The Healing Power of Movement: Dance Therapy for Scottsdale, AZ Kids  

Here’s the audio version of The Healing Power of Movement: Dance Therapy for Scottsdale, AZ Kids if you prefer to listen on the go:

When kids struggle with big emotions, they don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling, but their bodies often tell the story. This blog explores how Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) helps children express emotions, build regulation skills, and feel more confident through playful, body-based movement. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or therapist in Scottsdale, AZ, you’ll learn what DMT is, how it works in the brain, and why it’s a powerful mental health tool for kids. 

What Is Dance/Movement Therapy?

Dance/Movement Therapy, as defined by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA), is “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration.” It’s not about teaching dance steps or perfecting technique. Instead, it highlights using the body in whatever way feels right to explore emotions, share experiences, and develop healthy coping skills. Click to see the ADTA Talks to learn more!

Key elements of DMT with kids might include:  

• Rhythmic games using drums, clapping, or stomping 

• Mirroring exercises to build empathy, bodily awareness, and connection 

• Imaginative movement stories (e.g., moving like animals, weather, superheroes) 

• Movement-based emotional storytelling (e.g., “Show me what ‘angry’ might look like”) 

• Breathing exercises paired with grounding movement 

• Regulating activities like swaying, spinning, or bouncing 

These techniques aren’t just fun — they’re also brain-changing. Think about a parent soothing their young child, they do this with movement. Our brains a wired from a young age to use movement to calm our nervous system.

Why Movement-Based Therapy Matters for Children 

When kids are having a hard time with their feelings, it doesn’t always come out in words. Their body shows it. They may fidget, have meltdowns, or become quiet. They might need constant attention or complain about stomach aches. Kids often feel emotions in their bodies first. They may not know how to explain them yet. 

That’s where Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) comes in. DMT is a trauma-informed, evidence-based therapeutic approach that uses movement as the medium for emotional exploration, communication, and healing. It combines play, creativity, and body awareness. This helps children learn emotional regulation and build resilience. Learn how DMT benefits children by watching this informative video from the ADTA.

What Is Somatic Therapy?  

Somatic therapy is a kind of therapy that helps people notice how emotions show up in their bodies. It’s not just about feelings; It also checks your body. For instance, are your shoulders tight? Is your heart racing? Does your chest feel heavy? Do you feel a knot in your throat that makes you feel like you want to cry?

Somatic therapy uses simple tools like breathing, gentle movement, and paying attention to body signals. These tools help people feel calmer, more in control, and more connected to themselves. Dance/Movement Therapy is one type of somatic therapy, like yoga in some ways. The long-standing popularity of The Body Keeps the Score, which has remained on the New York Times bestseller list for over four years, reflects a growing public recognition of how deeply trauma impacts individuals. However, according to a Harvard specialist, somatic therapy still lags behind cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in terms of widespread understanding, clinical application, and research support.

The Neuroscience of Movement and Emotion 

Modern neuroscience backs what dance therapists have known for years: movement affects how the brain handles emotion, memory, and regulation. Here are some of the major systems DMT targets: 

1. The Limbic System 

The limbic system includes the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus. It controls emotions and memory. Movement-based activities engage this area, helping children manage tough or stuck emotions. Movement-based activities in DMT help calm the amygdala, build healthy emotional memories in the hippocampus, and regulate stress hormones managed by the hypothalamus. These shifts support better coping and emotional resilience in children.

2. The Prefrontal Cortex 

This part of the brain is involved in executive functioning, decision-making, and impulse control. Movement that is rhythmic and patterned helps kids grow in many ways. This is especially true for those with ADHD, trauma, or trouble managing emotions. 

3. The Vagus Nerve 

Dance and movement activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system controls our brain’s “rest” mode. They do this through the vagus nerve. This shift helps kids leave fight-or-flight mode and find calm and connection. 

4. Sensory-Motor Integration 

Many children, particularly neurodivergent kids, benefit from movement that organizes the sensory system. DMT integrates vestibular (balance), proprioceptive (body awareness), and tactile (touch) input to help kids feel safer and more regulated in their bodies. 

5. The Brainstem

The brainstem controls basic survival functions like heart rate, breathing, and alertness. When children engage in calming, rhythmic movement through Dance/Movement Therapy, it helps regulate their arousal levels and supports a sense of safety in their bodies. This is especially helpful for kids who are often hyper vigilant or shut down due to trauma.

6. The Cerebellum

Known for its role in coordination and balance, the cerebellum also plays a part in attention and timing. Dance/Movement Therapy supports development through patterned movement, games, and motor challenges. These activities strengthen body awareness and can improve focus, emotional control, and motor planning.

Why It Works for Kids: Developmentally Aligned Therapy 

Children don’t sit still to process hard emotions like teens or adults. Instead, they move, play, and role-play. DMT embraces this natural form of communication, offering: 

• Developmentally appropriate expression (e.g., movement before language) 

• Safe outlets for big feelings without needing verbal explanation 

• Relational mirroring to build trust, empathy, and attachment 

• Empowerment through choice, creative control, and bodily autonomy 

Whether a child is struggling with anxiety, trauma, sensory overload, or simply needs an outlet for emotional expression, Dance/ Movement Therapy meets them where they are: in their body. 

What a Session Might Look Like 

Dance/ Movement Therapy sessions at Pathways Counseling are always child-led but supported with therapeutic intention. A session might look like: 

Warm-Up (Getting Grounded):

Children begin with gentle movements and breathing exercises to help their bodies settle and feel safe. For example, they might blow up a balloon with their breath or press their feet into the floor like roots of a tree. This helps them transition into a calmer, more focused state.

Exploration (Playful Movement):

Next comes themed movement play to explore feelings and sensations. A therapist might say, “Let’s move like the weather today—are you a sunny skip or a rainy puddle stomp?” This helps kids express emotions through their bodies in a fun and creative way.

Creative Expression (Making Meaning):

Children are invited to express themselves through improvisational dance, or storytelling through movement, or a prompt. For example, they might create a dance that shows how they felt during the school day, or act out a story about a brave animal who learns to calm down.

Integration (Cooling Down and Reflecting):

The session ends with slow stretches, deep breathing (like blowing bubbles or smelling a flower), and a simple check-out ritual. This might include asking, “What movement today felt really good?” or “What color do you feel in your body now?”

Common Clinical Goals Addressed with DMT 

Dance/Movement Therapy can be especially helpful for children experiencing: 

• Anxiety disorders 

• ADHD and attention difficulties 

• Autism spectrum disorder 

• Trauma and PTSD 

• Grief and loss 

• Emotional dysregulation 

• Low self-esteem 

• Sensory integration challenges 

Case Example: When Words Aren’t Enough 

“Zayla,” age 4, came to therapy with big fears about being away from her parents, lots of meltdowns, and trouble speaking at school. Talking therapy didn’t help much because she didn’t feel safe enough to use words. However, everything change when she started Dance/Movement Therapy. She lit up while stomping, dancing, and playing movement games. Through this therapy, Zayla learned to build confidence in her bodily communication. Over time, she began to feel more in control of her feelings and even started talking again at school. Her parents said she seemed happier and more confident. 

Dance/Movement Therapy gave Zayla a way to express her feelings without needing words. 

How DMT Differs from Play and Somatic Therapies 

Play Therapy: Helps kids express their emotions through toys, art, and games. It uses symbolic play to help children work through tough feelings in a safe, nonverbal way. For instance, a child might use a puppet or build a sand tray world to act out emotions or stories they can’t yet say with words. 

Somatic Therapy focuses on what’s happening in the body. It helps kids and adults notice where they hold stress, like tight muscles or a fast heartbeat, and teaches them to release it. This therapy often uses breathing, stretching, or simple movement to help the nervous system feel calm and safe. 

Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) blends both of these. It helps kids explore emotions and build coping skills by moving their bodies in creative ways. It might include dancing, stomping, mirroring, or pretending to be different characters. DMT combines the creativity of play therapy with the body-awareness of somatic therapy, offering a full-body way to feel, connect, and grow. 

Meet Our Dance/ Movement Therapist- Sarah Trowbridge MA, DMT, LAC-T 

Sarah is a Licensed Associate Counselor and Dance/ Movement Therapist who works with children and families. She earned her master’s in Dance/ Movement Therapy in Cambridge, MA. She has led many DMT therapy groups including places such as the Perkins School for the Blind and at domestic violence shelters. Her style blends movement, emotional safety, and play that matches each child’s age and needs. Sarah helps kids with big feelings, sensory challenges, or tough experiences feel more confident and connected. 

She believes that when kids are allowed to move, they learn to slow down. When they’re helped to feel, they learn they can handle it. And when they’re invited to play, they begin to heal. 

Parent FAQ: What You Might Be Wondering 

Is this just dancing around the room? Nope. DMT is a structured, clinically grounded intervention facilitated by a trained therapist. It uses intentional movement, not performance, as a way to support emotional growth and healing. 

Does my child have to like dancing? Not at all! DMT can be adapted for kids who are shy, sensory-sensitive, or have motor challenges. Movement can be small (finger tapping, rocking) or big (jumping, spinning) depending on your child’s needs. 

Will DMT replace other therapies? Not necessarily. It can be used alone or with talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or behavioral support. Many families use DMT as a complement to existing services. 

Can I join the session as a parent? In many cases, yes! Parent-child dyadic sessions help reinforce co-regulation and attachment-building. 

Ready to Try Dance/Movement Therapy? 

Is your child having trouble sharing feelings, making friends, or feeling secure? Dance/Movement Therapy might be the help they need. At Pathways Counseling Services, we believe in playful healing, body-based empowerment, and creativity as a path to connection. 

Let your child move toward healing — one step at a time. 

Pathways Counseling Services is the top-rated therapy and counseling service in Scottsdale, Arizona, year after year. We can help you and your child live a happier and healthier life through effective and supportive mental health care. You can reach us by phone at 480-235-1682