After years of struggling with an eating disorder and the unforgiving world of ballet, Kathleen Rea found solace and healing in artistic expression that honestly communicated who she was without censor. She learned to see her body as a source of wisdom rather than something that needed to be controlled. This inspired her to develop a style of expressive arts therapy in which sensation takes the lead in the creative process, enabling the wisdom of one’s body to guide recovery. The Healing Dance outlines Rea’s therapeutic approach, animated with details from her powerful life story and examples from her therapy practice. Rea describes her work with a man who recovers from compulsive eating, and through his experience she reveals expressive arts therapy techniques and theorizes how these methods encourage neuroplasticity. The poignant story of how Rea deals with the death of her father demonstrates how expressive arts can move beyond therapy and become a way of life. The Healing Dance celebrates the enlivening power of the arts and teaches about the creative spark living within that has the potential to ignite a fulfilling life. Foreword — Stephen K. Levine
Introduction
Chapter
1. BECOMING A THERAPIST
2. A MAP OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE
Influences that Form My Ground
My Map — Part One: Body-Based Wisdom
Six Forms of Body Wisdom.
My Map — Part Two: The Self in Relationship to the World
The World Out There
My Map — Part Three: Wellness and Dysfunction
Patterns of Dysfunction
3. HEALING THROUGH THE ARTS
A Recipe for Transformation from a Neurological Perspective
Therapeutic Art-Based Experiences
1. How the Arts Provide a Sense of Safety
2. How the Arts Entice Exploration
3. How the Arts Build Relationships
4. How the Arts Engage People with the World
5. How the Arts Increase Self-Knowledge and Interaction
6. The Arts Encourage New Connections and
Long-Lasting Change
The Sum Effect of Expressive Arts Methods
4. THE ART OF GRIEF
5. THE ART OF SENSATION
My Six-Step Method
1. Notice the Sensation
2. Describe the Sensation
3. Stay-With the Sensation
4. Find a Simple Shape or Movement that Matches the Sensation
5. Amplify and Intensify the Sensation
6. Harvest
How the Steps Work Together
Final Words
Notes
Bibliography
Index | 
