Date of Award
12-6-2012
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
Andrea Brown
Keywords
identity, development
Abstract
This thesis is an autoethnography that explores my own experience of identity development. The intention of this research was to try and find an answer as to why I have not yet been able to develop a cohesive sense of self, in which I am able to accept and embody all of my seemingly disparate parts. I have thus far in my life felt scattered, and unable to accept both the cultures into which I was born, as well as the cultures to which I am organically drawn. Through introspection, reflective writing, and interviewing family members, I have been able to begin to compile a type of roadmap of my life that helps me understand where I come from, how my core values have developed, what truly motivates me in life, and what patterns of psychological thought have been established that hold me back from accessing my full potential. I have realized that I am longing for and moving towards integration. To that end, I used a movement exploration, as well as a short piece of dance choreography, to embody the entire thesis process and help me discover where I am currently at on the path towards self acceptance.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Henrich, Kanchana, "Towards Integration: An Autoethnography on the Development of Identity" (2012). Creative Arts Therapies Theses. 36.
https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/theses_dmt/36
Comments
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