A discussion of the Dance Movement Psychotherapy literature relative to prisons and medium secure units

Abstract

The article suggests serious consideration of Dance Movement Psychotherapy as one of the specialist assessment methods and treatments used in prisons and medium secure units for adults and bases this on the relevant literature. The discussion is presented relative to psychiatric diagnosis, trauma, violence, abuse and the growing evidence in the form of Randomised Control Trials, empirical research, government guidelines, surveys, audits, case studies and unpublished data and calls finally for a meta-analysis.

Keywords:

• Dance Movement Psychotherapy
• adult forensic
• prison
• secure unit
• mental health
• psychiatry
• schizophrenia
• depression
• anxiety
• personality disorder
• trauma
• abuse
• violence
• outcomes

Acknowledgements

For their time and thoughts, I wish to give warmest thanks to Simon Hastilow, Preetha Ramasubramanian, Marina Benini, Caroline Frizell, Terri Coyle, Julia Houston, Sarah Allen, Mark and Bethan Fairhurst.