Creative Arts Therapies Theses

Date of Award

12-14-2018

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Art in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling (MA)

Department

Creative Arts Therapies

First Advisor

Susan Imus

Second Advisor

Laura Downey

Third Advisor

Laura Allen

Keywords

dance movement therapy, body, self-care, framework, yoga, mental health, logic model

Abstract

The purpose of this program development project was to create a framework for clinical supervision that utilizes yoga and dance/movement therapy in support of the holistic wellness of mental health professionals. Clinicians are at risk for burnout and compassion fatigue, especially when they place more emphasis on their client’s well-being than their own. Research points to the significance of incorporating self-care, stress-management and embodied awareness of self and client into the supervision process; however, there remains an underdeveloped body of knowledge related to body-based frameworks for clinical supervision and how such frameworks relate to clinician self-care. Utilizing the five yogic koshas, or layers of being, and dance/movement therapy principles such as body awareness, shape flow, embodiment, Effort space and authentic movement, this unique program promotes an all-encompassing self-care practice in new clinicians. For the development of this program, the theory approach logic model was used to represent and visualize the relationship between current resources, activities or experiences and outcomes the program will aim to achieve. Information was gathered using questionnaires and group interviews following the Delphi method, a technique for gathering qualitative data aimed at gaining consensus among experts. The final product, Caring for the Whole Clinician: A Body-Based Framework for Self-Care and Supervision, is a seven-part supervision program. Each of the seven session outlines includes a detailed facilitation guide complete with educational material, scripts for body-based experientials, processing prompts and homework to be used and distributed by the dance/movement therapist providing supervision. Ideas for future evolution, implementation and evaluation are discussed. 79 pages.

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