Dance/Movement Therapy & Autism: Dances of Relationship
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- čas přidán 1. 04. 2014
- "The major strength that dance/movement therapy has in working with people with autism is its ability to produce treatment outcomes in the area of social relatedness, especially in the formation of relationships." - Dr. Christina Devereaux
Christina Devereaux, PhD, LCAT, LMHC, BC-DMT, NCC serves as Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling program at Antioch University New England where she formulated the first ever dance/movement therapy and Autism Spectrum Disorders Study Group. In addition she is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Pratt Institute in the Department of Creative Arts Therapy and is on the faculty at Inspirees, a training program for dance/movement therapy in China.
Christina received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a specialty in Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology from The Santa Barbara Graduate Institute where her research emphasis was on mothers' experiences in early interaction with their children who developed autism. She received her Master's Degree in dance/movement therapy from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She has extensive clinical experience with a variety of populations including children with severe emotional disturbance, autism spectrum disorders, physical disabilities, victims of abuse and neglect, families in crisis, adults with mental illness and dual diagnosis, and supporting healthy attachment for mother/infant dyads.
In 2008, she was the recipient of the President's Award from the American Dance Therapy Association for her outstanding contributions to the profession.
Christina has presented nationally and internationally on topics such as the dance of attachment relationships, dance/movement therapy with autism, trauma and the body, and clinical writing. Christina has published articles in the American Journal of Dance Therapy and the Journal of Dance Education and has authored book chapters about dance/movement therapy and autism and with attachment problems. She was featured on CCTV, the largest television station in China focusing on dance/movement therapy and autism and has been featured in numerous media publications and radio shows. She has a blog with Psychology Today "Meaning in motion: Dancing with the mind in mind."
I really liked the wording of " the goals is to channel communication into dances of friendship". This is ultimately why dance therapy has such a unique way of helping children with autism. They do not require verbal communication to create relationships but through movements, where sensory, social, and movement starts where they are at only and no further.
It moved me when she said she wanted to first understand the client and later the connection will follow. Meeting the client where they are at, and speaking the language they are comfortable with is so important. Dance therapy allows clients to go at their own pace, and open up whenever they want to. Thank you for such a great talk!
I liked this as well because it's so important to try to understand people; this is how we build relationships, but regular people rarely try to understand and learn about people- it's just relationship-searching.
"How can I speak their language first?"
YES. This is so important.
The ways in which the speaker discussed how dance/movement therapy gives a view into the core deficits of autism was brilliant. Relaying the different forms of therapeutic DMT work alongside the background of what autism is and how it presents clearly allowed the listener to tie the two together and make a point of how beneficial DMT can be with people with autism.
Agreeing with some other commenters, I also feel that the label of "health crisis" fails to acknowledge the great variety of neurodivergence in humanity, and how that's not something to be fought but rather accepted. I do enjoy all of the ways it is outlined that DMT can improve the experience of life for those who are autistic, and for helping them share a more communicative space with others. It truly is a universal language.
I agree! I had to hold my criticism of this speaker and her ableism aside, so that I could also appreciate the positive points. I think she makes a great point, which is that we should all strive for better understanding of nonverbal communication. Learning and appreciating nonverbal cues would go a long way in helping many people feel more welcome and a part of our communities .
I have worked with people with Autism in the past and enjoyed it. This opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for when working with people with autism too. It allows for nonverbal people to be able to express themselves really well. This is a very informative and interesting speech. Well done.
This case study speaks volumes about the impact of nonverbal communication. I appreciate how Christina acknowledged "rejection" or "moving away" as a form of communication, as a way in, rather than a closed door.
"rejection in itself, is still a form of social communication". This is a powerful statement, especially for children with non-verbal autism because it is a way of communicating when people thought they couldn't, or wouldn't. It is them telling us that it's not time yet, or they aren't comfortable, or they are still getting used to the situation. But, in time they can become accepting and the rejection will be a thing of the past. None of this progress would be possible if their communication, their rejection, did not occur.
I had never really thought about it, but the speaker brings up a great point that even when one is rejected, that is still communicating. From rejection, a dance movement therapist knows that the child is communicating and has a window to work from.
Very well said. I fully agree.
It's really a magical moment when I see or hear a dance and movement therapist finally succeed in building a connection with autism kids. I remember in my children development psych class, the approachs to treating autism children are almost primitive, using mostly operant conditioning in which the child have no control over the level of difficulty of her challenge and is painful for the majority of the treatment course. Dance and movement therapy makes me feel like they treat the kids as a real person, and that is an essential premise of building relationships.
Dr. Christina Devereaux does a great job describing how and why dance/movement therapy is so important for people with autism. With the rate of autism sky rocketing the fact that dance/movement therapy is able to produce treatment outcomes in the area of social relatedness is significant. Thanks.
I love when she said rejection is also a form of social communication. This is true for other types of "inappropriate" communication, e.g., tantrums, violence, disengagement. The question really should be what are these behaviors communicating to us, and "how can we speak their language".
I appreciate Dr. Devereaux pointing out that movement is the only universal language that we know. DMT is such a great way to implement nonverbal communication. What a great tool to help parents learn how to attune and understand their child's nonverbal communication signals. These skills would be beneficial to all parents, and especially to those parenting individuals with autism. Feeling seen is a desire that all humans have. Thanks for a great presentation!
Dr. Devereaux does a great job of explaining how the parameters of a dance therapy session for a person on the autism spectrum differ from that of any other session. She is focused on meeting her clients where they are, and works hard to understand, join, and then eventually help them build a social identity and relationships. I think it is amazing to think of all the work Dr. Devereaux has done to better understand how socializing can play such an important role in the lives of people with autism, and how movement can be this connection.
Christina's words provided validation to my belief as a Dance/Movement Therapist. I feel resonated with the statement, "Children with Autism will become adults with autism". Yes, it is a lifetime challenge. DMTs certainly have a huge potential in helping this population as a body-based practitioner.
Dr. Devereaux provided a great talk on using D/MT with autism. The shared focus or social engagement is a main focus that can be used in one-on-one or in a parent child dyad. "Our goal is to channel communication into dances of relationship". It was helpful hearing about the different categories under the spectrum and the point of entry that needs to be considered, the universal language that is communicated through out bodies.
I think it's amazing to know that DMT can help children with autism. I would have never thought this was a method in use to help these children. I think its very helpful that a therapist can work with the individual, with a group, or with the family of the individual with autism. This is a good approach to a positive outcome.
Yes! I never really thought about people with Autism going to a dance movement therapist either, but this video explained it very well. It makes a lot of sense to me now why someone with Autism would really benefit from dance movement therapy. It's all about forming connections and engaging in purposeful movement.
I think it is very interesting how Dr. Christina Devereaux describes the relationship between the dance movement therapist and the client. I like how she explains the difference between DMT and dance class. Dr. Christina Devereaux does a great job of describing the movement spectrum of people with autism "those that may have more awkward sensory integration" to "limited body awareness and low muscle tone". She uses the key concept of dance movement therapy of meeting the client where they are. I love the quote that she says "the only universal language is a language that is communicated through movement and the body".
I agree Brigid. Dance/movement therapy starts where a client, is strength based, and builds relationships on the universal language of the body and movement. Dr. Devereaux is very clear and articulate.
The stress upon dance/movement being a foundation of communication for all human beings, and not just those placed somewhere on an Autism spectrum was very important to me. I believe that Dr. Christina Devereaux did a beautiful job of explaining how and why movement is so vital to daily communication. Why not start relationships based upon movement? Particularly for those who have difficulty communicating on a verbal level? This is very strong concept of dance/movement therapy, and her personal anecdote of a client who was able to develop some vocal development was truly touching, and very relevant and connected to the topic of this talk.
Dr. Devereaux did a great job highlighting how Dance/Movement Therapy sessions look different for every individual involved. Just as people have different needs, DMT can have different impacts on different people.
I agree how interesting it is that sessions can be so different for different individuals.
As someone who has seen the difficulties of having an autistic child firsthand, I think DMT, for the child as well as a group for child and parent, would be super helpful. Not only did Dr. Devereaux show the power of DMT for those with autism, I think she noted and named the hardships in connecting that parents may face as well. Bringing both parent and child into a session would be a beautiful way to harbor connection and understanding.
"Our goal is to channel communication into dances of relationship" this quote is what I find interesting about dance therapy. With autism, the spectrum has no limit with this kind of therapy. This talk was one of my favorites and was super interesting!
Movement is a way for us to express ourselves one in the same. Dr. Christina Deveraux made the statement that we all speak the language of movement, and can create meaning and connections with those arounds us thought movement. I find these statements very eye opening with my interest in physical therapy, and I am excited to learn more about this type of therapy.
I loved how she emphasized that movement is a universal language and how this can make dance therapy accessible to many people who have a hard time communicating through words. I am interested in the connections you find between physical therapy and movement therapy
Focusing on building connections with people with autism is a wonderful goal. Often atypical forms of understanding and learning are treated as the incorrect ones and seen as disability. I believe that using modes such as body language and mirroring to connect with people is fantastic. It's important to capitalize upon what a person can do, as opposed to what they can't do.
I love that she brought up the idea of the universal language of dance. As someone that I has worked with children with autism, I have found the great importance of bodily awareness and understanding. I have also found the joy that we both get when we dance together and listen to music. It is definitely a way that we can bond and share a positive experience with each other.
I too have worked with children with autism and agree that it is so important for the children to have an understanding of bodily awareness
Autism in on a spectrum. I enjoyed that Dr. Devereaux utilizes dance as a base of communication. Dance/movement therapy can be used with patients who are non verbal or patients with difficulty speaking. “Body language is a universal language”, basic movements can go a long way in communicating with another individual. The most memorable thing about her speech was that dance/movement therapy create a basic relationship between her and her patients with autism. Then the relationship slowly developed and strengthens through dance movements.
I think that dance therapy can be so beneficial for people with autism! Especially those that already have a difficult time communication through words, this can be a way for them to express their feelings through movement!
Knowing that dance movement therapy is one of the ways to help people with autism to develop to their full potential is such a relief. Through the assessment of movements in DMT, DMT is a therapeutic process to help people work in a social engagement. The patients are able to build a relationship between people in their family. DMT is a dance of relationship. By analyzing the core of the problem, DMT found a way of speaking the language of the autism via the universal language - the language that is communicated through our body and movement. The therapists are able to help create relationship and communicate the patients and things around them.
Dance movement therapy provides a chance for everyone to connect because movement is the "universal language". This point stood out to me. The connection between DMT and Autism seems promising because people with Autism often experience difficulties forming relationships with others. Since DMT is movement based, people with Autism may feel more comfortable communicating in this sense, rather than vocally. It is a great opportunity to form relationships, which is vital to our well-being.
I see the idea of movement as a "universal language" pop up in most of these talks. DMT is based on the idea that the body can speak for what the mouth might not be able to say yet.
"How can I speak their language first" - this quote really stood out to me because individuals with autism often times have difficulty communicating like individuals without. I think its great to look at it as more of a language barrier than a disability because it shows that with time it can be learned, understood, and used also.
Yes I totally agree. I'm studying rehabilitation psychology and learn all about disabilities. I think dance therapy could be so beneficial for people with autism.
Dr. Devereaux gives an enlightening talk about D/MT's uniqueness in treating children on the autism spectrum: It works with the core deficits. I deeply resonate with her definition of this field "D/MT is a carefully attuned therapeutic process that can look differently, depending on its participants." Not only does it transform based on the population, it changes depending on the individual participants -- it involves attunement and nonverbal relationship with the individual person in the room, meeting their body's abilities and needs, and identifying appropriate therapeutic goals. Devereaux identifies this "point of entry" as the therapist's steps to experience and enter the child's world by the only universal human language - movement. In this talk, movement connection is simple and complex enough to mean simply moving together in rhythm and proximity- communicating validation and progress towards rappport. Finally, I appreciate her understanding that resistance/retreat is a movement decision, engaging in the relationship.
I really appreciate the clarity together with the passion that Christina Devereaux is communicating in this talk , her findings and methodology used for working with people suffering from autism in a large spectrum are useful and creative examples of how Dance Movement Therapy/ Psychotherapy can be used , reflected upon, thought and transmitted to others . Many Thanks.
Rosa Maria Govoni we are not suffering
I like that she talks about the social/communication spectrum, a movement spectrum, and the autism spectrum. These three spectra don't always line up, but this goes to show that everyone's movement and everyone's therapy needs are different. Movement is universal, and it helps with communication, regarding our feelings and our needs.
The body and its movements can not lie and can express things that sometimes can't be expressed through words
Thanks Dr. Christina Devereaux for a simple, yet thorough, message about supporting those living on the spectrum using dance/movement. As a budding dmt (graduating in May!) I really appreciate your discussion about meeting clients where they are through movement and relished the story you told about working with a client and doing the "turning toward and turning away" dance. The turning away from/rejection IS an important part of being in relationship and I really appreciated you illuminating that piece through the story you told.
It’s inspiring to hear that she said we can speak the kids’ language and help them form social relationship through our body movement, the universal language.
I agree! I found that inspiring too!
Children with autism are challenging to work with if we looked at them solely through the lens of behavioral disturbances and language deficits. This is the reason why movement and dance is important, we have a chance to be welcomed into their beautiful internal world when they are not asked to fit in with the social norms of being "normal". They can use movement, rhythm to express, make connection and meanings through creative process. I enjoyed Dr. Christina Devereaux's way of describing the metaphor of "movement towards and movement away" and its transformation. Rhythms and movements are powerful ways for us to relate.
Movement is the only universal language, therefore it is logical that it is the starting point in nonverbal communication with a patient with autism. I found it interesting that the communication progressed naturally at the child's speed and resulted in an understanding between the therapist and patient to result in trust, and eventually, a verbal response.
Some relationship always happy from kids and their parents, which is so important connection with communication. Some autism kids don't like show themselves, they don't talk or communicate with their parents from every way. The most good approach is gaining attention from unique capacity to work directly that is dance therapy. Dance therapy can help clients or patients focus on physical release that develop their positive feeling and emotion to get relax.
Learning the processes and languages of others first is such a powerful tool to learn for all kinds of healthy relationships! Love this!!
I appreciate Dr. Devereaux's emphasis on meeting a client where they're at. I love the excitement she expressed when her client said hi to her after the time they spent moving together. It makes me think of the little victories we celebrate as clinicians. They may seem trivial to others but mean the world to us when shared with a client. It's a testament to the power of rapport building, attuning, and collaborating with clients.
With the increase in children being diagnosed with Autism, much research is being done to look into how we can help these children develop social skills and form connections and relationships with people. I think dance/movement therapy is the best way to facilitate this work, and this talk does a great job of explaining why it works. Connecting nonverbally and meeting the client where he or she is at are key practices of dance/movement therapy, and these are also sometimes the only way to connect with people with Autism. Dance therapy can work wonders for this population, so I am glad that it is gaining more recognition.
Discussing the depth and detail of individuality needed for Autism. It was super cool to see her show the different spectrums that a person can be on, and how it's even more complicated because there isn't just one, there are three interacting that a person sits on. Also hearing that development of speaking that one girl's language first to her and then her saying hi was super cool to hear.
Shows that there isn't one sure way to communicate with individuals with autism because they are all a little different. Nice to look at them as truly individuals.
I do not have much knowledge on Autism, so this talked really helped me learn some important facts about the disease. I learned that it is a spectrum disorder. I also learned a new way to think. I cannot just think of children with autism as only that. In the future they will grow up and become adults with autism. I need to work on thinking about things not just in the present. In order to become a better person and hopefully a better medical provider, I need to realize this. I also need to realize something that Dr. Christina Devereaux said in her talk "the only universal language is one communicated through movement and the body". Using words is helpful, but it is not the only way to connect with a person or learn what they are asking for. I need to work on understanding these nonverbal languages and work on using them myself.
I really enjoyed this ADTA talk and how Christina Devereaux has used DMT to reach individuals with autism. Her experience of working on social skills with the young girl with autism through movement was amazing; they were able to form a discussion with their bodies and really connect which resulted in the young client’s own verbal language. Movement is truly a powerful language in itself.
I really enjoyed this talk too! I like your statement "movement is truly a powerful language in itself"!
This is such an embodied powerful speech, Christina!
As someone who has a sibling who is on the spectrum, it is refreshing it see different ways we could interact with each other. My brother was categorized and moderately/severly autistic and he is non verbal. I never thought that dancing might bring a different way of communicating. He does speak but be uses small sentences to communicate. Most of the time we use his non verbal cues to understand what he is feeling. I think trying dance therapy would help him in finding his non verbal voice.
Dr. Christina Devereaux begins her talk by stating the startling prevalence of ASD among children and framing it as a communal concern, rather than just familial or individual. She sets a tone of hopefulness for individuals with ASD in explaining DMT as an effective therapeutic intervention that really gets to the core issues of ASD. I appreciate Dr. Devereaux’s explanation of DMT as a “carefully attuned therapeutic process that looks different depending on its participants”, emphasizing the key relational qualities of the work. The language of movement is pivotal in working with, understanding, communicating, and relating to individuals with ASD. In her example, I enjoyed Dr. Devereaux sharing the simple power of synchronous rhythm to create a sense of unity among of group of children who may often be disconnected with others. Framing rejection as a form of social communication has completely transformed how I view my clients’ rejection of any invitation to socialize. Dr. Devereaux also so nicely explains her approach is to first understand, then join, and then help develop meaningful social engagement for individuals with ASD. Overall, Dr. Devereaux describes ASD and DMT for individuals with ASD from a very humanistic viewpoint that emits warmth, compassion, and hope. Thank you for sharing!
I like the idea that Dr. Christina describes the symptoms of Autism as a spectrum. I realized how widely spread the Autism could be and how hard it is to have a way to cure it. I am glad that DMT could actually become an effective way for the patients to rebuild their social relationships.
Dr. Devereaux provided an engaging and enlightening presentation of the use of D/MT with the autistic population. The statement, “channel communication into dances of relationship” was beneficial for me, as it allowed me to note not only the importance of dance, but how this population can use dance as a form of communication. Communication is something that this population often works on in treatment, so having a way to communicate nonverbally is extremely beneficial. Thank you for your talk, Dr. Devereaux!
I am grateful to Christina for this talk. When I first began researching about dance/movement therapy as a field, this was the first ADTA talk that came up. At the same time, I had loved ones who had recently been diagnosed with ASD. She brought two pieces of my world together. The realization that Autism quickly became close to my heart, and how my new understanding of relationships would lead me to a career in dance/movement therapy.
I think DMT can be a great asset in helping treat individuals with autism as even those who cannot communicate verbally can do so through movement. Verbal communication has long been the main therapeutic method, but I see DMT as a wave of the future in creating and helping individuals with autism communicate and create social relationships with others.
I agree that it makes a lot of sense that DMT is extremely helpful in building communication with those who can not verbally communicate, as putting pressure on verbal communication is often times not the most effective way to establish communication.
I think that Dr. Christian Devereaux's talk about using Dance/Movement Therapy to aid in the creation of relationships for those with Autism is very important. Utilizing dance and movement as the basis for communication with those who are nonverbal or who have other communicative deficits aims at creating sort of physical empathy and understanding that allows for communication to happen at the nonverbal level. Such communication allows for a rapport to be established between therapist and client, based on meeting the client where they are, and helping them to discover how they can grow and move forward.
This talk was very interesting in how it was able to show dance therapy's importance in helping with children with autism. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, there is not one way that these patients are able to be cured; because DMT is a universal language, this is the optimal place to begin in order to start where the person is, which is different for every individual. The example of the patient that Dr. Devereaux was working with was inspiring, as well as proof of how influential and crucial it is for DMT to be implemented as the first mode of therapy for patients with autism.
I like the idea she brings up that there is a spectrum. There is no one way to work with a child who has autism compared to another person with autism. Like she mentioned, DMT approaches channel relationships via different methods, a spectrum of DMT that works with the spectrum of autism.
This is a beautiful and compelling speech. I love when Dr. Christina Devereaux discusses how movement is a universal language. As a dancer, I have witnessed how movement allows people to connect and form relationships with one another. Because the core characteristics of autism include social-communication impairments, it makes sense that a focus for treatment is improving social-communication skills. DMT is an incredible way to access nonverbal communication and foster relationships through movement. I am also fascinated by the ways dance movement therapists can channel the energies and movement patterns that lead to RRBs and other motor impairments and create new motor patterns within the individuals with whom they work. I cannot wait to read new findings as research on DMT among individuals with autism continues!
I also enjoyed hearing about the connection between DMT and motor skills of individuals with autism. The story she shared was very eye opening!
The first step of understanding a child of autism then connecting to that before building stood out. By creating a relationship at the baseline of comfort for the child the connection can build from a safe feeling. I also thought her analogy of moving away and towards connected well for me in my understanding of relationship and DMT.
I agree! Before I watched this video, I would also think the first step is understanding the disease. But as people we need to understand that a person is not defined by their disease. A person can be whoever they so wish. The only thing we need to do in order to understand the child is to connect with them in a mutual capacity. We cannot force the child to talk like we do or act, but if we want to get to know the child then we need to talk and act in a capacity that is familiar to them and comfortable. I also loved her analogy!
This video truly highlights the positive effects that dance and movement therapy can have on individuals with autism. It displays the importance of the dance and movement therapist's role in finding what the individual can do and building off of their strengths. It is crucial for the therapists to understand and attune to the patient's ways and them assist them in modifying them for the better. With dance and movement therapy, parents and families also gain a better chance at establishing a deeper connection with their loved one.
I like how the idea that communication is possible between all types of people, even if it does not seem possible at first. Movement is an innate and powerful mechanism many neglect, and this video expresses the possibilities.
I definitely have neglected it as use of communication at some point in my life but it truly is universal.
I really loved what Dr. Devereaux had to say about human connection- how contact and movement with the body is the first and sometimes only way to connect. She spoke of working with patients on the autism spectrum and how they are able to "channel communication into dances of relationship," for verbal communication is often limited for them. She also noted the importance of the term spectrum; people on the spectrum have a wide range of abilities, therefore there is no one way of relationship building that could possibly work for every person. And lastly, common to many other ADTA talks, she emphasized the concept of meeting a person where they are, learning their own personal way of processing. Really great talk.
Christina talks about how DMT can help kids with autism channel communication through dance relationship. This allows them to better understand what their way of processing is. She relates nonverbal communication as being a universal language and this actually caught my interest because she's absolutely right.
Christina Devereaux is a dance movement therapist who specializes in working with individuals who have autism. She talks about how there is a wide spectrum for autism and that is why it is important to note that every session is different because every person is different. She mentions that nonverbal communication is a universal language and that it only makes sense to communicate with these individuals nonverbally. She mentioned in her talk how important it is to look out for non-verbal cues throughout the dance therapy sessions. In her talk she gave an example of when she connected with a young girl during a group session. Their movement with each other turned into a high-five and then a wave hello. Just then the girl waved hello, while saying hello which is an example of repeating. I personally know a child who has autism and I think dance movement therapy is such a great way to try to connect socially with these individuals. Christina has stories of breaking through and connecting with these individuals so I believe this could be a huge help in the autism community.
Dance Movement Therapy is highlighted as a potential aid to people who have autism. There is a wide spectrum of autism, and everyone reacts differently to each session. The significant thing about DMT is that the language of the movement of the body is universal, whether or not someone has autism. This is reinforced when she told us about the experience she had with the young girl whom she moved and connected high fives with. This resonates to what I learned in class because being in class and participating in movement has made me feel relieved in a way words or other actions could not. While moving in the same category as others in my class, I could communicate with my peers, without uttering a word. I could see by their face and bodily expressions the mood that they were in. I think what Christina says about movement being a universal language is highly important. It is especially integral for parents in communicating with their children who may have challenges.
She finally felt comfortable. So moving, so touching.
DMT can help treat the different spectrums of autism such as cognitive spectrum, movement spectrum, and finally the social and communication spectrum.
After watching Harlow’s experiment and Dr. Devereaux presentation on autism I’ve realized that something as simple as touch, can have a huge impact on the development of a child. When Dr. Devereaux was talking about the little girl that started out with a high-five then it grew into a hand wave and finally she verbally said hi was proof that DMT can treat autism.
Being that there is still so much of autism that we don't understand makes it difficult for treatment to be established. In addition each person with autism functions differently making treatment specific to the individual. One of the benefits of dance/movement therapy is that it meets the client where they are. Dr. Devereaux's work gave examples of the processes she uses which in time can produce great results. I think dance/movement therapy can be a great fit for people with autism because movement is a way to communicate non-verbally which may be preferred by some individuals
How inspiring! Great use of dance/movement therapy!
This video resonates with me on many levels, as the reason I chose to pursue DMT was because of my experience as an ABA therapist. I was able to communicate with my client nonverbally using dance and movement. Where he was lacking in his voice, he made up for this deficit in movement, rhythm, and music to satisfy the basic human need for communication. When the client's behavior was positive, he was rewarded with a song of his choice and the freedom to dance in his room. When his behavior was negative, this privilege was taken away. Although I no longer agree with the ABA framework, I believe this client's experience of dance and movement increased his self-expression and his ability to communicate with others which is exactly what this speaker is suggesting that dance/movement therapy can offer to the Autism Spectrum Population.
Dance movement therapy is so important for children and adults with autism. Dance movement is a direct channel to the deficits of autism and can easily be read by the client. Its an important relationship between the elements of expressing dance and movement with the idea of assessment goals. This type of therapy is a complicated process that can have many goals for many different clients. Dance movement therapy can support people with autism in many ways, such as if the client cannot feel comfortable being open with the body and often keeps his/herself closed off, hunched over, tightened together, those are nonverbal cues signifying they are shy. Dance therapy can help make the client feel open to learning when using the body in that same open way. Mirroring is a great technique to use for this type of shy client. This way, they don't have a lack of confidence and can be more open to the world.
It is interesting to watch this video from the perspective of non-verbal communication. One thing that fascinates me is that when the therapist talks about the therapy session with one of her patient, moving away and moving towards. The body facing towards people or facing away from people could represent different psychological status in terms of social behavior and openness. by turning towards each other, the social interaction starts by engaging the focus and body, and by turning away from each other, it represents the meaning of rejecting to socialize with people. However, as she said, no matter engaging or rejecting, the interaction is already formed by sending the message through the non-verbal communication from the view of receiving or blocking the message.
Wow in this video I really had a deep understanding due to a personal level of people with autism in my family and it has helped me open up a different aspect to understand more of the dance movement and non-verbal connections given the fact that in moments I have experienced the challenge of expression when it's not audible in conversations. Since there are so many nonverbal ques that can be used here the understanding start with people with autism having to do a lot of expression in their bodies and the interactions we make through movement as it's a common language anyone can understand and help break through the barrier of not understanding audible expressions with dealing with people who have autism. In the video is very important as it's a powerful way to get a personal connection of conversation and channels a relationship of friendship and trust and ultemilty shows recogniztion to those who feel they dont have a form of communication.
When Devereaux talks about how each session can vary from person to person and how each person can gain different things from DMT, I really understood that because just like Autism, there is a spectrum of the disorder, as well a spectrum of things that can be done during the session that fit for different individuals.
I agree that this is an important point, and it's also something that I applaud all therapists for, because there isn't a set of practices and steps to follow every session that is the exact same. The other part of every session being different is that yes it changes from person to person, but it also changes session to session for the same person because we all have different feelings everyday.
Dance movement therapy is a practice where there is no operational definition of a winner or loser! a competition free zone is a good thing every now and then, and especially in this case.
I found Dr. Devereaux's talk to be highly informative and engaging. I enjoyed her discussion of how DMT offers a means of relating on the client's own terms first, and then to foster growth and development of communication and relationship. I agree that DMT's ability to keenly attune to clients makes it uniquely suited to address the core difficulties of Autism. Additionally, I appreciated how Dr. Devereaux brought up the difficulties parents and families of those with ASD face, and how DMT can also be helpful to them.
I also found her talk to be very engaging. She presented to us, the audience, some amazingly complex concepts and ideas that are not yet conventional, but did so through storytelling. I appreciate that you commented on her bringing up the family aspect of those on the spectrum. It is so important for healthcare to focus on the person in the full context of their life. Specifically talking about parents of children with ASD, there is that dual parenting/care-giving role that many often have to take on. It can be so difficult to never have any feedback of how you are doing or even receive acknowledgment from your child that you are there. I think Dr. Devereaux did a wonderful job teaching us to "hear" non-verbal communication, and showed that D/MT can be an incredibly helpful way to meet a child with ASD where they are and enter their world.
As an adult with Asperger’s aka autism I love dancing and it calms me so much and makes me feel alive but more calm than ever I never dance choreography but I dance the way a Celtic dance looks mixed with influences I’ve seen and can easy enough copy like regency dance
Christina Devereaux’s presentation brought up how she uses dance movement therapy to build relationships with her patients with autism. She continued to say that she did this to understand and then to build a form of communication out of the understanding. Devereaux would reiterate the importance of understanding to nonverbal communication and using that understanding to further social engagement. She also mentioned reciprocation and the importance it plays in nonverbal communication between all people. My biggest take away from Devereaux’s presentation was the idea of understanding and then using that to form a relationship so that way nonverbal dialog is communicated better and more freely.
This is such an exciting talk! Clearly, from her example, DMT is a great treatment for some individuals with ASD and is another way of communicating/forming relationships with them. I hope this treatment becomes more widespread in the future.
I agree! I think this treatment is amazing and healthy and needs to be more so recognized. DMT might allow individuals and families to feel more comfortable in receiving help and making progress.
Dance movement therapy significantly develops and helps people with autism in order to build a relationship to those who are unable to communicate nonverbally. Movement therapy produces an intentionally interaction whether the movement is rejected or not: it communicates empathy. Dr. Christina Devereaux example on her patient with autism reminds me of the article in the booklet “Moving in and Moving Out of Synchrony”. The article enhanced how strong dance and movement have a strong potential to foster empathic and interactive capabilities. This is exactly what Dr. Devereaux discusses, through interaction with the body and increase of kinesics; one learns to “understand nonverbal communication”. One thing the speaker communicates that I think is important and would be of value is to remember that the only way to do human contact is through the body. Even though we communicate verbally; nonverbal communication is equally important.
This video relates to nonverbal communication because of the explanations of how people with autism communicate in this therapy. The therapy can help those that have this disorder because therapists can allow them to freely communicate nonverbally and not socially. Autism is a spectrum where they're socially impaired and this is beneficial to wanting to improve social communication. It also identifies how parents of a child that has autism affects both of the child's and parents' life. So the parents get involved with the therapy to help them with communicating with their child without scaring them or make them aggressive towards them. She used the example that the person went from not confronting to participating in the therapy, and saying hi to her. This was an influential change in behavior and a success that the therapy can help.
From a nonverbal communication standpoint, the video reinforces the importance of nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice, in conveying messages and establishing connections. From an autism perspective, the video offers valuable insights into the challenges individuals on the autism spectrum may face in understanding and interpreting nonverbal communication. Many individuals with autism struggle with recognizing and expressing emotions, impacting their ability to understand nonverbal cues effectively. The video's emphasis on the mind/body connection resonates with the experiences of individuals with autism, as they may exhibit atypical body movements or facial expressions due to sensory processing differences. It highlights the need for empathy, patience, and awareness of sensory differences when communicating with individuals with autism. It provides information on building relationships, understanding, and connection with those with this illness.
I appreciate the lens of working with the individual where they are at and recognizing all behaviors as a form of communication even when that may be communicating something that could be perceived as "negative." The idea of having parents meet the child where they are at and attune to the child's unique form of communication seems beneficial in setting the child up for understanding themselves. I do find this talk sitting with me in a different way in light of the Autism Rights Movement and the framing of autism as a problem to be fixed as slightly challenging to sit with. I'm wondering how to acknowledge both the challenges of the parent in having greater communication challenges while also respecting the advocacy work being done by adults on the Autism spectrum.
The video enforces the idea of body language as the first and only universal language. Her story of her patient with autism helps to depict how regardless how are brains may work whether differently or similarly, we are able to communicate on some level via body language. Understanding how each person communicates with their body is the first to step to beginning a connection. This is readily evident in a person with autism, because they are very limited in their ability to communicate with people. Of course, autism being a spectrum allows for different abilities to communicate depending on the person. Regardless, Dr. Devereaux shows how one can build a connection that surpasses the obstacle of autism.
There were some conceptual and language choices in this talk that I didn’t like, and are reflective of our ableist culture. The way that many Dr.s, therapists, etc. speak about people with disabilities is really problematic. Some examples of ableism in this talk was language like “autism is a major health crisis” “deficit” “disorder” “disturbances” and talking about “fixing/addressing” the biology of autism. When I’m pointing these out I am speaking to the social construction of disability. Meaning the way that we have structured society and culture, things like verbal communication and eye contact are considered “normal” (actually depends on the culture) and a given, and thus often seen as lacking or “abnormal” about autistic folks. Worded differently here are some other explanations of the social construction of disability from a quick google search, “the social construction of disability comes from a paradigm of ideas that suggest that what we believe about a community, group or population is grounded in the power structures inherent in a society at any given time,” “when we look at disabilities not as an individual/medical issue, but as one that society has created, or at the very least contributed to.”
I point this out because this talk has important points to make, but it’s steeped in deeply ableist language and thinking. Good takeaways from the talk were “we need to learn what their way of processing is” and a desire to “attune, join, understand nonverbal communication signals.” To elaborate on those points, if we were taught to read and learn physical cues culturally then these forms of communication wouldn’t be seen as other. This is where my point about social construction ties in. I’m really glad that the speaker pointed out these goals and the uses of dance/movement therapy, and I want to name: if everyone valued and was taught nonverbal communication skills, then nonverbal communication would be viewed as normal and understandable. If we honored that we’re all different and have different communication, bodily, emotional, stim, etc. needs, rather than creating a false “norm,” then we wouldn’t talk about autistic people as at a deficit or disturbance. In reality many many people are neurodivergent, autistic and other forms of neurodivergent. A modest estimate is that one in seven people are on the neurodivergent spectrum. So what then is normal? It’s important to think about what we mean when we describe states of existence as “normal” or “disordered,” and consider that ability and those categories shift throughout the lifespan.
It is interesting to see how dance movement therapist work with individuals, large small groups and even with parents and their children to develop their relationship with one another. However, helps those with autism that have difficulties developing relations. As for dance movement therapy work on understand how their way of thinking in order to understand them and that's what dance movement therapy those. We need to learn that not all people work the same but the is ways of helping people with autism be more aware of their surrounding. Interesting video.
I am glad the speaker brought an experience specific to an individual session to life with her descriptions. I am curious of how in the future of DMT the therapist can incorporate repetitive movements, or "stimming" in the therapeutic space.
Nice Christina!
Dr. Devereaux speaks about children who are on the autism spectrum and their interaction with dance movement therapy. This video explains that DMT is a process who can work on shared focus, social engagement, and to build quality relationship with the family. She addressed that DMT aids the individuals with the ability to connect and form relationships. Children with autism may have difficulties or not have the ability to verbally express their thoughts and emotions. With this autism spectrum disorder, individuals nonverbal communication may be their only way of communicating. She emphasizes that the "only universal language is a language communicated through our bodies and through our movement". I have a soft spot for individuals who have autism, so I really appreciated the idea that DMT helps individuals with them communicate and connect with others.
Christina Devereaux makes it clear that the main goal is to raise people with autism to their fullest potential. Dance/ Movement therapy helps them develop their motor skills but can help with so much more depending on the client’s needs. It can be with the individual, in groups, help develop parent-child development and many more. Autism is rated on a spectrum because there are many types of autism, from the cognitive, movement as well as a social and communication spectrum. As a dance/ movement therapist her job is to make sense out of the meaning that occurs within the nonverbal exchanges with her clients and help them feel connected with their body and themselves. The fact that the therapist are able to connect with their clients and make them feel comfortable to let go.
Autism spectrum disorder affects 1 in every 68 children. Dance movement therapy is used as an alternative method/intervention to help children with autism reach their full potential. The speaker explains that DMT helps children who suffer from autism develop their social skills. DMT offers children and adults with autism an opportunity to develop relationships while the therapist helps bring meaning to the nonverbal exchanges. it was interesting to hear that the client she worked with started to withdraw during the movement, and the therapist used that to invite her to come back, so the movement became a back and forth communication style and she was surprised when the client (whom was considered nonverbal) said "Hi". It's important that she acknowledges that the first intention is to understand the person with autism first and then to connect with them because no two people with autism are the same, thus, the interventions will vary by individual.
I think it may be more helpful to discuss how common having autism is opposed to referring to it as a "crisis". It sounds like the "crisis" they are referring to is that people are unable to adapt to communication styles different from their own.
This video mentions the idea that dance movement therapy is a health-based therapy. The therapy begins wherever the patient is and employs what they can accomplish in order to create a connection. In general people with autism have language difficulties particularly in their oral language abilities. So it is interesting to see how DMT is used in patients with autism.
I also think it's interesting how DMT is used in patients with autism. I love that it's a way to communicate without a verbal language
This video is about autism and looking for ways to support children with autism using the universal language of non verbal communication. people with autism are on different spectrums and helping them first starts with learning where they are at on that spectrum. relating to class: The spectrums that she talks about and the struggles associated with them are because of the lack of internalizing different parts of NVC. for example, she talks about not having body awareness, or having a hard time developing NV cues especially in relation to kinesics. when she talks about her experience with the girl in class, when they waved to each other and it turned into a verbal "hi" it was a connection that the girl was able to make. that is important for the functions of NVC; in understanding when certain actions are used, communication comes easier. something that i think is important: the lack of social reciprocity that occurs w/ people with autism makes it stressful for parents because the lack of communication signals hinders their relationship. This interaction between each other helps development.
"Autism is a Crisis." I enjoyed most of this speech but to hear a fundamental part of myself is a crisis is frustrating and painfull to say the least. I am a high functioning 19 year old man with autism (aspergers) and this is my perspective.
That makes so much sense. Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Christina Devereaux discusses how Dance/Movement Therapy helps people with autism far more than just developing motor skills. On the spectrum of autism, there are many types of autism such as cognitive spectrum, movement spectrum, social spectrum and communication spectrum. Dance/Movement Therapy helps people with autism by allowing them to open up with their body and feel comfortable doing so. A technique called mirroring would help a closed off, restricted, and shy client to open up. DMT allows people with autism to go to new heights others wouldn't have thought they'd be capable of reaching. DMT and nonverbal communication puts the client in control and the therapist as the follower. This a key communicative method because the client feels recognized. I think it very important that people start to acknowledge how effective DMT can be for people with autism, especially children because 1 in 88 children are autistic.
Beautiful job, Christina --
*sigh
I am sorry to hear it called a "health crisis". I wish all people were considered normal and not labeled as sick for being who they are.
Maybe acceptance would help more than labeling? Just saying.
I fully agree with the problem you are pointing out about labeling. That being said, I do think that there is a valid reason for people to refer to it as a "health crisis" though. Lack of understanding and "treatment" options is definitely a problem. We need to have more education. Like you mentioned, people with autism are not sick. They do not need a treatment or cure to make them "better" or "fix them." There is no such thing as normal and it is absurd to think there is a one-size-fits-all therapy will work for everyone looking to find a way to overcome a difficulty in their life. I think that D/MT offers a fantastic option for assisting many on the autism spectrum because of it's unique, nonverbal approach. Hopefully options like this will become more widely known about and accessible.
In this talk, Dr. Christina Devereaux says, "'We need to ask ourselves, 'How can I learn to speak their language first in order to establish a place of mutuality?'" This question references a fundamental practice of dance/movement therapists: meeting the client where he or she is. Specifically, dance/movement therapists working with clients with autism must discover what "their way of processing is" and reflect that in their nonverbal communication.
Yes, this was my main take away from the talk as well. I am not a dance therapist so this practice is new to me. But this is a practice that everyone should use in their everyday lives. In order to understand everyone and get through the problems we are facing nowadays, we need to speak a universal language to establish mutuality.
Ok. I was with her all the way to 11:00 when she started saying that ‘unfortunately we can’t fix the biology of autism’. Autism is a spectrum which includes Aspergers Syndrome. Many autistic people don’t see their neurodiversity as something needing to be ‘fixed’. I understand that some people on the spectrum experience very debilitating symptoms and would appreciate the chance to correct that, however, she shouldn’t assume every autistic person is high needs and wanting to be ‘fixed’.
Hi, I'm Cassandra Chan, an undergraduate currently working on my thesis regarding DMT and Autistic children. I was wondering if DMT exercises can be used by the parents of an austic child in their home setting even though they aren't certified DMT's. Will it be effective? or should it should be left to DMT's only?
Many thanks.
As a parent of an ASD child, I have the same question
@@Michelle-lz9fp I've been an autistic child very recently (im 19) and I'm looking into DMT. I noticed you didnt get a responce. If you wanted a unique perspective I'm here for questions.
Dr. Christina Devereaux explains how dance movement therapy can be accommodated to help build relationships for those who live with the spectrum disorder. The point of entry for being able to work with such a wide variety of types of people with this disorder can be adapted in many ways due to the flexibility of dance movement therapy. The universal language for humans is through movement and nonverbal behaviors, meaning that nonverbal communication is a important way for people with autism to connect with others. Dance movement therapy helps in being able to understand nonverbal communication signals that are being displayed by an individual, and within humans, there is a biological importance to be understood. Dr. Christina Devereaux makes it clear just how beneficial dance movement therapy can be in its capacity to improve relationships for those with autism within themselves, and those around them, which is highly significant since 1 in 68 people are born with the disorder.
Hello, I am Dannia, DMT in Chile and work with children Autistas. I ask for the subtitles them in Spanish, since we need it in Latinoamércia. Thank you!
Hi Dannia. Thank you for you interest and request. We are working on that and will try to comply as quickly as possible.
This video highlights how useful DMT can be for children and parents of children on the autism spectrum. Through an explanation of an experience Dr. Christina Devereaux had with a female child on the autism spectrum, she more clearly explained how DMT can aid in the feeling of connectivity and in forming relationships. This video/speech relates directly to our class for nonverbal communication because it shows not only how trapped those with autism must feel in regards to their abilities to communicate (including nonverbally), but how to form relationships with those with autism and to help them to feel connected. Dr. Christina Devereaux communicates just how important DMT can be for children on the autism spectrum and how essential this is for all of us to know because 1 in 88 children are diagnosed.
From this video I am also able to see how important DMT can be for autistic individuals! Great point!