“I’m able to put my thoughts into picturing them physically” - phenomenological experiences of dance movement psychotherapy in a secondary school : unexpected empowerment over external contingency

Parsons, AS ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3540-5660 and Dubrow-Marshall, LJ ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4092-6599 2019, '“I’m able to put my thoughts into picturing them physically” - phenomenological experiences of dance movement psychotherapy in a secondary school : unexpected empowerment over external contingency' , The Arts in Psychotherapy, 64 , pp. 1-8.

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Abstract

This study explored eight secondary school participants’ subjective experiences of Dance Movement Psychotherapy [DMP], and how these perceptions relate to prior expectations and/or perceived outcomes from the therapy. How pupils and staff experience psychotherapeutic provision is of particular importance to engagement and process, with implications for therapeutic outcomes and – accordingly – the success and proliferation of such services within educational settings. A qualitative methodology based on Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was utilised to explore these topics from the phenomenological lived experience of three pupil-clients and five staff involved. Experiences of ‘unexpected empowerment’ were most prominent along with related subthemes, and a differing notion of ‘External Contingency’ and its subthemes. Where clients did not expect to be provided with structured solutions or advice, their experiences of unexpected empowerment optimised the insight-based aspects of DMP. Alternatively, for a client anticipating a process resembling being led in a solution-oriented ‘package’, the client found it difficult to overcome dependency on – and seeking from – external influences as a resolution for subjective wellbeing. These results are discussed in the context of creative psychotherapies and wider social structures.

Item Type:	Article
Schools:	Schools > School of Health and Society > Centre for Health Sciences Research
Journal or Publication Title:	The Arts in Psychotherapy
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0197-4556
Related URLs:	https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/th...
Depositing User:	Dr Linda Dubrow-Marshall
Date Deposited:	13 Aug 2019 13:03
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2022 02:27
URI:	https://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/52015

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