Pioneering Dance Movement Therapy in Britain: results of narrative research

This article reports research concerning life narratives of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) pioneers in Britain. Nine pioneers were identified using a snowballing sampling technique. Participants were asked about the training and experiential influences on their career trajectory, first via a questionnaire. Each individual was then encouraged to narrate their story in their own way. Some did so in writing and others were interviewed by telephone. Validity of the narratives was enhanced by circulating the written account for comments, and by cross-checking references to each other within individual accounts. Narratives were analysed thematically, giving rise to the following categories: isolation; dance, affect and symbolisation; serendipity and choice; beginner’s mind (a childlike attitude) and the search for theory. The following conclusions are made: the phenomenon of pioneering DMT in Britain was historically and culturally situated; career trajectories can be conceptualised as “falling forwards”; an attitude of exploration with tacit, embodied knowledge must be balanced alongside the thrust towards expertise and external evidence

Moving towards evidence for dance movement therapy: Robin Hood in dialogue with the King

The myth of Robin Hood is used to explore the possible dynamics between arts therapies researchers, and in particular dance movement therapy researchers, and the world of science. As a profession positioned in relation to science, we are in danger of splitting and denigration on the one hand, or appeasement on the other. The case is made for a new way forward that includes making use of what we do well in terms of creativity and embodied knowing, whilst reaching out into multidisciplinary and international research partnerships. The imperative to evidence our work has never been more urgent. Three forms of evidence are explored: Randomised Controlled Trials and systematic reviews; process research; and Practice Based Evidence from more than one practitioner using a core data set of outcome measurement. A case study is offered to demonstrate how routine outcome measures can be used to gather evidence that links outcome to process

Creative writing as a tool for assessment: implications for embodied working

The reader is introduced to a particular use of creative writing for assessment purposes. The method of working is proposed as one alternative for those clients who may find it difficult to embody their experience. The reader is first introduced to some literature and ideas concerning narrative approaches to therapy and assessment. This is followed by a description of the approach to assessment using creative writing, piloted with one client. Comparisons are drawn between the approach under discussion and previous work by Dent-Brown and Wang (2004), who analyse plot but do not analyze the self-and other-positioning available through character and role analysis. This case study supports their view that those with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder show features of pessimism, death and loneliness in their stories. The addition of role analysis as described here offers additional opportunities to predict and work with reciprocal roles (Ryle, 1997), including the transference relationship between client and therapist. Reference is also made to earlier work with metaphor in the processing of childhood trauma (Meekums 1999, 2000), and the function of the creative story in 'unearthing'; a getting the story out of the body, as described by the subject of this case study. The role of witness is also highlighted. The subsequent re-embodiment of the individual is evidenced by the witness' experience of being “moved” (McLeod, 1997)

Embodied Narratives in Becoming a Counselling Trainer: An Autoethnographic Study

This autoethnographic study addresses the newly appointed counselling trainer’s question “How did I get here?” The procedure is described, and findings presented as partial narratives of the Wounded Dancer; poems and prose written from different voices. Themes are revealed of love, healing, risk taking, unconventionality, physicality and overcoming physical limitations. “Wounded healer” stories are inscribed alongside “powerful body” / “subversive body” stories. The role of the father is considered in facilitating these stories, including the tomboy throwing off “definitions of what it means to be a girl”. The study is evaluated in terms of Richardson’s (2000) criteria. One contribution to knowledge lies in the methodology’s potential application to research-led learning and teaching with counsellor education

Narrating attachment: some lessons learned from Charles Dickens’ novel ‘Little Dorrit’.

This article considers attachment from a post-modern, narrative and psychosocial perspective. Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit is used as a case study from which to explore these perspectives. The received wisdom that attachment styles are almost exclusively derived from the caregiver-infant relationship are critiqued, making use of the personal history of one of the authors to illustrate the importance of unintentional and unforeseen childhood experiences in generating attachment narratives. Attachment is treated not merely as a psychological phenomenon, but impacted on by social forces and occurring within social frameworks including identity. Literary sources offer one lens through which such psychosocial phenomena can be examined. Dickens’ story illustrates the difficulties faced by boys and men in terms of gendered attachment behaviours, but does so without falling into the trap of portraying either men or women in stereotypical ways. The authors propose that avoidant attachment is a defence against the possibility of extreme dependency, and that the underlying fear is therefore the same for both avoidant and ambivalent internal working models, namely that the loved one will disappear. The therapeutic relationship is conceptualised as one in which personal narratives are re-authored within a collaborative and co-creative framework, but the possibility of re-authoring is also considered possible without the intervention of a psychotherapist and the arts in particular are considered as media in which reflective function is fostered. Conclusions are drawn for how literature can act as research data in order to enhance understanding of the psychosocial complexity within which individuals negotiate issues of attachment

Emotional connectedness to home for Ghanaian students in the UK

Ghanaian migrants represent one of the largest Black African groups in the UK. While viewed positively in terms of economic and educational success, migration has impacts on emotional attachments. The aim of this study was therefore to explore narrative expressions of belonging and emotional connectedness for Ghanaian university students in the UK. Nine Ghanaian students took part in one of two focus group interviews. A narrative analysis revealed stories of separation, emotional belonging, meaningful connectedness and disconnections. Connections were made to the homeland through Ghanaian food, clothing, language, religion, and communication with significant persons. Stories of disconnection were related to isolation and a sense of not belonging. Recommendations are made for therapist training, culturally sensitive university environments, and further research

Transformational education for psychotherapy and counselling: a relational dynamic approach

An evolving relational dynamic approach to psychotherapy and counselling education is described. Key themes integrated within the approach are the learning community and transformational relationships . Learning is a reciprocal change process involving students, teachers, supervisors and therapists in overlapping learning communities. Drawing on evidence that effective outcomes in therapy correlate to effective aspects of the therapeutic relationship, the relational dynamic approach emphasises the findings of attachment and intersubjectivity theorists. The intersubjective matrix of infant/caregiver and client/therapist is mirrored and embodied in the relational ethos of training and actively engaged in group supervision. An emphasis on embodied relating is discussed, drawing on infancy studies and recent neuroscientific finding

How do partners living with haemodialysis patients cope?

Although research has demonstrated a considerable physical and psychosocial impact of dialysis on patients with end-stage renal failure, there is much less literature on the effect of dialysis on the partners of these patients. Beverley Avril-Sephula, Bonnie Meekums and Cath Jackson discuss the findings of this qualitative study on the coping strategies of dialysis patients' partners

Managing boundaries under pressure: a qualitative study of therapists’ experiences of sexual attraction in therapy

Aim: to identify therapists’ views on sexual boundaries, their experience of them and the strategies they employed to manage them. . Method: in-depth qualitative interviews were used with a sample of 13 accredited practitioners of psychotherapy or counselling to elicit accounts of experiences of sexual attraction in the therapy encounter and consequent pressure on therapy boundaries. A strategic, primarily thematic analysis, informed by principles from Free Association Narrative methodology, was used in which team members used debriefing sessions for extending the depth of understanding of the interviews. Findings: there is consensus about what boundaries are essential at the extremes, but variability about fantasy, flirtation and touch. A core process was identified in the accounts of successful management of sexual attraction. There were four problematic ways of reacting to boundary pressure, two of which may lead to future therapist vulnerability and two others that may harm clients and therapy. Discussion: A participant-observer stance was conceptualised as essential for managing threats to boundaries. Minor boundary crossings were seen not only as potential precursors of more serious transgressions, but as opportunities for understanding the client’s difficulties, by many practitioners in this sample. Implications for practice: there are implications for training and accrediting organisations as well as for practitioners and supervisors. These include: organisations providing clarity over third party reporting, training facilitating the development of a theoretically based internal ethical model, supervisors contracting that discussion of attraction is expected and challenging while normalising attraction to clients, and practitioners noting apparently minor boundary crossings and taking them for discussion in supervision

Dance movement therapy for obese women with emotional eating: a controlled pilot study

Objective: This study explored the effectiveness of dance movement therapy (DMT) in obese women with emotional eating who were trying to lose weight. Method: 158 women were recruited from a commercial weight loss programme: 92 with BMI ≥ 28 were identified as emotional eaters and divided into: an exercise control (n=32) and non-exercisers (n=60). The non-exercises were partially randomised to non exercise control (n=30) and treatment group (n=30). Using a pre- and post-intervention design, 24 of the DMT treatment group, 28 of the exercise control and 27 of the non exercise control completed all measures on a battery of tests for psychological distress, body image distress, self-esteem and emotional eating. Findings were analysed for statistical significance. Results: The DMT group showed statistically decreased psychological distress, decreased body image distress, and increased self-esteem compared to controls. Emotional eating reduced in DMT and exercise groups. The authors cautiously conclude that DMT could form part of a treatment for obese women whose presentation includes emotional eating. Discussion: Further research is needed with larger, fully and blindly randomised samples, a group exercise control, longitudinal follow-up, a depression measure, ITT and cost analyses