Dance/movement therapy for children suffering from earthquake trauma in Taiwan: A preliminary exploration

• Published in: The Arts in psychotherapy Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 151 - 157
• Main Authors: Lee, Tsung-Chin, Lin, Yaw-Sheng, Chiang, Chung-Hsin, Wu, Ming-Hung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Creative movement; Dance/movement therapy; Energetic phenomena; Group psychotherapy; Medical sciences; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychophysical liberation; Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling; Strength of corporeal feeling; Treatments; Asia; Taiwan; Dance/movement therapy; Creative movement; Strength of corporeal feeling; Psychophysical liberation; Energetic phenomena; Human; Affect affectivity; High risk; Group treatment; Treatment efficiency; Anxiety disorder; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychophysics; Trauma; Creativity; Art therapy; Treatment; School age; Earthquakes; Body movement; Dance; Motricity; Child
• ISSN: 0197-4556; 1873-5878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aip.2012.12.002

Figure group process of the dance/movement therapy for traumatic children. [Display omitted] ► Dance/movement therapy is the mind–body integration process. ► Dance/movement therapy provides a way for the survivors to express emotions and rebuild a positive relationship with his/er own body. ► We propose that through the therapist's holding, the traumatized children's emotions are released and their bodies achieve liberation. ► After liberating their bodies, the children may display creativity and imagination. ► ‘Making Death Rituality’ is a symbolic way to work through the mourning process. This study used short-term dance/movement therapy to examine children who were at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the 9/21/99 earthquake in Taiwan. Fifteen elementary-school age children (grades one through five) who were at high risk for PTSD participated in a two-day “Happy Growth” dance/movement therapy program. This program was designed by a team consisting of one dance/movement therapist and three clinical psychologists. At the beginning of the program, the children's behavior was obstreperous and disorderly. During the program, they made coffins and tombs, and then they built castles. The way in which the group process developed was extremely different from the direction that the therapists had originally planned. In terms of the phenomenon displayed through dance/movement therapy, three therapeutic issues were emphasized: (1) What impact does psychophysical liberation have on the possibility for healing? (2) Is making Death Rituality the mourning process for survivors? (3) What is the significance of “holding” by the therapist in dance/movement therapy? The implications from the study are discussed.