Dance Therapy? Yes You Can

“I don’t dance, don’t ask me, I won’t dance, don’t ask me, I won’t dance, Madame, with you.” These words sung by Frank Sinatra have become an anthem of sorts for the millions of people who refuse to dance. People who don’t, won’t dance, have plenty of reasons as to why they don’t dance. They don’t have any rhythm. They are too embarrassed. They don’t like to dance. The truth is that dancing is innate in everyone’s ability and humans were born to dance.

Humans have been dancing for thousands and thousands of years. Movement and rhythm have been part of ritual celebrations for civilizations and cultures starting back to the very beginning of mankind. Even if a human claims not to have any rhythm, they dance in their everyday lives. Dancing is nothing more than movement. Movement is something our body is doing every single second of the day at varying rhythms. Our eyes move. Our lungs expand and deflate with the breath. We move our feet, our legs, our hips, our core, and dozens of other muscles in our bodies all day long. Dancing is simply taking those movements, focusing on them, and exaggerating them. You don’t have to be a professional or even have skill to dance. All you have to do is move.

Movement therapy is important for those in recovery from addiction and alcoholism. The disease of addiction weakens the body as well as the spirit. People can become extremely sedentary as a result of their addiction which not only isolates their physical life but their personal, internal life as well. Movement is an expression of the self. Not moving, like not getting off the couch because of intoxication, inhibits personal expression. The more someone sits still, the more they become locked in themselves, lost inside. Movement creates a synergy between the external self- the muscles- and the internal self- the personal self.

Dancing doesn’t have to be anything more than standing up and moving around to music. You don’t even need music. You don’t even need a beat. You just have to get up and move. Movement breaks up stagnant energy in the muscle, as well as stagnant energy from your personal life flow. We need to move in recovery because recovery is about taking action. Recovery doesn’t just happen. Recovery has to be dynamic and with it, we have to move dynamically, through dance or any other physical expression.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.