Course description

• Build your experience of clinical dance movement psychotherapy and use your creativity to promote self-expression.
• Develop the skills and knowledge to enable you to apply for registration as a dance movement psychotherapist.

• Study a course accredited by the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK (ADMP UK) which can allow an opportunity for routes to UKCP to be explored during and after graduation

• Learn the latest theory and practice from experienced and enthusiastic staff

Professionally accredited course

This course is accredited by the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK (ADMP UK) which can allow an opportunity for routes to UKCP accreditation. This way you can be confident that you will be learning the most up to date thinking on Dance Movement Psychotherapy. On successful completion, you will be eligible to register as a Dance Movement Psychotherapist within ADMP UK.

Build your experience

This course will encourage you to build on your knowledge, experience and creative expression whilst developing new skills within the field of clinical Dance Movement Psychotherapy. You will be guided by the principles that underlie humanistic and integrative psychotherapy while creatively exploring self-expression through body, movement and dance.

Lectures will incorporate presentations, reflexive discussion and experiential aspects. You will consider the relationship between theory and practice, becoming familiar with the most up to date research and applying learned theories and methods within your clinical placement. You will be supported through weekly tutorials and supervision sessions; these will assist you in developing your ideas and considering critical perspectives when reflecting on your work. Assessments will vary to encourage your creativity and reflective process; these include presentations, video production, facilitation and written critiques.

As well as the taught modular components, you will engage in personal therapy throughout the course. This can be individual therapy or within a group setting. 80 hours of personal therapy, at an additional cost to your course fees, is a requirement for professional registration as a Dance Movement Psychotherapist. We feel confident that you will appreciate the personal and professional benefits of this therapy as a means of support and understanding of the psychotherapeutic process.

We welcome guest speakers and offer perspectives on international, national and global approaches. There is the possibility to develop projects and relationships with employers when you are on clinical placements and develop local and global networks. It is also possible to present your ideas at conferences as well as develop your research ideas.

Understand theory and practice

It’s important to understand the roots of Dance Movement Psychotherapy, from the early pioneers through to the current perspective. You’ll cover concepts such as the theory and practice of Dance Movement Psychotherapy and the importance of improvisation, creativity, and play.

You’ll use and reflect on psychotherapeutic theory, while considering the implications for placement and practice.

The somatic understanding in psychotherapeutic practice is an essential foundation of Dance and Movement Psychotherapy. You’ll also explore anatomy and physiology, which are essential to your understanding of movement and its relevance for psychotherapy through experiential mediums in arts- based practice and in particular dance.

We have excellent facilities, including a dance studio and enjoy cooperation and commonality with the other Arts Therapies.

We’re proud to say that our courses are closely mapped against the health and social care sector and for work in schools. This ensures that our curriculum and practice is up-to-date, providing you with the assurance that your learning is current and relevant. This does mean that we do have to respond to national changes such as government policy. As a result, some of the information about our courses may change. Please check the website for the latest information.

How you will learn

You'll meet Dr Jill Bunce from our teaching team. Jill develops community projects for placement, interacts with placement managers and develops the skills of other professionals. Jill is responsible for the teaching methods and delivery of this course and the design of the course to professional standards of ADMP (the Association of Dance Movement Psychotherapists). Jill specialises in the body and mind relationship in Parkinson's Disease; body image; cultural diverse practice; dance performance and educational psychotherapy.

How you're assessed

You will receive clear guidelines upon the nature of assessment for each module at its commencement. Modules are assessed through the submission of verbal presentations, written work and other art forms including videos, written and spoken language and group facilitation; aimed at demonstrating that you have met the learning outcomes pertinent to the module.

The clinical placements are assessed through the submission of reports completed by the Clinical Placement Manager and the use of Supervision with your University Supervisor. These and your clinical work are then discussed between you and your University Supervisor. You will also need to write a case study which will show how you have approached your work on placement. You will be required to explore and administer the ethical context of writing this case study.