I really enjoyed the quote, "the goals is to channel communication into dances of friendship". This is why dance movement therapy has such a unique way of helping all, especially children with autism. Dance movement therapy does not require verbal communication to create relationships. They are able to do so through movements, where sensory, social, and movement all begin where the client is.
I appreciate Dr. Devereaux pointing out that movement is the only universal language that we know. DMT is such a great way to implement nonverbal communication. What a great tool to help parents learn how to attune and understand their child's nonverbal communication signals. These skills would be beneficial to all parents, and especially to those parenting individuals with autism. Feeling seen is a desire that all humans have. Thanks for a great presentation!
As someone who has seen the difficulties of having an autistic child firsthand, I think DMT, for the child as well as a group for child and parent, would be super helpful. Not only did Dr. Devereaux show the power of DMT for those with autism, I think she noted and named the hardships in connecting that parents may face as well. Bringing both parent and child into a session would be a beautiful way to harbor connection and understanding.
"rejection in itself, is still a form of social communication". This is a powerful statement, especially for children with non-verbal autism because it is a way of communicating when people thought they couldn't, or wouldn't. It is them telling us that it's not time yet, or they aren't comfortable, or they are still getting used to the situation. But, in time they can become accepting and the rejection will be a thing of the past. None of this progress would be possible if their communication, their rejection, did not occur.
I had never really thought about it, but the speaker brings up a great point that even when one is rejected, that is still communicating. From rejection, a dance movement therapist knows that the child is communicating and has a window to work from.
I really liked the wording of " the goals is to channel communication into dances of friendship". This is ultimately why dance therapy has such a unique way of helping children with autism. They do not require verbal communication to create relationships but through movements, where sensory, social, and movement starts where they are at only and no further.
It moved me when she said she wanted to first understand the client and later the connection will follow. Meeting the client where they are at, and speaking the language they are comfortable with is so important. Dance therapy allows clients to go at their own pace, and open up whenever they want to. Thank you for such a great talk!
I liked this as well because it's so important to try to understand people; this is how we build relationships, but regular people rarely try to understand and learn about people- it's just relationship-searching.
Agreeing with some other commenters, I also feel that the label of "health crisis" fails to acknowledge the great variety of neurodivergence in humanity, and how that's not something to be fought but rather accepted. I do enjoy all of the ways it is outlined that DMT can improve the experience of life for those who are autistic, and for helping them share a more communicative space with others. It truly is a universal language.
I agree! I had to hold my criticism of this speaker and her ableism aside, so that I could also appreciate the positive points. I think she makes a great point, which is that we should all strive for better understanding of nonverbal communication. Learning and appreciating nonverbal cues would go a long way in helping many people feel more welcome and a part of our communities .
The ways in which the speaker discussed how dance/movement therapy gives a view into the core deficits of autism was brilliant. Relaying the different forms of therapeutic DMT work alongside the background of what autism is and how it presents clearly allowed the listener to tie the two together and make a point of how beneficial DMT can be with people with autism.
I have worked with people with Autism in the past and enjoyed it. This opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for when working with people with autism too. It allows for nonverbal people to be able to express themselves really well. This is a very informative and interesting speech. Well done.
I love how DMT was being portrayed and used as a way to understand someone else's language and using movement to understand their language first. It was so moving to hear a therapy that can be utilized for autistic individuals that doesn't make them become more "normal" but using movement to build a relationship from where the person is at and how they process it rather than focussing on how they can be "more like everyone else".
This case study speaks volumes about the impact of nonverbal communication. I appreciate how Christina acknowledged "rejection" or "moving away" as a form of communication, as a way in, rather than a closed door.
Dr. Devereaux does a great job of explaining how the parameters of a dance therapy session for a person on the autism spectrum differ from that of any other session. She is focused on meeting her clients where they are, and works hard to understand, join, and then eventually help them build a social identity and relationships. I think it is amazing to think of all the work Dr. Devereaux has done to better understand how socializing can play such an important role in the lives of people with autism, and how movement can be this connection.
Dr. Christina Devereaux does a great job describing how and why dance/movement therapy is so important for people with autism. With the rate of autism sky rocketing the fact that dance/movement therapy is able to produce treatment outcomes in the area of social relatedness is significant. Thanks.
It's really a magical moment when I see or hear a dance and movement therapist finally succeed in building a connection with autism kids. I remember in my children development psych class, the approachs to treating autism children are almost primitive, using mostly operant conditioning in which the child have no control over the level of difficulty of her challenge and is painful for the majority of the treatment course. Dance and movement therapy makes me feel like they treat the kids as a real person, and that is an essential premise of building relationships.
I appreciate Dr. Devereaux's emphasis on meeting a client where they're at. I love the excitement she expressed when her client said hi to her after the time they spent moving together. It makes me think of the little victories we celebrate as clinicians. They may seem trivial to others but mean the world to us when shared with a client. It's a testament to the power of rapport building, attuning, and collaborating with clients.
I think it's amazing to know that DMT can help children with autism. I would have never thought this was a method in use to help these children. I think its very helpful that a therapist can work with the individual, with a group, or with the family of the individual with autism. This is a good approach to a positive outcome.
Yes! I never really thought about people with Autism going to a dance movement therapist either, but this video explained it very well. It makes a lot of sense to me now why someone with Autism would really benefit from dance movement therapy. It's all about forming connections and engaging in purposeful movement.
I love when she said rejection is also a form of social communication. This is true for other types of "inappropriate" communication, e.g., tantrums, violence, disengagement. The question really should be what are these behaviors communicating to us, and "how can we speak their language".
I love that she brought up the idea of the universal language of dance. As someone that I has worked with children with autism, I have found the great importance of bodily awareness and understanding. I have also found the joy that we both get when we dance together and listen to music. It is definitely a way that we can bond and share a positive experience with each other.
Movement is a way for us to express ourselves one in the same. Dr. Christina Deveraux made the statement that we all speak the language of movement, and can create meaning and connections with those arounds us thought movement. I find these statements very eye opening with my interest in physical therapy, and I am excited to learn more about this type of therapy.
I loved how she emphasized that movement is a universal language and how this can make dance therapy accessible to many people who have a hard time communicating through words. I am interested in the connections you find between physical therapy and movement therapy
Dr. Devereaux provided a great talk on using D/MT with autism. The shared focus or social engagement is a main focus that can be used in one-on-one or in a parent child dyad. "Our goal is to channel communication into dances of relationship". It was helpful hearing about the different categories under the spectrum and the point of entry that needs to be considered, the universal language that is communicated through out bodies.
Christina's words provided validation to my belief as a Dance/Movement Therapist. I feel resonated with the statement, "Children with Autism will become adults with autism". Yes, it is a lifetime challenge. DMTs certainly have a huge potential in helping this population as a body-based practitioner.
Dr. Devereaux did a great job highlighting how Dance/Movement Therapy sessions look different for every individual involved. Just as people have different needs, DMT can have different impacts on different people.
"Our goal is to channel communication into dances of relationship" this quote is what I find interesting about dance therapy. With autism, the spectrum has no limit with this kind of therapy. This talk was one of my favorites and was super interesting!
I really enjoyed Dr. Devereaux's sentiment that rejection is a form of communication. It's a thought that never really crossed my mind when working with people with diverse abilities. I also will need to remember that in therapy rejection can be the beginning of further communication between two people.
Thanks Dr. Christina Devereaux for a simple, yet thorough, message about supporting those living on the spectrum using dance/movement. As a budding dmt (graduating in May!) I really appreciate your discussion about meeting clients where they are through movement and relished the story you told about working with a client and doing the "turning toward and turning away" dance. The turning away from/rejection IS an important part of being in relationship and I really appreciated you illuminating that piece through the story you told.
The stress upon dance/movement being a foundation of communication for all human beings, and not just those placed somewhere on an Autism spectrum was very important to me. I believe that Dr. Christina Devereaux did a beautiful job of explaining how and why movement is so vital to daily communication. Why not start relationships based upon movement? Particularly for those who have difficulty communicating on a verbal level? This is very strong concept of dance/movement therapy, and her personal anecdote of a client who was able to develop some vocal development was truly touching, and very relevant and connected to the topic of this talk.
"How can I speak their language first" - this quote really stood out to me because individuals with autism often times have difficulty communicating like individuals without. I think its great to look at it as more of a language barrier than a disability because it shows that with time it can be learned, understood, and used also.
Yes I totally agree. I'm studying rehabilitation psychology and learn all about disabilities. I think dance therapy could be so beneficial for people with autism.
I think it is great that dance therapists look for specific "point of entry" based off of where the individual is. Speaking their language first to establish mutuality and to help the individual gain trust. Movement is the universal language, so they can often start there.
I agree with you that meeting somewhere where they are can help to develop trust. If someone does not show that they are willing to understand a client, the client may not have a reason to want to be expressive.
I am grateful to Christina for this talk. When I first began researching about dance/movement therapy as a field, this was the first ADTA talk that came up. At the same time, I had loved ones who had recently been diagnosed with ASD. She brought two pieces of my world together. The realization that Autism quickly became close to my heart, and how my new understanding of relationships would lead me to a career in dance/movement therapy.
It is so interesting to learn how truly beneficial and helpful dance therapy can be. These videos are important and informative for people who want to explore dance therapy.
I really appreciate the clarity together with the passion that Christina Devereaux is communicating in this talk , her findings and methodology used for working with people suffering from autism in a large spectrum are useful and creative examples of how Dance Movement Therapy/ Psychotherapy can be used , reflected upon, thought and transmitted to others . Many Thanks.
I found the explanation of the lack of social reciprocity in people with autism especially interesting to hear about. I think that this is a great way to explain why it requires a different therapeutic approach when working with this population. I also thought it was important that she brought up how this can impact the family dynamic and bring stress at home.
Focusing on building connections with people with autism is a wonderful goal. Often atypical forms of understanding and learning are treated as the incorrect ones and seen as disability. I believe that using modes such as body language and mirroring to connect with people is fantastic. It's important to capitalize upon what a person can do, as opposed to what they can't do.
I think that dance therapy can be so beneficial for people with autism! Especially those that already have a difficult time communication through words, this can be a way for them to express their feelings through movement!
I think it is very interesting how Dr. Christina Devereaux describes the relationship between the dance movement therapist and the client. I like how she explains the difference between DMT and dance class. Dr. Christina Devereaux does a great job of describing the movement spectrum of people with autism "those that may have more awkward sensory integration" to "limited body awareness and low muscle tone". She uses the key concept of dance movement therapy of meeting the client where they are. I love the quote that she says "the only universal language is a language that is communicated through movement and the body".
I agree Brigid. Dance/movement therapy starts where a client, is strength based, and builds relationships on the universal language of the body and movement. Dr. Devereaux is very clear and articulate.
I also like how she explained the relationship between the therapist and the client. It was a good overview for people who are interested in dance therapy and possibly getting involved.
Autism in on a spectrum. I enjoyed that Dr. Devereaux utilizes dance as a base of communication. Dance/movement therapy can be used with patients who are non verbal or patients with difficulty speaking. “Body language is a universal language”, basic movements can go a long way in communicating with another individual. The most memorable thing about her speech was that dance/movement therapy create a basic relationship between her and her patients with autism. Then the relationship slowly developed and strengthens through dance movements.
With the increase in children being diagnosed with Autism, much research is being done to look into how we can help these children develop social skills and form connections and relationships with people. I think dance/movement therapy is the best way to facilitate this work, and this talk does a great job of explaining why it works. Connecting nonverbally and meeting the client where he or she is at are key practices of dance/movement therapy, and these are also sometimes the only way to connect with people with Autism. Dance therapy can work wonders for this population, so I am glad that it is gaining more recognition.
Discussing the depth and detail of individuality needed for Autism. It was super cool to see her show the different spectrums that a person can be on, and how it's even more complicated because there isn't just one, there are three interacting that a person sits on. Also hearing that development of speaking that one girl's language first to her and then her saying hi was super cool to hear.
Shows that there isn't one sure way to communicate with individuals with autism because they are all a little different. Nice to look at them as truly individuals.
I like that she talks about the social/communication spectrum, a movement spectrum, and the autism spectrum. These three spectra don't always line up, but this goes to show that everyone's movement and everyone's therapy needs are different. Movement is universal, and it helps with communication, regarding our feelings and our needs.
When she said "rejection is a form of social communication" that really stood out to me. Often times people view rejection as a bad thing, however it I like how in this scenario she flips it into a positive thing. The client is still communicating, even if it not the exact communication she may want. The client is letting her know how they feel about a certain activity or if they are not ready. I think this can be applied to a number a scenario. People may not be able to express how they feel and rejection through movement can be an important insight into what they are feeling.
I also found this to be an important statement. Especially with individuals with autism, I think people can be too quick to think that there is no way for them to communicate whatsoever, neglecting the fact that rejection is a form of communication.
I love how she talked about how each person is an individual who has different communication strategies and abilities. It can be frustrating for someone to be compared to those around them instead of being seen as a unique person who will learn and express themself in their own ways.
Hi! Yes I agree, I think it is so important that therapist and everyone that is leading activities should be able to adapt lessons to an individuals needs.
I do not have much knowledge on Autism, so this talked really helped me learn some important facts about the disease. I learned that it is a spectrum disorder. I also learned a new way to think. I cannot just think of children with autism as only that. In the future they will grow up and become adults with autism. I need to work on thinking about things not just in the present. In order to become a better person and hopefully a better medical provider, I need to realize this. I also need to realize something that Dr. Christina Devereaux said in her talk "the only universal language is one communicated through movement and the body". Using words is helpful, but it is not the only way to connect with a person or learn what they are asking for. I need to work on understanding these nonverbal languages and work on using them myself.
Knowing that dance movement therapy is one of the ways to help people with autism to develop to their full potential is such a relief. Through the assessment of movements in DMT, DMT is a therapeutic process to help people work in a social engagement. The patients are able to build a relationship between people in their family. DMT is a dance of relationship. By analyzing the core of the problem, DMT found a way of speaking the language of the autism via the universal language - the language that is communicated through our body and movement. The therapists are able to help create relationship and communicate the patients and things around them.
Dance movement therapy provides a chance for everyone to connect because movement is the "universal language". This point stood out to me. The connection between DMT and Autism seems promising because people with Autism often experience difficulties forming relationships with others. Since DMT is movement based, people with Autism may feel more comfortable communicating in this sense, rather than vocally. It is a great opportunity to form relationships, which is vital to our well-being.
I see the idea of movement as a "universal language" pop up in most of these talks. DMT is based on the idea that the body can speak for what the mouth might not be able to say yet.
This is a beautiful and compelling speech. I love when Dr. Christina Devereaux discusses how movement is a universal language. As a dancer, I have witnessed how movement allows people to connect and form relationships with one another. Because the core characteristics of autism include social-communication impairments, it makes sense that a focus for treatment is improving social-communication skills. DMT is an incredible way to access nonverbal communication and foster relationships through movement. I am also fascinated by the ways dance movement therapists can channel the energies and movement patterns that lead to RRBs and other motor impairments and create new motor patterns within the individuals with whom they work. I cannot wait to read new findings as research on DMT among individuals with autism continues!
Dr. Devereaux provided an engaging and enlightening presentation of the use of D/MT with the autistic population. The statement, “channel communication into dances of relationship” was beneficial for me, as it allowed me to note not only the importance of dance, but how this population can use dance as a form of communication. Communication is something that this population often works on in treatment, so having a way to communicate nonverbally is extremely beneficial. Thank you for your talk, Dr. Devereaux!
Christina Devereaux's story was really helpful to my understanding of how dance therapy can be a method of communication and a way to develop trust with other individuals. And those receiving therapy can use what they have experienced and go home to their loved ones and continue to capitalize on their progress.
Hi! I would really like to emphasize the last part of your statement. I think it is so important to keep therapy going even when the patient is not physically at a therapy session. I think therapist and caregivers/parents need to have good communication to keep the positive affects of DMT going in the patients life.
I really enjoyed this ADTA talk and how Christina Devereaux has used DMT to reach individuals with autism. Her experience of working on social skills with the young girl with autism through movement was amazing; they were able to form a discussion with their bodies and really connect which resulted in the young client’s own verbal language. Movement is truly a powerful language in itself.
I really loved what Dr. Devereaux had to say about human connection- how contact and movement with the body is the first and sometimes only way to connect. She spoke of working with patients on the autism spectrum and how they are able to "channel communication into dances of relationship," for verbal communication is often limited for them. She also noted the importance of the term spectrum; people on the spectrum have a wide range of abilities, therefore there is no one way of relationship building that could possibly work for every person. And lastly, common to many other ADTA talks, she emphasized the concept of meeting a person where they are, learning their own personal way of processing. Really great talk.
I feel that the most challenging part for a dance therapist working with individuals with autism is the creativity you have to hold to come up with a "point of entry" for each individual client. It shows that each person is unique and a technique that works for one individual isn't guaranteed to have the same benefits for another. The whole processes is a variety of trial and error until you find something that works for your client.
I think that the "point of entry" explanation gives a good visual to people who have not had experience working with this population in this particular setting. I think that this example highlights what the speaker was talking about with a lack of reciprocity in social settings with individuals with autism - therapists need to find a way to break through this barrier to be able to make progress.
Dr. Devereaux gives an enlightening talk about D/MT's uniqueness in treating children on the autism spectrum: It works with the core deficits. I deeply resonate with her definition of this field "D/MT is a carefully attuned therapeutic process that can look differently, depending on its participants." Not only does it transform based on the population, it changes depending on the individual participants -- it involves attunement and nonverbal relationship with the individual person in the room, meeting their body's abilities and needs, and identifying appropriate therapeutic goals. Devereaux identifies this "point of entry" as the therapist's steps to experience and enter the child's world by the only universal human language - movement. In this talk, movement connection is simple and complex enough to mean simply moving together in rhythm and proximity- communicating validation and progress towards rappport. Finally, I appreciate her understanding that resistance/retreat is a movement decision, engaging in the relationship.
Children with autism are challenging to work with if we looked at them solely through the lens of behavioral disturbances and language deficits. This is the reason why movement and dance is important, we have a chance to be welcomed into their beautiful internal world when they are not asked to fit in with the social norms of being "normal". They can use movement, rhythm to express, make connection and meanings through creative process. I enjoyed Dr. Christina Devereaux's way of describing the metaphor of "movement towards and movement away" and its transformation. Rhythms and movements are powerful ways for us to relate.
This video truly highlights the positive effects that dance and movement therapy can have on individuals with autism. It displays the importance of the dance and movement therapist's role in finding what the individual can do and building off of their strengths. It is crucial for the therapists to understand and attune to the patient's ways and them assist them in modifying them for the better. With dance and movement therapy, parents and families also gain a better chance at establishing a deeper connection with their loved one.
As someone who has a sibling who is on the spectrum, it is refreshing it see different ways we could interact with each other. My brother was categorized and moderately/severly autistic and he is non verbal. I never thought that dancing might bring a different way of communicating. He does speak but be uses small sentences to communicate. Most of the time we use his non verbal cues to understand what he is feeling. I think trying dance therapy would help him in finding his non verbal voice.
I like the idea that Dr. Christina describes the symptoms of Autism as a spectrum. I realized how widely spread the Autism could be and how hard it is to have a way to cure it. I am glad that DMT could actually become an effective way for the patients to rebuild their social relationships.
I like how the idea that communication is possible between all types of people, even if it does not seem possible at first. Movement is an innate and powerful mechanism many neglect, and this video expresses the possibilities.
The first step of understanding a child of autism then connecting to that before building stood out. By creating a relationship at the baseline of comfort for the child the connection can build from a safe feeling. I also thought her analogy of moving away and towards connected well for me in my understanding of relationship and DMT.
I agree! Before I watched this video, I would also think the first step is understanding the disease. But as people we need to understand that a person is not defined by their disease. A person can be whoever they so wish. The only thing we need to do in order to understand the child is to connect with them in a mutual capacity. We cannot force the child to talk like we do or act, but if we want to get to know the child then we need to talk and act in a capacity that is familiar to them and comfortable. I also loved her analogy!
I think my favorite thing about Dance/Movement Therapy is the concept of meeting people where they are at. "How can I speak their language first in order to establish a place of mutuality" is a sentence that stands out to me. Since movement is the universal language, a person can learn to understand another with non-verbal cues.
I agree! Many individuals with or without ASD may struggle with verbal communication. DMT provides a non-verbal medium through which they can express themselves, using movement to convey emotions and thoughts that may be difficult to articulate. Techniques like mirroring can help individuals learn social cues and enhance their ability to interact with others, fostering better communication and understanding in social contexts, as you mentioned, movement is a universal language.
Christina talks about how DMT can help kids with autism channel communication through dance relationship. This allows them to better understand what their way of processing is. She relates nonverbal communication as being a universal language and this actually caught my interest because she's absolutely right.
Some relationship always happy from kids and their parents, which is so important connection with communication. Some autism kids don't like show themselves, they don't talk or communicate with their parents from every way. The most good approach is gaining attention from unique capacity to work directly that is dance therapy. Dance therapy can help clients or patients focus on physical release that develop their positive feeling and emotion to get relax.
Christina Devereaux is a dance movement therapist who specializes in working with individuals who have autism. She talks about how there is a wide spectrum for autism and that is why it is important to note that every session is different because every person is different. She mentions that nonverbal communication is a universal language and that it only makes sense to communicate with these individuals nonverbally. She mentioned in her talk how important it is to look out for non-verbal cues throughout the dance therapy sessions. In her talk she gave an example of when she connected with a young girl during a group session. Their movement with each other turned into a high-five and then a wave hello. Just then the girl waved hello, while saying hello which is an example of repeating. I personally know a child who has autism and I think dance movement therapy is such a great way to try to connect socially with these individuals. Christina has stories of breaking through and connecting with these individuals so I believe this could be a huge help in the autism community.
Dr. Christina Devereaux begins her talk by stating the startling prevalence of ASD among children and framing it as a communal concern, rather than just familial or individual. She sets a tone of hopefulness for individuals with ASD in explaining DMT as an effective therapeutic intervention that really gets to the core issues of ASD. I appreciate Dr. Devereaux’s explanation of DMT as a “carefully attuned therapeutic process that looks different depending on its participants”, emphasizing the key relational qualities of the work. The language of movement is pivotal in working with, understanding, communicating, and relating to individuals with ASD. In her example, I enjoyed Dr. Devereaux sharing the simple power of synchronous rhythm to create a sense of unity among of group of children who may often be disconnected with others. Framing rejection as a form of social communication has completely transformed how I view my clients’ rejection of any invitation to socialize. Dr. Devereaux also so nicely explains her approach is to first understand, then join, and then help develop meaningful social engagement for individuals with ASD. Overall, Dr. Devereaux describes ASD and DMT for individuals with ASD from a very humanistic viewpoint that emits warmth, compassion, and hope. Thank you for sharing!
Movement is the only universal language, therefore it is logical that it is the starting point in nonverbal communication with a patient with autism. I found it interesting that the communication progressed naturally at the child's speed and resulted in an understanding between the therapist and patient to result in trust, and eventually, a verbal response.
I think that Dr. Christian Devereaux's talk about using Dance/Movement Therapy to aid in the creation of relationships for those with Autism is very important. Utilizing dance and movement as the basis for communication with those who are nonverbal or who have other communicative deficits aims at creating sort of physical empathy and understanding that allows for communication to happen at the nonverbal level. Such communication allows for a rapport to be established between therapist and client, based on meeting the client where they are, and helping them to discover how they can grow and move forward.
It is interesting to watch this video from the perspective of non-verbal communication. One thing that fascinates me is that when the therapist talks about the therapy session with one of her patient, moving away and moving towards. The body facing towards people or facing away from people could represent different psychological status in terms of social behavior and openness. by turning towards each other, the social interaction starts by engaging the focus and body, and by turning away from each other, it represents the meaning of rejecting to socialize with people. However, as she said, no matter engaging or rejecting, the interaction is already formed by sending the message through the non-verbal communication from the view of receiving or blocking the message.
This talk was very interesting in how it was able to show dance therapy's importance in helping with children with autism. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, there is not one way that these patients are able to be cured; because DMT is a universal language, this is the optimal place to begin in order to start where the person is, which is different for every individual. The example of the patient that Dr. Devereaux was working with was inspiring, as well as proof of how influential and crucial it is for DMT to be implemented as the first mode of therapy for patients with autism.
I like how personalized they talk about DMT can be. Especially when working with Autistic people it is always important to remember that no every diagnosis is the same, so being able to tailor each session to a persons individual needs is crucial. I also love how DMT is accessible for children AND adults with Autism as there is a common problem where there are so many resources for children but as they become adults, Autistic people and their families find many less options for intervention and resources.
I like the idea she brings up that there is a spectrum. There is no one way to work with a child who has autism compared to another person with autism. Like she mentioned, DMT approaches channel relationships via different methods, a spectrum of DMT that works with the spectrum of autism.
I found Dr. Devereaux's talk to be highly informative and engaging. I enjoyed her discussion of how DMT offers a means of relating on the client's own terms first, and then to foster growth and development of communication and relationship. I agree that DMT's ability to keenly attune to clients makes it uniquely suited to address the core difficulties of Autism. Additionally, I appreciated how Dr. Devereaux brought up the difficulties parents and families of those with ASD face, and how DMT can also be helpful to them.
I also found her talk to be very engaging. She presented to us, the audience, some amazingly complex concepts and ideas that are not yet conventional, but did so through storytelling. I appreciate that you commented on her bringing up the family aspect of those on the spectrum. It is so important for healthcare to focus on the person in the full context of their life. Specifically talking about parents of children with ASD, there is that dual parenting/care-giving role that many often have to take on. It can be so difficult to never have any feedback of how you are doing or even receive acknowledgment from your child that you are there. I think Dr. Devereaux did a wonderful job teaching us to "hear" non-verbal communication, and showed that D/MT can be an incredibly helpful way to meet a child with ASD where they are and enter their world.
I think DMT can be a great asset in helping treat individuals with autism as even those who cannot communicate verbally can do so through movement. Verbal communication has long been the main therapeutic method, but I see DMT as a wave of the future in creating and helping individuals with autism communicate and create social relationships with others.
I agree that it makes a lot of sense that DMT is extremely helpful in building communication with those who can not verbally communicate, as putting pressure on verbal communication is often times not the most effective way to establish communication.
I really enjoyed the idea of joining in and then fostering change rather than immediately trying to change an individual. I think it is extremely important to get to know an individual first before change is proposed. I also enjoyed the topic of teaching the parents to respond to non-verbal cues as many parents of children with Autism do not understand how to communicate with them to the full extent they can.
100%, I think by getting to know the child first, it makes them feel more comfortable as well. It also allows the therapist to get an idea of what they need to work on the most. Allowing for a mutually beneficial relationship!
Understanding those nonverbal cues opens up communication by demonstrating to the person that you are attentive and listening which allows for deeper and more frequent communication. I really enjoyed these parts too, Kayla
DMT meets the patient where they are. It doesn't try to shove people into boxes or generalize care. This is especially important for diagnoses like autism that hold a lot of stigma. Historically, that stigma has seeped into healthcare and treatment. The development of accepting treatments such as DMT makes me hopeful that we are moving in a better direction.
DMT can help treat the different spectrums of autism such as cognitive spectrum, movement spectrum, and finally the social and communication spectrum. After watching Harlow’s experiment and Dr. Devereaux presentation on autism I’ve realized that something as simple as touch, can have a huge impact on the development of a child. When Dr. Devereaux was talking about the little girl that started out with a high-five then it grew into a hand wave and finally she verbally said hi was proof that DMT can treat autism.
I agree. I think it is important to understand that movement is a universal language because a lot of times people forget or do not realize that it is a mode of communication.
This video resonates with me on many levels, as the reason I chose to pursue DMT was because of my experience as an ABA therapist. I was able to communicate with my client nonverbally using dance and movement. Where he was lacking in his voice, he made up for this deficit in movement, rhythm, and music to satisfy the basic human need for communication. When the client's behavior was positive, he was rewarded with a song of his choice and the freedom to dance in his room. When his behavior was negative, this privilege was taken away. Although I no longer agree with the ABA framework, I believe this client's experience of dance and movement increased his self-expression and his ability to communicate with others which is exactly what this speaker is suggesting that dance/movement therapy can offer to the Autism Spectrum Population.
Dance Movement Therapy is highlighted as a potential aid to people who have autism. There is a wide spectrum of autism, and everyone reacts differently to each session. The significant thing about DMT is that the language of the movement of the body is universal, whether or not someone has autism. This is reinforced when she told us about the experience she had with the young girl whom she moved and connected high fives with. This resonates to what I learned in class because being in class and participating in movement has made me feel relieved in a way words or other actions could not. While moving in the same category as others in my class, I could communicate with my peers, without uttering a word. I could see by their face and bodily expressions the mood that they were in. I think what Christina says about movement being a universal language is highly important. It is especially integral for parents in communicating with their children who may have challenges.
Something that really stuck with me is when the speaker says, "the only universal language is a language that is communicated through our bodies and through movement." We all have the ability to express ourselves and understand others through movement.
Being that there is still so much of autism that we don't understand makes it difficult for treatment to be established. In addition each person with autism functions differently making treatment specific to the individual. One of the benefits of dance/movement therapy is that it meets the client where they are. Dr. Devereaux's work gave examples of the processes she uses which in time can produce great results. I think dance/movement therapy can be a great fit for people with autism because movement is a way to communicate non-verbally which may be preferred by some individuals
The overview of how autism is a spectrum is really significant for understanding why dance therapy needs to be modified to the individual. There is not one solution that will work for everyone and I think the emphasis on meeting people where they are is key for developing a therapy plan that will have the most benefits.
I also noticed this! I think it is really cool how the only universal language is the language of movement, and movement can help people who have limited verbal communication be heard, or people with different abilities communicate how they feel.
I have had personal experiences with movement therapy and autism. I have nannied a child with severe autism throughout my summers that struggles with aggressive behaviors. When I participate in activities with her, such as go on the trampoline or put her favorite music on and stand up, I can physically see that she becomes less aggressive. I agree with all of the ideas in this video, as I have seen movement therapy's positive affects in my own life.
Your comment shows that you learned communication with that child and a mutual understanding of those cues and the child's needs. Without realizing it, you were able to engage and connect which I think proves that people with autism aim to be understood.
There were some conceptual and language choices in this talk that I didn’t like, and are reflective of our ableist culture. The way that many Dr.s, therapists, etc. speak about people with disabilities is really problematic. Some examples of ableism in this talk was language like “autism is a major health crisis” “deficit” “disorder” “disturbances” and talking about “fixing/addressing” the biology of autism. When I’m pointing these out I am speaking to the social construction of disability. Meaning the way that we have structured society and culture, things like verbal communication and eye contact are considered “normal” (actually depends on the culture) and a given, and thus often seen as lacking or “abnormal” about autistic folks. Worded differently here are some other explanations of the social construction of disability from a quick google search, “the social construction of disability comes from a paradigm of ideas that suggest that what we believe about a community, group or population is grounded in the power structures inherent in a society at any given time,” “when we look at disabilities not as an individual/medical issue, but as one that society has created, or at the very least contributed to.” I point this out because this talk has important points to make, but it’s steeped in deeply ableist language and thinking. Good takeaways from the talk were “we need to learn what their way of processing is” and a desire to “attune, join, understand nonverbal communication signals.” To elaborate on those points, if we were taught to read and learn physical cues culturally then these forms of communication wouldn’t be seen as other. This is where my point about social construction ties in. I’m really glad that the speaker pointed out these goals and the uses of dance/movement therapy, and I want to name: if everyone valued and was taught nonverbal communication skills, then nonverbal communication would be viewed as normal and understandable. If we honored that we’re all different and have different communication, bodily, emotional, stim, etc. needs, rather than creating a false “norm,” then we wouldn’t talk about autistic people as at a deficit or disturbance. In reality many many people are neurodivergent, autistic and other forms of neurodivergent. A modest estimate is that one in seven people are on the neurodivergent spectrum. So what then is normal? It’s important to think about what we mean when we describe states of existence as “normal” or “disordered,” and consider that ability and those categories shift throughout the lifespan.
As an adult with Asperger’s aka autism I love dancing and it calms me so much and makes me feel alive but more calm than ever I never dance choreography but I dance the way a Celtic dance looks mixed with influences I’ve seen and can easy enough copy like regency dance
When Devereaux talks about how each session can vary from person to person and how each person can gain different things from DMT, I really understood that because just like Autism, there is a spectrum of the disorder, as well a spectrum of things that can be done during the session that fit for different individuals.
I agree that this is an important point, and it's also something that I applaud all therapists for, because there isn't a set of practices and steps to follow every session that is the exact same. The other part of every session being different is that yes it changes from person to person, but it also changes session to session for the same person because we all have different feelings everyday.
The updated number is now 1 in 56 children with autism. It is a fascinating disorder, consisting of differences in verbal communication, nonverbal relationships, and connection to others. Because autism is such a spectrum, there is not one proper way to treat the disorder for everyone. Again, this theme of meeting the patient where they are at is very prevalent. Movement is the universal language, and I think it is so powerful to start communicating through movement with autistic individuals.
Wow in this video I really had a deep understanding due to a personal level of people with autism in my family and it has helped me open up a different aspect to understand more of the dance movement and non-verbal connections given the fact that in moments I have experienced the challenge of expression when it's not audible in conversations. Since there are so many nonverbal ques that can be used here the understanding start with people with autism having to do a lot of expression in their bodies and the interactions we make through movement as it's a common language anyone can understand and help break through the barrier of not understanding audible expressions with dealing with people who have autism. In the video is very important as it's a powerful way to get a personal connection of conversation and channels a relationship of friendship and trust and ultemilty shows recogniztion to those who feel they dont have a form of communication.
I found the commentary channeling communication into dances of relationship very telling. The speaker goes in vast detail about how it's important to learn the language of an autistic patient first, and then work with them to develop a relationship. A lot of therapy involves verbal cues; however, this is not an option for all children. By establishing a new "normal," autistic children can benefit from movement therapy and even learn to communicate from it.
I am glad the speaker brought an experience specific to an individual session to life with her descriptions. I am curious of how in the future of DMT the therapist can incorporate repetitive movements, or "stimming" in the therapeutic space.
This is such an exciting talk! Clearly, from her example, DMT is a great treatment for some individuals with ASD and is another way of communicating/forming relationships with them. I hope this treatment becomes more widespread in the future.
I agree! I think this treatment is amazing and healthy and needs to be more so recognized. DMT might allow individuals and families to feel more comfortable in receiving help and making progress.
Christina Devereaux’s presentation brought up how she uses dance movement therapy to build relationships with her patients with autism. She continued to say that she did this to understand and then to build a form of communication out of the understanding. Devereaux would reiterate the importance of understanding to nonverbal communication and using that understanding to further social engagement. She also mentioned reciprocation and the importance it plays in nonverbal communication between all people. My biggest take away from Devereaux’s presentation was the idea of understanding and then using that to form a relationship so that way nonverbal dialog is communicated better and more freely.
I appreciate the lens of working with the individual where they are at and recognizing all behaviors as a form of communication even when that may be communicating something that could be perceived as "negative." The idea of having parents meet the child where they are at and attune to the child's unique form of communication seems beneficial in setting the child up for understanding themselves. I do find this talk sitting with me in a different way in light of the Autism Rights Movement and the framing of autism as a problem to be fixed as slightly challenging to sit with. I'm wondering how to acknowledge both the challenges of the parent in having greater communication challenges while also respecting the advocacy work being done by adults on the Autism spectrum.
This video relates to nonverbal communication because of the explanations of how people with autism communicate in this therapy. The therapy can help those that have this disorder because therapists can allow them to freely communicate nonverbally and not socially. Autism is a spectrum where they're socially impaired and this is beneficial to wanting to improve social communication. It also identifies how parents of a child that has autism affects both of the child's and parents' life. So the parents get involved with the therapy to help them with communicating with their child without scaring them or make them aggressive towards them. She used the example that the person went from not confronting to participating in the therapy, and saying hi to her. This was an influential change in behavior and a success that the therapy can help.
It is interesting to see how dance movement therapist work with individuals, large small groups and even with parents and their children to develop their relationship with one another. However, helps those with autism that have difficulties developing relations. As for dance movement therapy work on understand how their way of thinking in order to understand them and that's what dance movement therapy those. We need to learn that not all people work the same but the is ways of helping people with autism be more aware of their surrounding. Interesting video.
Dance movement therapy significantly develops and helps people with autism in order to build a relationship to those who are unable to communicate nonverbally. Movement therapy produces an intentionally interaction whether the movement is rejected or not: it communicates empathy. Dr. Christina Devereaux example on her patient with autism reminds me of the article in the booklet “Moving in and Moving Out of Synchrony”. The article enhanced how strong dance and movement have a strong potential to foster empathic and interactive capabilities. This is exactly what Dr. Devereaux discusses, through interaction with the body and increase of kinesics; one learns to “understand nonverbal communication”. One thing the speaker communicates that I think is important and would be of value is to remember that the only way to do human contact is through the body. Even though we communicate verbally; nonverbal communication is equally important.
Dance movement therapy is so important for children and adults with autism. Dance movement is a direct channel to the deficits of autism and can easily be read by the client. Its an important relationship between the elements of expressing dance and movement with the idea of assessment goals. This type of therapy is a complicated process that can have many goals for many different clients. Dance movement therapy can support people with autism in many ways, such as if the client cannot feel comfortable being open with the body and often keeps his/herself closed off, hunched over, tightened together, those are nonverbal cues signifying they are shy. Dance therapy can help make the client feel open to learning when using the body in that same open way. Mirroring is a great technique to use for this type of shy client. This way, they don't have a lack of confidence and can be more open to the world.
From a nonverbal communication standpoint, the video reinforces the importance of nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice, in conveying messages and establishing connections. From an autism perspective, the video offers valuable insights into the challenges individuals on the autism spectrum may face in understanding and interpreting nonverbal communication. Many individuals with autism struggle with recognizing and expressing emotions, impacting their ability to understand nonverbal cues effectively. The video's emphasis on the mind/body connection resonates with the experiences of individuals with autism, as they may exhibit atypical body movements or facial expressions due to sensory processing differences. It highlights the need for empathy, patience, and awareness of sensory differences when communicating with individuals with autism. It provides information on building relationships, understanding, and connection with those with this illness.
I really enjoyed the quote, "the goals is to channel communication into dances of friendship". This is why dance movement therapy has such a unique way of helping all, especially children with autism. Dance movement therapy does not require verbal communication to create relationships. They are able to do so through movements, where sensory, social, and movement all begin where the client is.
I appreciate Dr. Devereaux pointing out that movement is the only universal language that we know. DMT is such a great way to implement nonverbal communication. What a great tool to help parents learn how to attune and understand their child's nonverbal communication signals. These skills would be beneficial to all parents, and especially to those parenting individuals with autism. Feeling seen is a desire that all humans have. Thanks for a great presentation!
As someone who has seen the difficulties of having an autistic child firsthand, I think DMT, for the child as well as a group for child and parent, would be super helpful. Not only did Dr. Devereaux show the power of DMT for those with autism, I think she noted and named the hardships in connecting that parents may face as well. Bringing both parent and child into a session would be a beautiful way to harbor connection and understanding.
"rejection in itself, is still a form of social communication". This is a powerful statement, especially for children with non-verbal autism because it is a way of communicating when people thought they couldn't, or wouldn't. It is them telling us that it's not time yet, or they aren't comfortable, or they are still getting used to the situation. But, in time they can become accepting and the rejection will be a thing of the past. None of this progress would be possible if their communication, their rejection, did not occur.
I had never really thought about it, but the speaker brings up a great point that even when one is rejected, that is still communicating. From rejection, a dance movement therapist knows that the child is communicating and has a window to work from.
Very well said. I fully agree.
I really liked the wording of " the goals is to channel communication into dances of friendship". This is ultimately why dance therapy has such a unique way of helping children with autism. They do not require verbal communication to create relationships but through movements, where sensory, social, and movement starts where they are at only and no further.
When I first learned about dance therapy, I was so interested in how unique it was and how much it helped. I agree with your comment!
It moved me when she said she wanted to first understand the client and later the connection will follow. Meeting the client where they are at, and speaking the language they are comfortable with is so important. Dance therapy allows clients to go at their own pace, and open up whenever they want to. Thank you for such a great talk!
I liked this as well because it's so important to try to understand people; this is how we build relationships, but regular people rarely try to understand and learn about people- it's just relationship-searching.
Agreeing with some other commenters, I also feel that the label of "health crisis" fails to acknowledge the great variety of neurodivergence in humanity, and how that's not something to be fought but rather accepted. I do enjoy all of the ways it is outlined that DMT can improve the experience of life for those who are autistic, and for helping them share a more communicative space with others. It truly is a universal language.
I agree! I had to hold my criticism of this speaker and her ableism aside, so that I could also appreciate the positive points. I think she makes a great point, which is that we should all strive for better understanding of nonverbal communication. Learning and appreciating nonverbal cues would go a long way in helping many people feel more welcome and a part of our communities .
The ways in which the speaker discussed how dance/movement therapy gives a view into the core deficits of autism was brilliant. Relaying the different forms of therapeutic DMT work alongside the background of what autism is and how it presents clearly allowed the listener to tie the two together and make a point of how beneficial DMT can be with people with autism.
I have worked with people with Autism in the past and enjoyed it. This opens up a whole new realm of possibilities for when working with people with autism too. It allows for nonverbal people to be able to express themselves really well. This is a very informative and interesting speech. Well done.
I love how DMT was being portrayed and used as a way to understand someone else's language and using movement to understand their language first. It was so moving to hear a therapy that can be utilized for autistic individuals that doesn't make them become more "normal" but using movement to build a relationship from where the person is at and how they process it rather than focussing on how they can be "more like everyone else".
This case study speaks volumes about the impact of nonverbal communication. I appreciate how Christina acknowledged "rejection" or "moving away" as a form of communication, as a way in, rather than a closed door.
Dr. Devereaux does a great job of explaining how the parameters of a dance therapy session for a person on the autism spectrum differ from that of any other session. She is focused on meeting her clients where they are, and works hard to understand, join, and then eventually help them build a social identity and relationships. I think it is amazing to think of all the work Dr. Devereaux has done to better understand how socializing can play such an important role in the lives of people with autism, and how movement can be this connection.
Dr. Christina Devereaux does a great job describing how and why dance/movement therapy is so important for people with autism. With the rate of autism sky rocketing the fact that dance/movement therapy is able to produce treatment outcomes in the area of social relatedness is significant. Thanks.
It's really a magical moment when I see or hear a dance and movement therapist finally succeed in building a connection with autism kids. I remember in my children development psych class, the approachs to treating autism children are almost primitive, using mostly operant conditioning in which the child have no control over the level of difficulty of her challenge and is painful for the majority of the treatment course. Dance and movement therapy makes me feel like they treat the kids as a real person, and that is an essential premise of building relationships.
I appreciate Dr. Devereaux's emphasis on meeting a client where they're at. I love the excitement she expressed when her client said hi to her after the time they spent moving together. It makes me think of the little victories we celebrate as clinicians. They may seem trivial to others but mean the world to us when shared with a client. It's a testament to the power of rapport building, attuning, and collaborating with clients.
I think it's amazing to know that DMT can help children with autism. I would have never thought this was a method in use to help these children. I think its very helpful that a therapist can work with the individual, with a group, or with the family of the individual with autism. This is a good approach to a positive outcome.
Yes! I never really thought about people with Autism going to a dance movement therapist either, but this video explained it very well. It makes a lot of sense to me now why someone with Autism would really benefit from dance movement therapy. It's all about forming connections and engaging in purposeful movement.
I love when she said rejection is also a form of social communication. This is true for other types of "inappropriate" communication, e.g., tantrums, violence, disengagement. The question really should be what are these behaviors communicating to us, and "how can we speak their language".
"How can I speak their language first?"
YES. This is so important.
I think about this a lot while learning about DMT! I love the idea that we can meet clients where they are and not expect them to change.
I love that she brought up the idea of the universal language of dance. As someone that I has worked with children with autism, I have found the great importance of bodily awareness and understanding. I have also found the joy that we both get when we dance together and listen to music. It is definitely a way that we can bond and share a positive experience with each other.
I too have worked with children with autism and agree that it is so important for the children to have an understanding of bodily awareness
Movement is a way for us to express ourselves one in the same. Dr. Christina Deveraux made the statement that we all speak the language of movement, and can create meaning and connections with those arounds us thought movement. I find these statements very eye opening with my interest in physical therapy, and I am excited to learn more about this type of therapy.
I loved how she emphasized that movement is a universal language and how this can make dance therapy accessible to many people who have a hard time communicating through words. I am interested in the connections you find between physical therapy and movement therapy
Dr. Devereaux provided a great talk on using D/MT with autism. The shared focus or social engagement is a main focus that can be used in one-on-one or in a parent child dyad. "Our goal is to channel communication into dances of relationship". It was helpful hearing about the different categories under the spectrum and the point of entry that needs to be considered, the universal language that is communicated through out bodies.
Christina's words provided validation to my belief as a Dance/Movement Therapist. I feel resonated with the statement, "Children with Autism will become adults with autism". Yes, it is a lifetime challenge. DMTs certainly have a huge potential in helping this population as a body-based practitioner.
Dr. Devereaux did a great job highlighting how Dance/Movement Therapy sessions look different for every individual involved. Just as people have different needs, DMT can have different impacts on different people.
I agree how interesting it is that sessions can be so different for different individuals.
"Our goal is to channel communication into dances of relationship" this quote is what I find interesting about dance therapy. With autism, the spectrum has no limit with this kind of therapy. This talk was one of my favorites and was super interesting!
I really enjoyed Dr. Devereaux's sentiment that rejection is a form of communication. It's a thought that never really crossed my mind when working with people with diverse abilities. I also will need to remember that in therapy rejection can be the beginning of further communication between two people.
Thanks Dr. Christina Devereaux for a simple, yet thorough, message about supporting those living on the spectrum using dance/movement. As a budding dmt (graduating in May!) I really appreciate your discussion about meeting clients where they are through movement and relished the story you told about working with a client and doing the "turning toward and turning away" dance. The turning away from/rejection IS an important part of being in relationship and I really appreciated you illuminating that piece through the story you told.
The stress upon dance/movement being a foundation of communication for all human beings, and not just those placed somewhere on an Autism spectrum was very important to me. I believe that Dr. Christina Devereaux did a beautiful job of explaining how and why movement is so vital to daily communication. Why not start relationships based upon movement? Particularly for those who have difficulty communicating on a verbal level? This is very strong concept of dance/movement therapy, and her personal anecdote of a client who was able to develop some vocal development was truly touching, and very relevant and connected to the topic of this talk.
"How can I speak their language first" - this quote really stood out to me because individuals with autism often times have difficulty communicating like individuals without. I think its great to look at it as more of a language barrier than a disability because it shows that with time it can be learned, understood, and used also.
Yes I totally agree. I'm studying rehabilitation psychology and learn all about disabilities. I think dance therapy could be so beneficial for people with autism.
I think it is great that dance therapists look for specific "point of entry" based off of where the individual is. Speaking their language first to establish mutuality and to help the individual gain trust. Movement is the universal language, so they can often start there.
I agree with you that meeting somewhere where they are can help to develop trust. If someone does not show that they are willing to understand a client, the client may not have a reason to want to be expressive.
Learning the processes and languages of others first is such a powerful tool to learn for all kinds of healthy relationships! Love this!!
I am grateful to Christina for this talk. When I first began researching about dance/movement therapy as a field, this was the first ADTA talk that came up. At the same time, I had loved ones who had recently been diagnosed with ASD. She brought two pieces of my world together. The realization that Autism quickly became close to my heart, and how my new understanding of relationships would lead me to a career in dance/movement therapy.
It is so interesting to learn how truly beneficial and helpful dance therapy can be. These videos are important and informative for people who want to explore dance therapy.
I really appreciate the clarity together with the passion that Christina Devereaux is communicating in this talk , her findings and methodology used for working with people suffering from autism in a large spectrum are useful and creative examples of how Dance Movement Therapy/ Psychotherapy can be used , reflected upon, thought and transmitted to others . Many Thanks.
Rosa Maria Govoni we are not suffering
I found the explanation of the lack of social reciprocity in people with autism especially interesting to hear about. I think that this is a great way to explain why it requires a different therapeutic approach when working with this population. I also thought it was important that she brought up how this can impact the family dynamic and bring stress at home.
Focusing on building connections with people with autism is a wonderful goal. Often atypical forms of understanding and learning are treated as the incorrect ones and seen as disability. I believe that using modes such as body language and mirroring to connect with people is fantastic. It's important to capitalize upon what a person can do, as opposed to what they can't do.
I think that dance therapy can be so beneficial for people with autism! Especially those that already have a difficult time communication through words, this can be a way for them to express their feelings through movement!
I think it is very interesting how Dr. Christina Devereaux describes the relationship between the dance movement therapist and the client. I like how she explains the difference between DMT and dance class. Dr. Christina Devereaux does a great job of describing the movement spectrum of people with autism "those that may have more awkward sensory integration" to "limited body awareness and low muscle tone". She uses the key concept of dance movement therapy of meeting the client where they are. I love the quote that she says "the only universal language is a language that is communicated through movement and the body".
I agree Brigid. Dance/movement therapy starts where a client, is strength based, and builds relationships on the universal language of the body and movement. Dr. Devereaux is very clear and articulate.
I also like how she explained the relationship between the therapist and the client. It was a good overview for people who are interested in dance therapy and possibly getting involved.
Autism in on a spectrum. I enjoyed that Dr. Devereaux utilizes dance as a base of communication. Dance/movement therapy can be used with patients who are non verbal or patients with difficulty speaking. “Body language is a universal language”, basic movements can go a long way in communicating with another individual. The most memorable thing about her speech was that dance/movement therapy create a basic relationship between her and her patients with autism. Then the relationship slowly developed and strengthens through dance movements.
With the increase in children being diagnosed with Autism, much research is being done to look into how we can help these children develop social skills and form connections and relationships with people. I think dance/movement therapy is the best way to facilitate this work, and this talk does a great job of explaining why it works. Connecting nonverbally and meeting the client where he or she is at are key practices of dance/movement therapy, and these are also sometimes the only way to connect with people with Autism. Dance therapy can work wonders for this population, so I am glad that it is gaining more recognition.
Discussing the depth and detail of individuality needed for Autism. It was super cool to see her show the different spectrums that a person can be on, and how it's even more complicated because there isn't just one, there are three interacting that a person sits on. Also hearing that development of speaking that one girl's language first to her and then her saying hi was super cool to hear.
Shows that there isn't one sure way to communicate with individuals with autism because they are all a little different. Nice to look at them as truly individuals.
I like that she talks about the social/communication spectrum, a movement spectrum, and the autism spectrum. These three spectra don't always line up, but this goes to show that everyone's movement and everyone's therapy needs are different. Movement is universal, and it helps with communication, regarding our feelings and our needs.
The body and its movements can not lie and can express things that sometimes can't be expressed through words
When she said "rejection is a form of social communication" that really stood out to me. Often times people view rejection as a bad thing, however it I like how in this scenario she flips it into a positive thing. The client is still communicating, even if it not the exact communication she may want. The client is letting her know how they feel about a certain activity or if they are not ready. I think this can be applied to a number a scenario. People may not be able to express how they feel and rejection through movement can be an important insight into what they are feeling.
I also found this to be an important statement. Especially with individuals with autism, I think people can be too quick to think that there is no way for them to communicate whatsoever, neglecting the fact that rejection is a form of communication.
I love how she talked about how each person is an individual who has different communication strategies and abilities. It can be frustrating for someone to be compared to those around them instead of being seen as a unique person who will learn and express themself in their own ways.
Hi! Yes I agree, I think it is so important that therapist and everyone that is leading activities should be able to adapt lessons to an individuals needs.
I do not have much knowledge on Autism, so this talked really helped me learn some important facts about the disease. I learned that it is a spectrum disorder. I also learned a new way to think. I cannot just think of children with autism as only that. In the future they will grow up and become adults with autism. I need to work on thinking about things not just in the present. In order to become a better person and hopefully a better medical provider, I need to realize this. I also need to realize something that Dr. Christina Devereaux said in her talk "the only universal language is one communicated through movement and the body". Using words is helpful, but it is not the only way to connect with a person or learn what they are asking for. I need to work on understanding these nonverbal languages and work on using them myself.
Knowing that dance movement therapy is one of the ways to help people with autism to develop to their full potential is such a relief. Through the assessment of movements in DMT, DMT is a therapeutic process to help people work in a social engagement. The patients are able to build a relationship between people in their family. DMT is a dance of relationship. By analyzing the core of the problem, DMT found a way of speaking the language of the autism via the universal language - the language that is communicated through our body and movement. The therapists are able to help create relationship and communicate the patients and things around them.
Dance movement therapy provides a chance for everyone to connect because movement is the "universal language". This point stood out to me. The connection between DMT and Autism seems promising because people with Autism often experience difficulties forming relationships with others. Since DMT is movement based, people with Autism may feel more comfortable communicating in this sense, rather than vocally. It is a great opportunity to form relationships, which is vital to our well-being.
I see the idea of movement as a "universal language" pop up in most of these talks. DMT is based on the idea that the body can speak for what the mouth might not be able to say yet.
This is a beautiful and compelling speech. I love when Dr. Christina Devereaux discusses how movement is a universal language. As a dancer, I have witnessed how movement allows people to connect and form relationships with one another. Because the core characteristics of autism include social-communication impairments, it makes sense that a focus for treatment is improving social-communication skills. DMT is an incredible way to access nonverbal communication and foster relationships through movement. I am also fascinated by the ways dance movement therapists can channel the energies and movement patterns that lead to RRBs and other motor impairments and create new motor patterns within the individuals with whom they work. I cannot wait to read new findings as research on DMT among individuals with autism continues!
I also enjoyed hearing about the connection between DMT and motor skills of individuals with autism. The story she shared was very eye opening!
Dr. Devereaux provided an engaging and enlightening presentation of the use of D/MT with the autistic population. The statement, “channel communication into dances of relationship” was beneficial for me, as it allowed me to note not only the importance of dance, but how this population can use dance as a form of communication. Communication is something that this population often works on in treatment, so having a way to communicate nonverbally is extremely beneficial. Thank you for your talk, Dr. Devereaux!
Christina Devereaux's story was really helpful to my understanding of how dance therapy can be a method of communication and a way to develop trust with other individuals. And those receiving therapy can use what they have experienced and go home to their loved ones and continue to capitalize on their progress.
Hi! I would really like to emphasize the last part of your statement. I think it is so important to keep therapy going even when the patient is not physically at a therapy session. I think therapist and caregivers/parents need to have good communication to keep the positive affects of DMT going in the patients life.
I really enjoyed this ADTA talk and how Christina Devereaux has used DMT to reach individuals with autism. Her experience of working on social skills with the young girl with autism through movement was amazing; they were able to form a discussion with their bodies and really connect which resulted in the young client’s own verbal language. Movement is truly a powerful language in itself.
I really enjoyed this talk too! I like your statement "movement is truly a powerful language in itself"!
I really loved what Dr. Devereaux had to say about human connection- how contact and movement with the body is the first and sometimes only way to connect. She spoke of working with patients on the autism spectrum and how they are able to "channel communication into dances of relationship," for verbal communication is often limited for them. She also noted the importance of the term spectrum; people on the spectrum have a wide range of abilities, therefore there is no one way of relationship building that could possibly work for every person. And lastly, common to many other ADTA talks, she emphasized the concept of meeting a person where they are, learning their own personal way of processing. Really great talk.
I feel that the most challenging part for a dance therapist working with individuals with autism is the creativity you have to hold to come up with a "point of entry" for each individual client. It shows that each person is unique and a technique that works for one individual isn't guaranteed to have the same benefits for another. The whole processes is a variety of trial and error until you find something that works for your client.
I think that the "point of entry" explanation gives a good visual to people who have not had experience working with this population in this particular setting. I think that this example highlights what the speaker was talking about with a lack of reciprocity in social settings with individuals with autism - therapists need to find a way to break through this barrier to be able to make progress.
Dr. Devereaux gives an enlightening talk about D/MT's uniqueness in treating children on the autism spectrum: It works with the core deficits. I deeply resonate with her definition of this field "D/MT is a carefully attuned therapeutic process that can look differently, depending on its participants." Not only does it transform based on the population, it changes depending on the individual participants -- it involves attunement and nonverbal relationship with the individual person in the room, meeting their body's abilities and needs, and identifying appropriate therapeutic goals. Devereaux identifies this "point of entry" as the therapist's steps to experience and enter the child's world by the only universal human language - movement. In this talk, movement connection is simple and complex enough to mean simply moving together in rhythm and proximity- communicating validation and progress towards rappport. Finally, I appreciate her understanding that resistance/retreat is a movement decision, engaging in the relationship.
Children with autism are challenging to work with if we looked at them solely through the lens of behavioral disturbances and language deficits. This is the reason why movement and dance is important, we have a chance to be welcomed into their beautiful internal world when they are not asked to fit in with the social norms of being "normal". They can use movement, rhythm to express, make connection and meanings through creative process. I enjoyed Dr. Christina Devereaux's way of describing the metaphor of "movement towards and movement away" and its transformation. Rhythms and movements are powerful ways for us to relate.
This video truly highlights the positive effects that dance and movement therapy can have on individuals with autism. It displays the importance of the dance and movement therapist's role in finding what the individual can do and building off of their strengths. It is crucial for the therapists to understand and attune to the patient's ways and them assist them in modifying them for the better. With dance and movement therapy, parents and families also gain a better chance at establishing a deeper connection with their loved one.
As someone who has a sibling who is on the spectrum, it is refreshing it see different ways we could interact with each other. My brother was categorized and moderately/severly autistic and he is non verbal. I never thought that dancing might bring a different way of communicating. He does speak but be uses small sentences to communicate. Most of the time we use his non verbal cues to understand what he is feeling. I think trying dance therapy would help him in finding his non verbal voice.
I like the idea that Dr. Christina describes the symptoms of Autism as a spectrum. I realized how widely spread the Autism could be and how hard it is to have a way to cure it. I am glad that DMT could actually become an effective way for the patients to rebuild their social relationships.
I like how the idea that communication is possible between all types of people, even if it does not seem possible at first. Movement is an innate and powerful mechanism many neglect, and this video expresses the possibilities.
I definitely have neglected it as use of communication at some point in my life but it truly is universal.
The first step of understanding a child of autism then connecting to that before building stood out. By creating a relationship at the baseline of comfort for the child the connection can build from a safe feeling. I also thought her analogy of moving away and towards connected well for me in my understanding of relationship and DMT.
I agree! Before I watched this video, I would also think the first step is understanding the disease. But as people we need to understand that a person is not defined by their disease. A person can be whoever they so wish. The only thing we need to do in order to understand the child is to connect with them in a mutual capacity. We cannot force the child to talk like we do or act, but if we want to get to know the child then we need to talk and act in a capacity that is familiar to them and comfortable. I also loved her analogy!
I think my favorite thing about Dance/Movement Therapy is the concept of meeting people where they are at. "How can I speak their language first in order to establish a place of mutuality" is a sentence that stands out to me. Since movement is the universal language, a person can learn to understand another with non-verbal cues.
I agree! Many individuals with or without ASD may struggle with verbal communication. DMT provides a non-verbal medium through which they can express themselves, using movement to convey emotions and thoughts that may be difficult to articulate. Techniques like mirroring can help individuals learn social cues and enhance their ability to interact with others, fostering better communication and understanding in social contexts, as you mentioned, movement is a universal language.
She finally felt comfortable. So moving, so touching.
This is such an embodied powerful speech, Christina!
Christina talks about how DMT can help kids with autism channel communication through dance relationship. This allows them to better understand what their way of processing is. She relates nonverbal communication as being a universal language and this actually caught my interest because she's absolutely right.
Some relationship always happy from kids and their parents, which is so important connection with communication. Some autism kids don't like show themselves, they don't talk or communicate with their parents from every way. The most good approach is gaining attention from unique capacity to work directly that is dance therapy. Dance therapy can help clients or patients focus on physical release that develop their positive feeling and emotion to get relax.
Christina Devereaux is a dance movement therapist who specializes in working with individuals who have autism. She talks about how there is a wide spectrum for autism and that is why it is important to note that every session is different because every person is different. She mentions that nonverbal communication is a universal language and that it only makes sense to communicate with these individuals nonverbally. She mentioned in her talk how important it is to look out for non-verbal cues throughout the dance therapy sessions. In her talk she gave an example of when she connected with a young girl during a group session. Their movement with each other turned into a high-five and then a wave hello. Just then the girl waved hello, while saying hello which is an example of repeating. I personally know a child who has autism and I think dance movement therapy is such a great way to try to connect socially with these individuals. Christina has stories of breaking through and connecting with these individuals so I believe this could be a huge help in the autism community.
Dr. Christina Devereaux begins her talk by stating the startling prevalence of ASD among children and framing it as a communal concern, rather than just familial or individual. She sets a tone of hopefulness for individuals with ASD in explaining DMT as an effective therapeutic intervention that really gets to the core issues of ASD. I appreciate Dr. Devereaux’s explanation of DMT as a “carefully attuned therapeutic process that looks different depending on its participants”, emphasizing the key relational qualities of the work. The language of movement is pivotal in working with, understanding, communicating, and relating to individuals with ASD. In her example, I enjoyed Dr. Devereaux sharing the simple power of synchronous rhythm to create a sense of unity among of group of children who may often be disconnected with others. Framing rejection as a form of social communication has completely transformed how I view my clients’ rejection of any invitation to socialize. Dr. Devereaux also so nicely explains her approach is to first understand, then join, and then help develop meaningful social engagement for individuals with ASD. Overall, Dr. Devereaux describes ASD and DMT for individuals with ASD from a very humanistic viewpoint that emits warmth, compassion, and hope. Thank you for sharing!
Movement is the only universal language, therefore it is logical that it is the starting point in nonverbal communication with a patient with autism. I found it interesting that the communication progressed naturally at the child's speed and resulted in an understanding between the therapist and patient to result in trust, and eventually, a verbal response.
I think that Dr. Christian Devereaux's talk about using Dance/Movement Therapy to aid in the creation of relationships for those with Autism is very important. Utilizing dance and movement as the basis for communication with those who are nonverbal or who have other communicative deficits aims at creating sort of physical empathy and understanding that allows for communication to happen at the nonverbal level. Such communication allows for a rapport to be established between therapist and client, based on meeting the client where they are, and helping them to discover how they can grow and move forward.
It is interesting to watch this video from the perspective of non-verbal communication. One thing that fascinates me is that when the therapist talks about the therapy session with one of her patient, moving away and moving towards. The body facing towards people or facing away from people could represent different psychological status in terms of social behavior and openness. by turning towards each other, the social interaction starts by engaging the focus and body, and by turning away from each other, it represents the meaning of rejecting to socialize with people. However, as she said, no matter engaging or rejecting, the interaction is already formed by sending the message through the non-verbal communication from the view of receiving or blocking the message.
This talk was very interesting in how it was able to show dance therapy's importance in helping with children with autism. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, there is not one way that these patients are able to be cured; because DMT is a universal language, this is the optimal place to begin in order to start where the person is, which is different for every individual. The example of the patient that Dr. Devereaux was working with was inspiring, as well as proof of how influential and crucial it is for DMT to be implemented as the first mode of therapy for patients with autism.
I like how personalized they talk about DMT can be. Especially when working with Autistic people it is always important to remember that no every diagnosis is the same, so being able to tailor each session to a persons individual needs is crucial. I also love how DMT is accessible for children AND adults with Autism as there is a common problem where there are so many resources for children but as they become adults, Autistic people and their families find many less options for intervention and resources.
I think the fact that DMT is so personalized is what makes it effective. While talk therapy is also personalized it is not always accessible.
I like the idea she brings up that there is a spectrum. There is no one way to work with a child who has autism compared to another person with autism. Like she mentioned, DMT approaches channel relationships via different methods, a spectrum of DMT that works with the spectrum of autism.
I found Dr. Devereaux's talk to be highly informative and engaging. I enjoyed her discussion of how DMT offers a means of relating on the client's own terms first, and then to foster growth and development of communication and relationship. I agree that DMT's ability to keenly attune to clients makes it uniquely suited to address the core difficulties of Autism. Additionally, I appreciated how Dr. Devereaux brought up the difficulties parents and families of those with ASD face, and how DMT can also be helpful to them.
I also found her talk to be very engaging. She presented to us, the audience, some amazingly complex concepts and ideas that are not yet conventional, but did so through storytelling. I appreciate that you commented on her bringing up the family aspect of those on the spectrum. It is so important for healthcare to focus on the person in the full context of their life. Specifically talking about parents of children with ASD, there is that dual parenting/care-giving role that many often have to take on. It can be so difficult to never have any feedback of how you are doing or even receive acknowledgment from your child that you are there. I think Dr. Devereaux did a wonderful job teaching us to "hear" non-verbal communication, and showed that D/MT can be an incredibly helpful way to meet a child with ASD where they are and enter their world.
I think DMT can be a great asset in helping treat individuals with autism as even those who cannot communicate verbally can do so through movement. Verbal communication has long been the main therapeutic method, but I see DMT as a wave of the future in creating and helping individuals with autism communicate and create social relationships with others.
I agree that it makes a lot of sense that DMT is extremely helpful in building communication with those who can not verbally communicate, as putting pressure on verbal communication is often times not the most effective way to establish communication.
I really enjoyed the idea of joining in and then fostering change rather than immediately trying to change an individual. I think it is extremely important to get to know an individual first before change is proposed. I also enjoyed the topic of teaching the parents to respond to non-verbal cues as many parents of children with Autism do not understand how to communicate with them to the full extent they can.
100%, I think by getting to know the child first, it makes them feel more comfortable as well. It also allows the therapist to get an idea of what they need to work on the most. Allowing for a mutually beneficial relationship!
Understanding those nonverbal cues opens up communication by demonstrating to the person that you are attentive and listening which allows for deeper and more frequent communication. I really enjoyed these parts too, Kayla
DMT meets the patient where they are. It doesn't try to shove people into boxes or generalize care. This is especially important for diagnoses like autism that hold a lot of stigma. Historically, that stigma has seeped into healthcare and treatment. The development of accepting treatments such as DMT makes me hopeful that we are moving in a better direction.
DMT can help treat the different spectrums of autism such as cognitive spectrum, movement spectrum, and finally the social and communication spectrum.
After watching Harlow’s experiment and Dr. Devereaux presentation on autism I’ve realized that something as simple as touch, can have a huge impact on the development of a child. When Dr. Devereaux was talking about the little girl that started out with a high-five then it grew into a hand wave and finally she verbally said hi was proof that DMT can treat autism.
I really like how she chose to highlight the fact that the only universal language is movement and sometimes we need to move in order to communicate
I agree. I think it is important to understand that movement is a universal language because a lot of times people forget or do not realize that it is a mode of communication.
Exactly!! Movement as a universal language completely changes therapy as we know it. By implementing movement, a greater audience can be targeted.
This video resonates with me on many levels, as the reason I chose to pursue DMT was because of my experience as an ABA therapist. I was able to communicate with my client nonverbally using dance and movement. Where he was lacking in his voice, he made up for this deficit in movement, rhythm, and music to satisfy the basic human need for communication. When the client's behavior was positive, he was rewarded with a song of his choice and the freedom to dance in his room. When his behavior was negative, this privilege was taken away. Although I no longer agree with the ABA framework, I believe this client's experience of dance and movement increased his self-expression and his ability to communicate with others which is exactly what this speaker is suggesting that dance/movement therapy can offer to the Autism Spectrum Population.
Dance Movement Therapy is highlighted as a potential aid to people who have autism. There is a wide spectrum of autism, and everyone reacts differently to each session. The significant thing about DMT is that the language of the movement of the body is universal, whether or not someone has autism. This is reinforced when she told us about the experience she had with the young girl whom she moved and connected high fives with. This resonates to what I learned in class because being in class and participating in movement has made me feel relieved in a way words or other actions could not. While moving in the same category as others in my class, I could communicate with my peers, without uttering a word. I could see by their face and bodily expressions the mood that they were in. I think what Christina says about movement being a universal language is highly important. It is especially integral for parents in communicating with their children who may have challenges.
Something that really stuck with me is when the speaker says, "the only universal language is a language that is communicated through our bodies and through movement." We all have the ability to express ourselves and understand others through movement.
Being that there is still so much of autism that we don't understand makes it difficult for treatment to be established. In addition each person with autism functions differently making treatment specific to the individual. One of the benefits of dance/movement therapy is that it meets the client where they are. Dr. Devereaux's work gave examples of the processes she uses which in time can produce great results. I think dance/movement therapy can be a great fit for people with autism because movement is a way to communicate non-verbally which may be preferred by some individuals
The overview of how autism is a spectrum is really significant for understanding why dance therapy needs to be modified to the individual. There is not one solution that will work for everyone and I think the emphasis on meeting people where they are is key for developing a therapy plan that will have the most benefits.
I also noticed this! I think it is really cool how the only universal language is the language of movement, and movement can help people who have limited verbal communication be heard, or people with different abilities communicate how they feel.
I have had personal experiences with movement therapy and autism. I have nannied a child with severe autism throughout my summers that struggles with aggressive behaviors. When I participate in activities with her, such as go on the trampoline or put her favorite music on and stand up, I can physically see that she becomes less aggressive. I agree with all of the ideas in this video, as I have seen movement therapy's positive affects in my own life.
That's great that you were able to adapt to her needs and be there for her when she expressed big emotions.
Your comment shows that you learned communication with that child and a mutual understanding of those cues and the child's needs. Without realizing it, you were able to engage and connect which I think proves that people with autism aim to be understood.
There were some conceptual and language choices in this talk that I didn’t like, and are reflective of our ableist culture. The way that many Dr.s, therapists, etc. speak about people with disabilities is really problematic. Some examples of ableism in this talk was language like “autism is a major health crisis” “deficit” “disorder” “disturbances” and talking about “fixing/addressing” the biology of autism. When I’m pointing these out I am speaking to the social construction of disability. Meaning the way that we have structured society and culture, things like verbal communication and eye contact are considered “normal” (actually depends on the culture) and a given, and thus often seen as lacking or “abnormal” about autistic folks. Worded differently here are some other explanations of the social construction of disability from a quick google search, “the social construction of disability comes from a paradigm of ideas that suggest that what we believe about a community, group or population is grounded in the power structures inherent in a society at any given time,” “when we look at disabilities not as an individual/medical issue, but as one that society has created, or at the very least contributed to.”
I point this out because this talk has important points to make, but it’s steeped in deeply ableist language and thinking. Good takeaways from the talk were “we need to learn what their way of processing is” and a desire to “attune, join, understand nonverbal communication signals.” To elaborate on those points, if we were taught to read and learn physical cues culturally then these forms of communication wouldn’t be seen as other. This is where my point about social construction ties in. I’m really glad that the speaker pointed out these goals and the uses of dance/movement therapy, and I want to name: if everyone valued and was taught nonverbal communication skills, then nonverbal communication would be viewed as normal and understandable. If we honored that we’re all different and have different communication, bodily, emotional, stim, etc. needs, rather than creating a false “norm,” then we wouldn’t talk about autistic people as at a deficit or disturbance. In reality many many people are neurodivergent, autistic and other forms of neurodivergent. A modest estimate is that one in seven people are on the neurodivergent spectrum. So what then is normal? It’s important to think about what we mean when we describe states of existence as “normal” or “disordered,” and consider that ability and those categories shift throughout the lifespan.
As an adult with Asperger’s aka autism I love dancing and it calms me so much and makes me feel alive but more calm than ever I never dance choreography but I dance the way a Celtic dance looks mixed with influences I’ve seen and can easy enough copy like regency dance
When Devereaux talks about how each session can vary from person to person and how each person can gain different things from DMT, I really understood that because just like Autism, there is a spectrum of the disorder, as well a spectrum of things that can be done during the session that fit for different individuals.
I agree that this is an important point, and it's also something that I applaud all therapists for, because there isn't a set of practices and steps to follow every session that is the exact same. The other part of every session being different is that yes it changes from person to person, but it also changes session to session for the same person because we all have different feelings everyday.
The updated number is now 1 in 56 children with autism. It is a fascinating disorder, consisting of differences in verbal communication, nonverbal relationships, and connection to others. Because autism is such a spectrum, there is not one proper way to treat the disorder for everyone. Again, this theme of meeting the patient where they are at is very prevalent. Movement is the universal language, and I think it is so powerful to start communicating through movement with autistic individuals.
Wow in this video I really had a deep understanding due to a personal level of people with autism in my family and it has helped me open up a different aspect to understand more of the dance movement and non-verbal connections given the fact that in moments I have experienced the challenge of expression when it's not audible in conversations. Since there are so many nonverbal ques that can be used here the understanding start with people with autism having to do a lot of expression in their bodies and the interactions we make through movement as it's a common language anyone can understand and help break through the barrier of not understanding audible expressions with dealing with people who have autism. In the video is very important as it's a powerful way to get a personal connection of conversation and channels a relationship of friendship and trust and ultemilty shows recogniztion to those who feel they dont have a form of communication.
I found the commentary channeling communication into dances of relationship very telling. The speaker goes in vast detail about how it's important to learn the language of an autistic patient first, and then work with them to develop a relationship. A lot of therapy involves verbal cues; however, this is not an option for all children. By establishing a new "normal," autistic children can benefit from movement therapy and even learn to communicate from it.
I am glad the speaker brought an experience specific to an individual session to life with her descriptions. I am curious of how in the future of DMT the therapist can incorporate repetitive movements, or "stimming" in the therapeutic space.
How inspiring! Great use of dance/movement therapy!
This is such an exciting talk! Clearly, from her example, DMT is a great treatment for some individuals with ASD and is another way of communicating/forming relationships with them. I hope this treatment becomes more widespread in the future.
I agree! I think this treatment is amazing and healthy and needs to be more so recognized. DMT might allow individuals and families to feel more comfortable in receiving help and making progress.
Christina Devereaux’s presentation brought up how she uses dance movement therapy to build relationships with her patients with autism. She continued to say that she did this to understand and then to build a form of communication out of the understanding. Devereaux would reiterate the importance of understanding to nonverbal communication and using that understanding to further social engagement. She also mentioned reciprocation and the importance it plays in nonverbal communication between all people. My biggest take away from Devereaux’s presentation was the idea of understanding and then using that to form a relationship so that way nonverbal dialog is communicated better and more freely.
I appreciate the lens of working with the individual where they are at and recognizing all behaviors as a form of communication even when that may be communicating something that could be perceived as "negative." The idea of having parents meet the child where they are at and attune to the child's unique form of communication seems beneficial in setting the child up for understanding themselves. I do find this talk sitting with me in a different way in light of the Autism Rights Movement and the framing of autism as a problem to be fixed as slightly challenging to sit with. I'm wondering how to acknowledge both the challenges of the parent in having greater communication challenges while also respecting the advocacy work being done by adults on the Autism spectrum.
This video relates to nonverbal communication because of the explanations of how people with autism communicate in this therapy. The therapy can help those that have this disorder because therapists can allow them to freely communicate nonverbally and not socially. Autism is a spectrum where they're socially impaired and this is beneficial to wanting to improve social communication. It also identifies how parents of a child that has autism affects both of the child's and parents' life. So the parents get involved with the therapy to help them with communicating with their child without scaring them or make them aggressive towards them. She used the example that the person went from not confronting to participating in the therapy, and saying hi to her. This was an influential change in behavior and a success that the therapy can help.
It is interesting to see how dance movement therapist work with individuals, large small groups and even with parents and their children to develop their relationship with one another. However, helps those with autism that have difficulties developing relations. As for dance movement therapy work on understand how their way of thinking in order to understand them and that's what dance movement therapy those. We need to learn that not all people work the same but the is ways of helping people with autism be more aware of their surrounding. Interesting video.
Dance movement therapy significantly develops and helps people with autism in order to build a relationship to those who are unable to communicate nonverbally. Movement therapy produces an intentionally interaction whether the movement is rejected or not: it communicates empathy. Dr. Christina Devereaux example on her patient with autism reminds me of the article in the booklet “Moving in and Moving Out of Synchrony”. The article enhanced how strong dance and movement have a strong potential to foster empathic and interactive capabilities. This is exactly what Dr. Devereaux discusses, through interaction with the body and increase of kinesics; one learns to “understand nonverbal communication”. One thing the speaker communicates that I think is important and would be of value is to remember that the only way to do human contact is through the body. Even though we communicate verbally; nonverbal communication is equally important.
Dance movement therapy is so important for children and adults with autism. Dance movement is a direct channel to the deficits of autism and can easily be read by the client. Its an important relationship between the elements of expressing dance and movement with the idea of assessment goals. This type of therapy is a complicated process that can have many goals for many different clients. Dance movement therapy can support people with autism in many ways, such as if the client cannot feel comfortable being open with the body and often keeps his/herself closed off, hunched over, tightened together, those are nonverbal cues signifying they are shy. Dance therapy can help make the client feel open to learning when using the body in that same open way. Mirroring is a great technique to use for this type of shy client. This way, they don't have a lack of confidence and can be more open to the world.
From a nonverbal communication standpoint, the video reinforces the importance of nonverbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice, in conveying messages and establishing connections. From an autism perspective, the video offers valuable insights into the challenges individuals on the autism spectrum may face in understanding and interpreting nonverbal communication. Many individuals with autism struggle with recognizing and expressing emotions, impacting their ability to understand nonverbal cues effectively. The video's emphasis on the mind/body connection resonates with the experiences of individuals with autism, as they may exhibit atypical body movements or facial expressions due to sensory processing differences. It highlights the need for empathy, patience, and awareness of sensory differences when communicating with individuals with autism. It provides information on building relationships, understanding, and connection with those with this illness.