Dance / Movement Therapy

I integrate Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) as a pathway to self-discovery and emotional well-being. My approach merges cultural understanding, embodied healing, and evidence-based practices to help clients move beyond adversity and step into their full potential. Whether through therapy, coaching, or education, I am committed to guiding individuals toward thriving, not just surviving.

You don't need to be a dancer to benefit from movement as a way to connect with your body’s wisdom, get in touch with your creativity, and support emotional healing. This is especially true for areas that don't improve with talk therapy alone.

I am an expert in dance movement therapy, a specialized form of therapy that uses movement and body awareness to promote emotional, physical, and cognitive healing. With a background in both psychology and the arts, I integrate the expressive power of movement with traditional therapeutic techniques to help clients process emotions, reduce stress, and enhance self-awareness. Dance movement therapy allows individuals to connect with their bodies in a nonverbal way.

DMT is the therapeutic use of movement to further the emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration of the individual, based on the empirically supported premise that the body, mind and spirit are interconnected. Movement is used as a catalyst, and a means into the person's inner feelings and a way to express, cope, interact with others, and integrate their experiences. Is it fancy? No! Movement&dance can be anything from breathing, posture, communicating, the way we hold ourselves.

This is a creative and somatic method that invites in body awareness as well as expressive movement. Movement signifies vitality, change, adaptability, and is the opposite of stuckness and stagnation. When we mindfully allow thoughts and emotions to move, we can ride the waves of life with grace.

I received my degree in Dance/Movement Therapy. While the name can be a bit intimidating to some, I employ movement interventions in a client-focused manner and only when people want to use them. This can vary from identifying what emotions feel like in your body all the way up to doing things like punching pillows to process anger.

Dance/movement therapy is defined by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) as, "the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance to support intellectual, emotional, and motor functions of the body. As a modality of the creative arts therapies, DMT looks at the correlation between movement and emotion." I hold a master's degree from an ADTA approved program at Drexel University.

In addition to a masters in occupational therapy, I have a rich history with therapeutic movement. I have a certificate in movement studies, a bachelors degree in dance, a certificate in massage therapy and have studied pilates, feldenkrais, the work of Andre Bernard and Irene Dowd, and many others. Chi gong, hula, yoga, and listening to your own body all inform my practice.

I am trained in Developmental Transformations which is a form of Drama Therapy that emphasizes imaginative embodied play. There are forms and structures created to encourage connection, co-regulation, and exposure therapy. Play is the antidote to trauma.

I am a registered dance/movement therapist and learning how the body reacts to emotions, tensions and movements can strengthen your mind/body connection creating a deeper understanding of the unique language of your body.

I have my Masters in Dance/Movement therapy (DMT), trained to observe, assess and engage in movement practices that meet the client where they are at; helping them to become more aware and connected to their body in a way that feels healing and empowering.

Move your body and clear your mind! I am a Certified Personal Trainer and I use endorphins released by exercise to enhance the effects of therapy in sequence with holistic therapy.

Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (applied)

Our bodies are wise; they hold onto past and present experiences. The body can therefore be used as a tool for healing. I implement Pilates, Yoga, Resistance Training, and Dance into psychotherapy to help process emotions. This approach will help to integrate your emotional, social, cognitive, and physical experiences, helping to improve your overall health and well-being.

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from James Madison University in 2017 and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Dance/Movement Therapy in 2020. I have been dancing, teaching dance, and using dance therapeutically for over 15 years, and it is my passion to use movement and dance to help people heal and grow.

I am also a competitive dance instructor, which is why I love to incorporate movement into therapy when possible. I believe that movement can be very healing!