Читать книгу The Creative Arts in Counseling - Samuel Gladding T., Samuel T. Gladding - Страница 81

Movement and dance can have a therapeutic effect on children who are born with disabilities as well as those who are fully functional. One of the most dramatic examples of this is the use of movement with children who are born blind. In such cases, “the dance and movement therapist’s highly developed communicative mode emphasizes sound, rhythm, and touch and helps the blind child find pleasure and safety in the natural expression of moving together” (Kalish-Weiss, 1988, p. 108). Such experiences, which must be tailored for each child, are truly the essence of art.

Dance therapy may be equally positive in outcome, as illustrated in the use of this process with a 12-year-old girl who had motor abnormalities, mild mental deficiencies, and emotional problems (Lasseter et al., 1989). One-hour, twice-a-week dance treatments over 18 weeks resulted in marked improved motor development as well as enhanced self-esteem.