After years of struggling with an eating disorder and the unforgiving world of ballet, Kathleen Rea found solace and healing in artistic expression that honestly communicated who she was without censor. She learned to see her body as a source of wisdom rather than something that needed to be controlled. This inspired her to develop a style of expressive arts therapy in which sensation takes the lead in the creative process, enabling the wisdom of one's body to guide recovery. The Healing Dance outlines Rea's therapeutic approach, animated with details from her powerful life story and examples.
Contents
1. Becoming a Therapist -- 2.A Map of Human Experience -- Influences that Form My Ground -- My Map -- Part One: Body-Based Wisdom -- Six Forms of Body Wisdom -- My Map -- Part Two: The Self in Relationship to the World -- The World Out There -- My Map -- Part Three: Wellness and Dysfunction -- Patterns of Dysfunction -- 3. Healing Through the Arts -- A Recipe for Transformation from a Neurological Perspective -- Therapeutic Art-Based Experiences -- 1. How the Arts Provide a Sense of Safety -- 2. How the Arts Entice Exploration -- 3. How the Arts Build Relationships -- 4. How the Arts Engage People with the World -- 5. How the Arts Increase Self-Knowledge and Interaction -- 6. The Arts Encourage New Connections and Long-Lasting Change -- The Sum Effect of Expressive Arts Methods -- 4. The Art of Grief -- 5. The Art of Sensation -- My Six-Step Method -- 1. Notice the Sensation -- 2. Describe the Sensation -- 3. Stay-With the Sensation.
4. Find a Simple Shape or Movement that Matches the Sensation -- 5. Amplify and Intensify the Sensation -- 6. Harvest -- How the Steps Work Together.
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 209-212) and index.
