Saturday 30 November 2013

End of Term Madness

Oy vey I am slacking on these posts lately. Although I did just realize one of the posts I had done on my phone never successfully got published. Oh technology! I will try to address that after posting this.

I am currently in the throws of final papers and projects. A lot of them are centred around professional development that has happened over the course of the term during our internships, and of course there are the research papers too. I have to say as much as I am enjoying the classes and content, I am very much looking forward to the holiday break.

One of the final projects I am working on is forming a mock DMT session based on Diane Fletcher's model. It has been interesting researching a dance/movement therapist who incorporates the psyche quite obviously in her work. In the same class we have been discussing which DMT's model works well with which client group. I feel as though I am gaining so much practical knowledge in addition to the history of the field and the different models that are used.

My dance/movement therapy program at my internship site continues to be a success and I have a large turnout each time which is reassuring.

I am going to wrap this up for now but stay tuned for a post on the different props to potentially use during a session!


Thursday 14 November 2013

First DMT Session at Internship

Hey everyone! My first DMT group session at my site was last Wednesday and went really well. I had a large turnout and everyone had a great time, including myself! My supervisor was also extremely pleased and said she immediately knew why I am pursuing this as a career, she could tell this is where my passion lay.

The first session was only half an hour but we are hoping to turn this into a weekly program and extend the time to 45 minutes.  For the next few weeks I'll be getting bumped around a bit by all the carollers that come in as they were already booked. Come next semester I will be locked into the calendar so the residents will know when my program is, which will be great.

For this first session I didn't use any props but have been able to get an Octaband from the library so am hoping to use that soon. We have some time to fill on Friday afternoon at the site so I believe the plan is that I will bring in some of the different props I use and we will have some music playing and people can experiment with them and have a good time!

I am realizing I need a bigger bag, Octaband, balloons, parachute, Ipod player, running shoes...my bag is bursting! And I have turned into one of those people on transit that no matter how hard I try I always seem to be hitting someone with either my bag or the running shoes hanging off my bag. Sorry in advance to anyone on the T with me!

Sunday 10 November 2013

Self-Care

Sometimes you just need to take a day for self care. That is how I spent my day, at the Boston Christmas Festival in complete bliss with my Christmas socks on and singing along to the carols playing overhead.
However, things have a funny way of happening and as it turns out one of the vendors there is a choreographer who danced in Texas. He intoduced me to a friend of his who also had a booth there and long story short she is also an artist and has been involved with the Mark Morris Dancing with PD and is interested in dance/movement therapy. I hope today may have been the start of a blossoming friendship between us all.
Although note to self...get business cards so when someone asks you for one you don't look so surprised!

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Spring Term

Hi everyone! Yes I have been slacking on doing posts...it seems like the middle of the term has been the busiest yet. Just a short post as I am getting ready for my first dance/movement therapy session at my internship site tomorrow, yay! Currently uploading my playlist to my Ipod. I did a brief presentation on Friday at my site introducing what DMT is and what residents can expect and had a really great turnout!

I was able to register in my classes for next term (here there is Winter term which is September-December then Spring term which is middle of January to May). My classes look like they will be just as fascinating as they were this term. I have to take

DMT Supervision II
Theories and Practice of DMT II
Psychopathology
Movement Observation I

My Theories and Practice class will take place at Perkins School for the Blind. Each student will be paired with a blind student from Perkins and we will be working with them for the term. I have been told what a great experience it is.

Must go finish getting props organized for tomorrow. DMT is a new way of working...no lesson plans! Check back later in the week to read how it went!