Creative Arts Therapies Theses

Date of Award

12-13-2017

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

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

Department

Creative Arts Therapies

First Advisor

Imus, Susan

Second Advisor

Downey, Laura

Third Advisor

Bell, Aisha

Keywords

dance/movement therapy, Carl Jung, heuristic study, humanistic, existential, therapy, psychoanalysis, Chicago, Il, Seattle, WA, myths, archetypes.

Abstract

The purpose of this heuristic study was to develop a personal dance/movement therapy approach and interventions that utilize the Jungian concepts of myth and archetypes. The researcher, a 24-year-old graduate student, is grounded in a humanistic-existential therapy approach and is interested in bringing additional symbolism and metaphor to my theoretical lens by examining how these specific elements of Carl Jung’s psychoanalytic theory can enhance my current framework. Data collection and analysis took place over five Authentic Movement Skype sessions with the researcher and research collaborator participating from private rooms in their respective homes in Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA. The first session focused on the research questions, the next three sessions framed particular myths and the archetypes within them, and the final session revisited the questions and processed findings. Findings revealed the understanding of each archetype as bi-polar, and the acknowledgement of unconscious material from all individuals as an innate presence in the therapeutic relationship, with the overarching goal being to integrate these concepts into my theoretical approach. 65 pages.

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