Circles of support: dance movement psychotherapy in rehabilitation and social reintegration in psychiatry: a practice evaluation

Abstract

The purpose of the Circle of Support, developed by the Romanian Association of Psychotherapy (ARPDM) was to promote the application of dance movement psychotherapy (DMP) in inpatient and outpatient settings. It brought a group of patients together so as to let them experience DMP sessions, designed to contribute to the enrichment of empathy, understanding and self-expression as well as to lessen the stigma surrounding mental illness. The project involved offering 8 DMP sessions in 3 partnering mental health hospitals and a series of 8 DMP sessions in each of our 3 partnering community centres, which offer assistance to their beneficiaries, using a day-care format. The main purpose of the project was intervention and the qualitative assessment was a secondary aim. Results confirm existing evidence, demonstrating the power of DMP to elicit joy, self-awareness and social connection, strengthening the patients’ circles of support both inside and outside the psychiatric hospital.