Trilogy of Body Imaginary: Dance/Movement Therapy for a Psychiatric Patient with Depression

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to discuss the application of dance/movement therapy to the case of Chun-Li, a 56-year-old woman diagnosed with major depression with psychotic features, and underscore the relevance of psychic meanings to the treatment process. The treatment consisted of three phases: phase one was focused on building the therapeutic relationship with Chun-Li through regimens and health-enhancing exercise that are rooted in Taiwanese folklore; in phase two, she was encouraged to pay attention to her body and make verbal interpretations in relation to her movements; and phase three was intended to help her embody the inner imagination, making contact with her inner conflict and revealing her traumatic event. In this paper, three aspects of the casework are discussed and related to the theories and practices of dance movement therapy: (1) the bodily relationship in ballroom dance; (2) the effect of the partnership in ballroom dance on Chun-Li; and (3) the imagination invoked by a moving body in dance. This article attempts to explain the meanings of significant body experience and body knowledge development through the transformation of the body.