Approaches used in dance/movement therapy with adult women incest survivors

Abstract

Little has been written about dance/movement therapy approaches used in assisting adult women incest survivors in their recovery. Five San Francisco Bay area dance/movement therapists, who specialize in this population, were interviewed. Each therapist answered five open-ended questions about her background and theoretical framework, approaches used, and issues observed. The answers revealed a high degree of congruence with each other and with current incest literature. Four therapists used some type of Jungian, Gestalt, or Authentic Movement framework, and one used Blanche Evan's constructs. Issues of assertiveness, body image, sexuality, and boundaries were common themes. Safety, trust, and shame issues were stressed by all therapists.