Experiential and theoretical webinars exploring different aspects of movement therapy across the globe.

On: Sundays 

At: 6 - 8 PM

Webinar 1 - 12 JULY 2020

Storytelling and Movement

Nishtha Agarwal, MA EAT

Mental Health Counselor & Expressive Arts Therapist

Session Description:

Storytelling and Movement: Have you ever been so engrossed in a story that you feel like you have been transported into another world, free of all your worries? Or, have you ever been walking a painful journey, and then someone tells you a story and it makes you feel seen in a way no one has before? Storytelling has been a part of our culture since centuries. While our memories are remembered in stories, they are stored in and experienced through the body. However, "over the years, television and other cultural forces have robbed us of storytelling as a tool of communicating, learning, and healing" (Stone, 2004). What is it about stories that can be so transformative that it can connect us to ourselves and others, break barriers and allow us to heal our deepest wounds? This webinar will explore the powerful tool of storytelling along with movement through theory, experientials and its application in various settings and practices, both personal and professional. 

Facilitator Bio:

Nishtha Agarwal holds a Masters in Expressive Arts Therapy from Lesley University (Cambridge, USA), a Masters in Applied Psychology from Delhi University (Delhi, India), and a certification course in Dance Movement Therapy. She currently works as a Mental Health Counselor at an outpatient clinic in Massachusetts (USA), assessing and treating adults facing various mental health issues in individual, couples and group settings. She applies a trauma-informed and body based approach in expressive arts therapy. Her past work includes a wide range of populations such as adults and adolescents with eating disorders, homeless adults with acute mental illness, adolescents in high schools and children with visual impairment.  

Webinar 2 -  26 JULY 2020

Understanding Attunement: A DMT Perspective on Working with Children on the Spectrum

Ritu Shree, R-DMT

Dance/Movement Therapist & Child Psychologist

Session Description:

The session will focus on both theoretical and experiential aspects of working with children on the autism spectrum. The session will explore the nature of therapeutic work with children and how DMT contributes towards effective social communication, cognitive, sensory-motor and language skills in early intervention. We will also understand the role of arts and dance in creating a space for attuned interactions and how that impacts the child's overall development. 

 Facilitator Bio:

Ritu Shree holds a Masters in Dance Movement Therapy & Counseling from Antioch University (USA) as well as a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Delhi University. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Expressive Art Therapies at Lesley University, Boston, USA. She is an R-DMT licensed member of the American Dance Therapy Association. She works extensively with children on the autism spectrum, ADHD, developmental delay and other childhood concerns. Her past experience includes having worked with organizations such as Boston’s Children’s Foundation (BCF), Monadnock Family Services, Cheshire Medical Center, Antioch University and Delhi Psychiatry Centre - Adult Counseling Unit

Erica Hornthal, BC-DMT

Dance/Movement Therapist & Clinical Professional Counselor

Session Description:

Facilitator Bio:

Erica Hornthal is a licensed professional clinical counselor and board certified dance/movement therapist. She received her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago and her BS in psychology from University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. She is the founder and president of Chicago Dance Therapy, Inc., a psychotherapy practice founded in 2011. As a psychotherapist in private practice, Erica specializes in working with adults and older adults. She has worked with and presented on individuals affected by movement and cognitive disorders. While Erica has worked primarily with individuals who are diagnosed with dementia and movement disorders, she also sees many individuals who are looking for a more holistic approach to dealing with anxiety, trauma, depression, and grief. Erica is passionate about finding ways to help individuals age well by emphasizing the mind-body connection to enable growth and healing.

Register for Webinar 3

Webinar 4 - 23 August 2020

Building Bridges Across Cultures in Dance/Movement Therapy: Connecting Through Indian Dance

Nalini Prakash, BC-DMT

Dance/Movement Therapist & Movement Analyst

 Session Description:

Cultural awareness in a therapeutic relationship is the bedrock for subsequent therapist and client interactions. In dance/movement therapy movement is the primary focus through which cultural exchange occurs between therapist and client. Using dance and movement as the central focus, therapist and client discover similarities and differences of each other’s sociopolitical and cultural assumptions, biases, and values. As a result of such a cultural exchange through dance and movement, therapists not only expand their movement repertoire making them more effective clinicians, but clients also learn new ways to express that lead them towards recovery and transformation. This intensive seminar describes personal experiences of applying Indian dance traditions with clients from diverse cultures. Participants understand how Indian and African American cultures intersected and how Indian dance became the central focus in a client’s trajectory of recovery. Participants will explore new ways of moving and expressing by understanding Indian dance tradition nuances.

In this workshop, participants will learn how an Indian dance therapist’s culture intersected with other cultures of her clients within the dance therapy context. Participants will also learn how Indian dance became the central focus in an African American client’s trajectory of recovery from trauma. Additionally, participants will gain an understanding of Indian dance tradition nuances and explore new ways of moving and expressing themselves. The facilitator will underscore the importance of cultural awareness, context and recognition in a therapeutic relationship, and how it forms a bedrock for subsequent therapist and client interactions.

Facilitator Bio:

Nalini is a board-certified dance/movement therapist who has extensive experience in working with individuals who are chronically mentally ill within the criminal justice system. Using creativity, spontaneity and sensitivity, Nalini facilitates recovery-based dance therapy groups that value and reflect cultural and ethnic diversity, empowering individuals towards positive change. A classical Indian dancer, Nalini integrates elements of Indian dance and creative movement in her work as a dance therapist and uses these tools as a vehicle to help individuals re-experience emotions in a safe and non- threatening way. Nalini has a master’s in performing arts and a master’s in dance/movement therapy. She is also a certified movement analyst and has used her skills as a dance therapist and movement analyst to reduce violence and resolve conflict, while fostering social change among a forensic population. Nalini is currently a PhD candidate within the creative arts therapies graduate program at Drexel University, Philadelphia.

Register for Webinar 4