for him/herself what the movement means."

~ Ted Ehrhardt

Ted Ehrhardt, MS, BC-DMT, LCAT, CMA has facilitated dance/movement therapy groups within psychiatric hospitals for over 25 years. He earned an MA in Dance Therapy at Hunter College and is certified in Laban Movement Analysis. He has participated as a movement analyst in psychoanalytic and forensic medicine research projects at New York University and John Jay College, respectively. He clinically supervises dance therapists and dance therapy interns and teaches at Pratt Institute and the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies. He is also on the faculty at Inspirees, a training program for dance/movement therapy in China.

[angelamaximo]

I work in a psychiatric facility so I am very familiar with the kind of population this speaker is describing. I know how patients look when they’re too preoccupied with their thoughts to speak, or heavily responding to internal stimuli to uphold a conversation with another person; sometimes on their down time, they’re quiet and reserved, have a low affect based on their droopy eyes, frowned mouth and some are even hunched over when standing/walking. I’m so glad that he makes his patients feel seen. He says to his patients “hey, I can see how you’re moving, I can feel your tense/scared energy, let’s try to tackle this together” through non-verbal communication, mirroring their movements. This was a bit overwhelming (in a positive way) to watch as I knew those patients were having fun using their movements to eventually create an imagination from this concrete realm to another one. This is the magic of movement.

[ravynrei]

It makes me so happy to see people both working with these patience and those who are cheering those people on. I was one of these girls at one point of my life around the same age as "caroline" i was deep in a catatonic state and had a complete annihilation of a sense of self and slowly but surely made it to where i am now...it is such a beautidul but traggic thing watch a video like this. And honestly it is inspiring me to help the people who are still in these states and to show families that "Yes, there is hope. They will come out of this tunnel. And the light is in them it just needs to shine" :)

[sarahbitter]

The use of mirroring can be a great technique to allow participants to express what they are feeling without the use of words itself. It was great to hear about a successful experience with mirroring from Ted Ehrhardt!

[julianawilley]

Ted does a wonderful job of painting the picture of a person with severe mental illness. His quote, "The movement we share is the essence of the transaction" perfectly encapsulates the dance/movement client-therapist relationship. The shared movement serves as a foundation and creates building blocks for the therapeutic relationship. His explanation of mirroring and its transformation into a metaphor displays the power of movement and how it can connect us to one another on a visceral level. It is clear that he was able to effectively hold space for his group as well as allow various members to be seen and heard.

[isabellafarris]

Its so refreshing to hears that these Dance movement Therapists are able to connect with patients on a deeper level. Being able to have people express themselves through movement is a truly beautiful thing. Sometimes, you might not know what you are expressing or if its the right way to express it. But there is no right or wrong answer. Your own interpretation of the movement is best for you and only you. Not being afraid to acknowledge where you are and how that might affect your movement.

[MADISONLEINENWEBER]

I thought this provided a really great perspective on the client/therapist relationship and how important it is to show up with continued commitment to build that eventual trust, slowly but surely.

[morganeberhardt]

I really enjoyed listening to this talk and gaining a better insight into how dance movement therapy can help people struggling with mental illness.

[shaunashrewsbury]

Ted Ehrhardt is a very eloquent speaker.  His first statistic that 25% of our population is diagnosed with a mental illness was very shocking.  I particularly enjoyed his emphasis on his experiences with ‘Caroline’ and other clients was the movement him and his client create together, and the development of the themes from this movement are integrated into the treatment.  I enjoyed hearing his anecdote of the mirroring exercise he uses with his group.  His point to not ‘overwhelm’ the client’s movements was very interesting to me.  I feel that by mirroring individuals can ‘feel seen’ as Mr. Ehrhardt describes.  The progression of movement that the clients in his story take was very touching, and is a wonderful example of movement and metaphor development.   

[erinwilmanns]

Thanks to the speaker for sharing not only the gestures created in his space, but also the transition from literal movement to metaphor. Dance/movement as holding space, as well as a space for the imagination is so powerful.

[iyit]

Ted's tendency to use names in describing his clients humanize each of them. What a beautiful presentation of DMT and mental illness.

[MICHAELKEEFE-hy]

I really enjoyed this story of the sense of unity that movement therapy groups can provide for those invovled. It allows people with mental illness a sense of expression, collaboration, and unity with others. I also enjoyed how this story showed the growth of movement based off others in the group.

[makaylatuomi]

I really like the empathy approach to mental illnesses because I think that the personal connection would be imperative in treatment. He also points out how many people struggle with mental illnesses, and this shows that everyone has their own personal baggage, where some baggage is easier to hide than others.

[ameliafeuerer]

The use of his own patients was so powerful. It was so cool to see the progress that was made on his patient, Caroline, through his dance therapy techniques. So interesting to see the range that dance therapy reaches by helping those who were so immobile at the start.

[justinmagnus]

Ted Ehrhardt's talk was very powerful. I love how he used an example to get his point across. Mirroring is a powerful tool that Dance Movement Therapists can use to get breakthroughs with their clients. That is what Ted was teaching us. I find this so interesting because I am fascinated with the brain. Through my own studies, I have learned that there are mirror neurons in the brain, which help infants move similar to their parents. I assume these mirror neurons are also activated during mirroring. I love seeing a real life example of something I have learned.

[karilavin]

I greatly appreciated Dr. Ehrhart's succinct definition of DMT. He describes the field as one in which dance can be "used as a therapeutic intervention to integrate clients' functioning... based in relationship." His insight into mirroring with this population is empathic and reflective - helping the group feel seen but not overwhelmed. He has a gentle nature and great skill as a participant observer, helping group transition from movement to metaphor. I deeply appreciate his case example and resonate with his wondering about "what can I ask to move this further" to enhance the moment of genuine connection.

[renakornblum]

Ted Ehrhardt's presentation on the use of dance/movement therapy and mental illness offers concrete examples of how movement can lead to emotional expression.  It shows how dance therapy works.  It explain how the authentic movement expression of clients is healing and how the dance therapist uses this to help share, communicate with other, and be seen and heard by the therapist and the group.  Excellent work.

[ethantaylor]

25% of individuals being diagnosed with a mental illness was really a surprising fact to me. I never thought I was shielded from these things in the past, but this talk opened my eyes to the message being spread. I really like the tool of mirroring that he uses. Getting on the individuals level makes them feel significantly calmer and at peace. That feeling of safety truly allows these individuals to be more open when they have felt so shut out most of their lives.

[emilysprague]

Human connection is so powerful and can be used to heal. This is a great example of this! Feeling isolated, trapped, and alone by any illness or disease only works to make the situation work, so DMT seems very effective for providing that sense of connection with others and ability to express oneself.

[BayleyREHMAN]

I think with mental health becoming less stigmatized it is a great time to promote dance movement therapy. I think this video put into perspective the relationship between patient and therapist. There really has to be slow and steady relationship building in order for the patient to become comfortable. Once patients are comfortable with their therapist, this is when DMT really can help a patient mentally.

[mareanewroz]

This talk provided such a beautiful and clear example of dance/movement therapy approach of mirroring as a way of showing acceptance and validation. I found it helpful to be reminded of the benefits of movement as communication in any form it comes in, no matter how small or big the movement appears.