The Dance of Attachment: Exploring Dance/Movement Therapy with International/Transracial Adoptees

Abstract

The purpose of this capstone thesis was to write a journal article manuscript that could be submitted for publishing to the American Journal of Dance Therapy or another academic journal. The article written for submission explores the intersections between international and transracial adoption, attachment theory, and dance/movement therapy, with a particular focus on how dance/movement therapy might help to strengthen the attachment relationship between adoptive caregivers and adoptees. Previous research that highlights the connection between relational trauma and attachment patterns people form, in addition to attachment pattern concerns present among those who are adopted, serve as the foundational base for the article. The article’s main emphasis focuses on how the creative arts therapies and specifically how dance/movement therapy may serve as a way to help strengthen attachment patterns based on past research looking at the effectiveness these therapies have when working with those who have relational trauma. As proposed by the author, dance/movement therapy may help to foster a secure attachment between adoptive caregiver and adoptee through breath work, being mindful of space, mirroring and attuning to one another, and addressing implicit body memory. Reflections and future considerations for further exploration are also discussed.M.A., Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling -- Drexel University, 201