CHILD THERAPY

Dance Movement Therapy with Children

Méthodology

Dance and movement is a multi-sensory approach based on the understanding of the movement as an individual’s authentic expression.

The therapist uses non-verbal communication: movement, game, music and creativity to interact with children and his families.

The basis of this approach is that each child creates a unique inventory of movements and non-verbal communications that can be interpreted by a trained therapist.

These movements reveal the way a child adapts to the world and to others. Parents are encouraged to participate in understanding their child’s message .

The question that underlies the therapy is the following: if this behavior is a form of communication, what is the child trying to tell us ?

Psychologue lausanne enfant - therapie lausanne enfant -danse et mouvement enfants

Objectives of the therapy

The main objective is to create a safe space allowing a child to express his/her emotions, problems, fears, past and present experiences that are affecting his/her well-being.

The goal is to comfort him/her psychologically.

The therapy is directed at emotional expression, as well as improving family relationships and a child’s social skills.

The therapist uses movement, dance, music and games to encourage and support a child’s emotional space and mental development.

Body movement is a key element of the treatment, as it stimulates a child’s motor development as well as his/her cognitive processes and communication.

Psychothérapeute enfant à Lausanne : Art thérapie pour enfants en Suisse

Techniques applied

The structure of the sessions is adapted to a child’s abilities and to the reasons that bring him/her to therapy.

A session is divided in three parts :

Welcoming time in the form of a movement game
Active time when movements are developed freely in space.
Compilation time that enables the child to refocus before the session ends

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Our tools

We use different tools to stimulate the child’s expression and social skills :

Games using the space to stimulate imagination
Body and movement to encourage the child to manage the space around him/her.
Dance helps the child create his/her corporal expression.
Music and rhythm foster this sharing.
Space enables a better understanding of a ‘one versus the others’ situation.
Emotions are explored symbolically through drama and storytelling.
Relaxation, often accompanied by breathing exercises, helps a child in his/her daily routine

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Résults

The use of the body and movement enables souvenirs and pre-verbal wounds to re-emerge and be treated.

Different dynamic processes take place during the treatment leading to the following results:

Emotional and social levels of the child are explored.
Expression, sharing and social integration abilities are improved.
Physical, emotional and cognitive capacities are built.
Authentic expression in a safe space is fostered.

This art of therapy is also effective in treating autism, pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).

It also produces results when treating other disorders such as communication and language, sensory development, social functioning and parent-child attachment.

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