Becoming a client, becoming a practitioner: student narratives of a dance movement therapy group

Abstract

This paper documents one of several themes arising from a larger research study which invited trainees’ views on their experience in a weekly, 2 year, dance movement therapy (DMT) personal development group. This group formed part of their post-graduate training. The study used a phenomenological, grounded theory and collaborative methodology followed by an interpretive framework. The research sought to discover participants’ views on the experience of this personal development group in relation to their clinical practice with DMT groups during and following their training (the latter is not the subject of this paper). The study identifies a gap in the literature on trainee experience, particularly in relation to group process. Following a brief introduction and overview of methodology employed, the theme entitled ‘becoming a client, becoming a practitioner’ is presented, as it manifested for the students in the DMT group over time. The personal development component of therapists’ training is directly relevant to most counselling/psychotherapy and arts therapies practitioners; consequently, the study has broader implications.