17/07/2009

From April 2009, Talking Matters will be providing two new means of self expression, in music and dance therapies.

Initially, Music Therapy will be available for young boys and male adults, who will receive a weekly session using music as a medium for emotional and social exploration and in promoting the psychological well-being of the clients. Music intuitively provokes feelings and depicts them with accuracy where words sometimes limit this process. In the sessions the client and therapist improvise freely together co-creating music, thus establishing a musically, therapeutic relationship through which feelings can be expressed and reflected upon. The therapist is trained to observe and make sense of underlying difficulties and issues that clients face when relating to the world around them. Sessions stimulate a person’s self-reflection and awareness in these processes.

Dance Therapy is the therapeutic use of movement to improve the mental and physical well being of a person. It focuses on the connection between the mind and body to promote health and healing. Dance therapy can be considered an expressive therapy. Dance therapy is offered as a health promotion service for healthy people, and as a complementary method of reducing the stress for people with any physical/emotional/mental difficulties. Physically, dance therapy can provide exercise, improve mobility and muscle coordination, and reduce muscle tension. Emotionally, dance therapy is reported to improve self-awareness, self-confidence, and interpersonal interaction, and is an outlet for communicating feelings. Some promoters claim that dance therapy may strengthen the immune system through muscular action and physiological processes and even help prevent disease. Dance therapy is based on the belief that the mind and body work together. Through dance, it is thought people can identify and express their innermost emotions, bringing those feelings to the surface. Some people claim this can create a sense of renewal, unity, and completeness. The benefits of both dance and music therapy include; Improved communication & social skills; self-expression; organised thought processes; development and learning; self esteem and confidence.

Therapeutic Arts in the Orthodox Jewish Communities