S190. WHEN WORDS AREN’T ENOUGH: DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPY AND SCHIZOPHRENIA
Authors: Biondo Jacelyn , Bryl Karolina 
Published: May 2020

Background

Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) is a language that transcends the verbal realm. This facet of communicating through dance and movement is significant particularly when the population you are working with often communicates in ways that are creative, unique, and not necessarily conventional. This is often the case when working with people who have been diagnosed on the schizophrenia spectrum. Although they fall under the same diagnosis, positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia are embodied in quite different ways; as their names indicate, positive and negative symptoms are dichotomous and fall on opposite ends of a movement spectrum.

Methods

We will explore the many bodily manifestations of schizophrenia and DMT approaches to best support the specific needs associated with this complex diagnosis. The co-facilitators have each engaged in their own clinical practice and research exploring how DMT interventions can best serve the population in grounding, thought and behavioral organization, ego strengthening, and development of interpersonal relationships. As one can imagine, having a diagnosis of schizophrenia can be isolating and interrupt healthy relationship development due to stigmatization. The co-facilitators have found DMT to be a humanizing factor in this often dehumanized population. The use of creativity with people with schizophrenia allows the psychotherapeutic relationship to focus on personal strengths, individuality, and unconditional acceptance.

Results

Dance/movement therapists assess patient functioning through non-verbal indicators in everyday behavior, postural and gestural patterns, and qualitative elements that emerge during therapeutic interactions. Oftentimes, their experiences with positive symptomatology affect their ability to relate in a shared reality base with others not experiencing these positive symptoms. Single-session DMT interventions have supported a decrease in psychological distress, and positive and negative symptomatology for people with schizophrenia in an inpatient psychiatric facility (Biondo, 2019).

Within a group DMT approach to treatment, dance/movement therapist considers movement and body-based experiences, as natural and effective sources of self-awareness and expression, which can illuminate the interrelationships between the many dimensions of human behavior (Bryl, 2018). This approach integrates movement techniques, creative embodiment, the non-verbal aspects of self-awareness and interpersonal communication and targets core specific features of chronic schizophrenia and negative symptomatology. As such it provides links to outcomes directly related to affective, cognitive, behavioral, and functional processes in the treatment for schizophrenia in residual stages (Bryl, 2018).

Discussion

Schizophrenia can manifest through many different representations: with positive and/or negative symptoms, and with acute episodes or chronicity. The diagnosis will interrupt healthy ego strength, the ability to relate with others, and the ability to function without supports. Dance/movement therapy is a wonderful approach to working with this population in its many forms, as it addresses the psychological, cognitive, social, and functional levels of participants. Although positive and negative symptoms often manifest quite differently on a movement level, DMT has the ability to support the many needs of those diagnosed with schizophrenia. The many limitations of psychopharmacological interventions for people with schizophrenia are evidence that inclusive, strengths-based, and body-informed therapy options would greatly benefit this population.