Dance/Movement Therapy: Authentic Movement

"The body is the home of feeling; the house of memory. To heal, we need access to it."
~ Tina Stromsted, Ph.D., MFT, LPCC, BC-DMT
In this ADTA Talk, Tina Stromsted shares how "Authentic Movement helps us recover forgotten, denigrated and repressed aspects of the self [that] remain buried until conditions are nurturing enough to allow them to surface and grow." Stromsted eloquently describes the process of Authentic Movement, the relationship between mover and witness, and how Authentic Movement is used clinically in dance/movement therapy.
To learn more about the profession of dance/movement therapy, please visit www.adta.org.
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Tina Stromsted, Ph.D., MFT, LPCC, BC-DMT is a Jungian psychoanalyst, board certified dance/movement therapist, and somatics educator. She was co-founder and faculty member of the Authentic Movement Institute in Berkeley (1992-2004) and a founding faculty member of the Women’s Spirituality Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Currently, she teaches at the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco, the Depth Psychology/Somatics Doctoral program at Pacifica Graduate Institute, and as a core faculty member for the Marion Woodman Foundation.
With 40 years of clinical experience, and a background in dance and theater, Stromsted teaches at universities and healing centers internationally, and has a special interest in the creative process, neuroscience, eco-psychology, and embodied spirituality. Developer of Dreamdancing, Embodied Alchemy, and Soul’s Body Center, her numerous articles and book chapters explore the integration of body, brain, psyche and soul in healing and transformation. Her work supports individuals in listening for the soul’s call, and working with obstacles to its fulfillment ~ a process that can assist women and men in re-inhabiting their bodies, reclaiming their instinctual wisdom, and nourishing their authentic sense of self. Her private practice is in San Francisco (www.AuthenticMovement-BodySoul.com).

[@EternalDancers]

This is a beautiful explanation & description of "Authentic Movement" and how it unlocks an unlimited suite of holistic benefits that have whole being benefits. As a dance passion mentor, I see everyday how much having a daily empowering and freeing movement practice has the power to transform whole lives. Combining visualization techniques with "authentic movement" releases, truly has the power to change and save lives and the make the world a more joyful and limitless place for all of us.

[@marysaraha1580]

This is an absolutely beautiful and and clear description of Authentic Movement. As a performer and clinician it has changed my life over the course of many years.

[@kaiacollins3123]

Authentic movement is my favorite form of dance movement therapy. This is because it requires improvisation and movements coming from your unconscious emotions and inner thoughts / feelings. We've done sessions of authentic movement in my intro to dance therapy class and I've enjoyed attempting authentic movement whilst also witnessing it from a mover. I love how the therapist in this video talks about how authentic movement allows you to trust in a relationship that is non-judgemental and how that sense of trust can generalize into other areas of your life. I believe authentic movement is important and it allows people to feel seen and even vulnerable while also allowing the mover to know themselves deeper.

[@EternalDancers]

Beautifully said, Kaia! Authentic movement is a powerful individual experience as the mover and observer, and likewise as both in a collaborative experience as well. Dance has the power to heal, transform, empower, and unleash peoples internal "eternal" self!

[@yunho6248]

It's impressive to see how the therapist intervene the authentic movement carefully to protect and guild the client.

[@dailyequanimity]

“Primary experience goes unnoticed…feeling neglected.” So true. Thank you for your kind words. xo

[@lanaruthmaki2813]

"giving form to what's invisible in the body" to give it form so they can see it. Love this!

[@suecongram752]

A powerful process beautifully articulated. A timless presentation that will stand its ground for many years. Thank you Tina.

[@caroljacobs2993]

Dear Tina, Your sharing is sooo beautifully presented - clearly articulated, inspiring, and compelling.. Thank you so very much, with love, Carol

[@ethantaylor5234]

"Authentic movement can help you cultivate the garden of your full being". This talk was very impactful and helps an individual understand the benefit of truly moving freely. Thank you!

[@WeAreComingHome]

This quote stood out to me as well. She spoke so compassionately about the work that she does while also conveying so much information through powerful imagery. It makes me want to explore pushing through into my own "basement" and finding my seeds of potential.

[@elisakeefner6616]

Authentic movement is in a way similar to improvisational dance, but with more emphasis on what you're feeling inside your body and having someone else follow. Because of this similar experience, I can share that improv always feels healing to me because I can do whatever I want, however I feel. I think using authentic movement more in clinical work can be extremely beneficial because as one patient uses it, they can help another patient and spread the work.

[@abigailanderson7894]

Thank you Dr. Stromsted. The example you shared of your client who metaphorically entered a basement with all of the pieces of herself that she lost was extremely powerful.

[@m.sweetnam6883]

Really appreciated this brief history and explanation of authentic movement and what an authentic movement session might look like. A quote that I really liked in this talk was, “the body is the home of feelings, house of memory, to heal we need access to it.”

[@inmapiqueras3493]

Such a beautiful presentation and description of Authentic Movement!

[@lynnfuller483]

Thank you dear Tina for this elegant and vital articulation. I love seeing you here. Love, Lynn

[@nellyvanberkel]

Very clear and inspiring to hear you speak about AM here, thank you so much for all my learnings with you!

[@chloedruckrey779]

I've learned a lot about authentic movement through improvisation classes but I really enjoyed how Tina was able to frame it through a therapeutic lens. She was very clear with her words and descriptions of how authentic movement can help the body. It also gives a somatic understanding of ourselves when we move without conscious choices of how to move.

[@tarastepenberg474]

thank you Tina - so clear, beautiful imagery - i especially love the one about growing the garden of one's becoming - miss you

[@snowyandleanneantics2920]

Thank you Tina, so clear and comprehensive

[@teres1523]

For trauma and C PTSD, in my experience: 1) Psychotherapy, theres a necessary human need of validation, respect, release, sanity and honoring that has to be in place BEYOND any medication 2) medication, may be for a while, ONLY, until the rough memories are processed and you grab a sense of deserving and self control ( witch was ONLY LOSS MOMENTARILY due to the circumstances NOT BECAUSE THere's SOMETHING INTRINSICALLY BROKEN OR IRREPARABLE ) WITCH medication it self tend to re in force NEGATIVELY and IS DISEMPOWERING used beyond necessary. And "necessary" IS ALWAYS QUESTIONABLE. 3) Body / dance/ movement therapy through out all this processing as soon as the person starts wanting /needing it. Intrisecally, most of us, know there's more layer at other levels that makes us want to keep rushing to more freedom and self embodiment and ownership. Each person have their own needs and experience but commun sense Psychotherapy HAS to be first, but by it self is not all Healed.

[@TheBesttify]

I absolutely love the details explained in your talk, as well as the idea of a mover and a witness. What stuck with me was when you said that authentic movement allows you to feel and see what makes you happy, upset, and it helps you feel grounded and gives you a sense of belonging in the environment. What ran through my head when you said that was the simple idea of learning about yourself can give you a sense of happiness. I think in the end it just comes down to how much you know and understand your own self, because no one will understand you more than yourself.

[@jordandahlhauser3294]

These are great takeaways from the talk. I think that authentic movement can help the body feel what it has hidden for so many years, and then one can heal.

[@marleehalbach4643]

Yes! Sometimes really understanding yourself is the best and most effective way of making yourself happy. Thank you for that point!

[@kaylavanasten7414]

I liked how Doctore Stromsted poked fun at the predominant cultural message of bigger, better, and stronger. It is antithetical to authentic movement, it is judgmental and influences people to have an agenda/plan, rather than cultivating acceptance and openness

[@LisaFladager]

Beautiful explanation Tina!

[@marleehalbach4643]

It really hit home when she said that most of us use only a little of our potential, leaving so much buried underground that have been forgotten or repressed in the past. I oftentimes think about this and I am glad she brought it up and spoke on it a bit. It is cool that authentic movement can help cultivate those seeds that have been hidden underground for so long. Interesting analogy.

[@elisakeefner6616]

I agree that it's so interesting that authentic movement can help pull out some of that unused potential; that's what we're constantly looking for-more more more. And now that authentic movement allows you to further explore your potential, this can be very powerful for the future.

[@alicynstephens9136]

I have not had a lot of experience with improv and learning about authentic movement but she really helped describe how this can be so beneficial with DMT

[@annekavanaken2002]

Amazing talk! It was very interesting to learn about authentic movement. I think that nonverbal authentic movement is so necessary to understanding one's self and others. Creating a safe and calm environment for authentic movement is vital for people to gain the full potential of nonverbal authentic movement. Authentic movement really does communicate what a person is experiencing in the past or present moment.

[@suzannepoitras6807]

Thank you !!! This was very inspiring !!! 🌟

[@sunwooooooo]

As someone who greatly enjoys improvisational dance, authentic movement is one of the most intriguing topics withing Dance/Movement Therapy. Stromsted describes how the mover is 'listening to body sensations, movement impulses, dreams, memory, imagination and moving to that material without agenda or plan.' I feel I often draw some inspirations from these aspects when I improvise dance. Aspects I have not considered prior to learning about DMT is using this for therapy. Initially, I found it almost difficult to believe authentic movement can invoke such powerful experiences but I have personally experienced recalling long lost childhood memories in a short session of authentic movement. It is fascinating that movement can so directly expose a person's psyche such as openness, inner conflict, past trauma.

[@sarahthoni8046]

This has so much in common with Somatic Experience by Peter Levine

[@oliviapolich451]

I haven't done a lot of improv in my life but it is so interesting how it can be helpful and I am excited to learn more about it!

[@ensodance]

Amazing speaker ...so deep. Thank you very much!

[@phamvantrang8234]

I see myself in Andrea's story. Thank you so much.

[@jakegarvey9751]

Authentic movement is a very new therapeutic style to me and you did an amazing job explaining how effective and useful it is in truly connecting one's body and mind and creating a stronger level of understanding. I have just started experimenting with authentic movement instructed by Rena and I am really loving the deeper level of connection and understanding I gain from this practice! Great talk!

[@abigailsallomentdiary1445]

❤... beautiful and so well explained..thank you 😊

[@peytonbohn2980]

I've had some experience with improv, but wasn't able to fully let my body go. Through my DMT class, it has wanted me to try authentic movement more on my own. I enjoyed this talk.

[@minal5778]

Very well explained. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@danijelafechushak767]

Love this talk! Authentic movement seems to be a valuable technique to reach deeper emotions almost indirectly. Authentic movement truly shows underlying emotions that emerge that the participant may be unable identify. This is idea is shown by the example given about the young woman feeling stuck.

[@mariainesdavalosvazquez1986]

Wooo excelente 👌 explicación me enamoro más de este movimiento!!!

[@fransheskamartinez7906]

Authentic movement is movement that comes from within once body. Is the experience where our body creates and shows connection with past memories, present feelings, and it also lets our mind know the moment our body feels. Authentic movement is important it can reach to our subconsciousness and take us to special memories that now in the present you show in your body, it allows one to become aware of their body, mind, feelings, and choices.

[@WeAreComingHome]

What an amazing talk. Thank you so very much for sharing your experiences with authentic movement as well as Andrea's experience of pushing through into her "unlived parts." I find it so amazing and beautiful, that simply bearing witness to another can help them to tune into the deepest parts of themselves. This talk was so compassionate and informative. Thank you.

[@m.sweetnam6883]

Thanks for your thoughts. I also found this example of “unlived parts” really powerful. It also helped me to better understand what a dance movement therapist might do within a session to shift and direct focus on specific things that unexpectedly come up during a session.

[@chloedruckrey779]

I agree, the story provided was very inspiring

[@dailyequanimity]

Movement and essence drawing and then words without judgment…I like this and want to explore this form since I’ve only done Ecstactic Dance.

[@LeticiaAdrianaoficial]

This is the first video I saw. You Tina gives a wonderful conference and explication of Authentic Movement. I al studying Dancetherapy 😊 Thanks Tina!

[@elisakeefner6616]

I am also looking to study dance therapy and this was a truly amazing talk. Thank you for sharing!

[@justinmagnus8567]

This was a great talk! I loved her description of authentic movement with the mover and a witness. We did that in class and it was an experience I hope to do again. It is hard to really let go and move freely, without thought. When I did it, I was able to move like that for bits of time but not the entire time. It is also great experience to be a witness and just watch a person stop thinking and just move. Overall great talk and I love how this talk was extremely detailed. This is a great source of information.

[@TheBesttify]

I think my class haven't done that activity yet but I'm looking forward to it now!

[@amandamurphyy]

im opening a yoga studio with dance therapy! this information helped so much. if anyone wants to work with me lmk!

[@jordandahlhauser3294]

I like how you broke your talk into different parts of authentic movement so viewers could get a full understanding of how authentic movement can help an individual. The quote I really liked was when you said the body is the home of feeling and the house of memory, and we need to access it in order to heal. Often times, emotions we do not want to feel are suppressed, and we need to use the body to express emotions so we can heal from them.

[@marleehalbach4643]

Yes, I totally agree with this statement. I enjoyed this quote as well. It is so true that often times we don't face our emotions head on, yet instead suppress them. But sometimes, it really is better to understand them so we can move on from them.

[@chloedruckrey779]

I think breaking this talk down in the way that she did was super beneficial and gave me a clear understanding of authentic movement in dance movement therapy sessions.

[@camerynhernandez4716]

Authentic movement is beautiful and requires vulnerability from the patient and compassion and open mindedness from the therapist/ receiver. Authentic movement displays a wide variety of emotions that is translated in movement that represents that. It goes hand in hand with the idea of the body and mind working together in harmony to emote feelings. The body and the mind are not two separate entities, they are one and deserve to be treated as such. Portraying authentic movement in a patient to therapist setting allows for the patient to feel heard and understood. In order to tap into the emotions that are housed within us, we need to be familiar with our body, as our body is what is housing memory and feelings.

[@justinmagnus8567]

Yes! Great summary of authentic movement. Sadly, vulnerability is difficult to do at times. It takes time and trust in order for someone to become vulnerable in front of others. Authentic movement, once done properly, forms a strong connection between the witness and the mover. This is a great post because it touches on how the mind and body interact with each other. Great comment!

[@abigailanderson7894]

Great summary, well said!

[@victoriaharris4061]

This was such an interesting talk. I really liked the use of opposites: forward/backward, giving/receiving, etc. I really believed the examples used in this talk were very effective. Thank you.

[@ellaredmore9016]

Authentic movement is one of my favorite forms of dance therapy. I agree, the examples were very effective!

[@justinmagnus8567]

Yes this was! I also like how she uses opposites. It reminds me of when Rena talks about reciprocal inhibition and how that helps people stretch or relax things that are tight. Yes, I agree. I hope to use some of these examples to help people in the future.

[@arzuozkan370]

Hi. You say this is not for ppl with manic depression. Why is that? I have bipolar and love dancing. Would l not benefit from it? Thanks ❤

[@positivelyrogue7093]

Are there any DMTs in Pittsburgh, PA?

[@andye5851]

a

[@katiea8014]

Most of it is valid except the first thing you say is very invalid: that it has to happen between two people: a mover and a witness; A mover can be their OWN compassionate witness. You actually do NOT need to pay another person or go somewhere special or have a dedicated therapy session, to access the healing movement being described.