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Dance movement psychotherapist

Alternative titles for this job include

Dance movement psychotherapists use dance and movement to help people deal with emotional, psychological and physical issues.

Average salary (a year)

£32,305 Starter

to

£47,125 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 39 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends occasionally

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become a dance movement psychotherapist

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course

University

You'll need a postgraduate master's degree (MA) in dance movement psychotherapy recognised by the Association for Dance Movement Pyschotherapy UK.

To do an MA you'll need:

  • a degree in a relevant subject like dance, performing arts, psychology, medicine or nursing, or an equivalent professional qualification
  • 2 years' background in at least one dance form, as well as experience of other forms of dance and movement
  • the ability to improvise and use movement as a form of expression

More Information

Volunteering

You'll need paid or voluntary experience of working with vulnerable people. You could gain this through youth work or volunteering to support people with disabilities or mental health issues.

You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust for further advice. Do IT and NCVO have more information on voluntary opportunities.

More Information

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK for professional development and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can get more advice about careers in dance movement psychotherapy through the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
  • knowledge of psychology
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • knowledge of dance or movement forms
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • the ability to understand people’s reactions
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

You'll work with individuals and groups to:

  • improve self-esteem, self-awareness and perception of body image
  • improve communication skills
  • gain insights into patterns of behaviour
  • create coping strategies and find new ways to manage life

You will:

  • create a safe environment to promote communication
  • observe and assess your clients' movements
  • plan individual or group movement sessions
  • find suitable music and create dance props
  • write reports and do admin tasks
  • take part in regular supervision sessions

Working environment

You could work in an NHS or private hospital, in a prison or at a school.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience you could teach dance movement psychotherapy, or provide clinical supervision to less experienced colleagues.

You could be a consultant, set up in private practice or work on a self-employed, freelance basis.

Current opportunities

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Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a dance movement psychotherapist right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Access to Higher Education: Psychology & Sociology

  • Provider: USP COLLEGE
  • Start date: 18 September 2023
  • Location: BENFLEET

ASCENTIS Access to HE Dip: Psychology FL3

  • Provider: NCG
  • Start date: 11 September 2023
  • Location: NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

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