Saturday 28 September 2013

First Day

Yesterday was the first day of my internship. The day flew by and I think it will be a great match. I met quite a few residents and even had a chance to have a bit of a social hour with them. I answered many questions about Canada and it was decided we would go on an outing so they could take me to the Boston Public Library.  I look forward to it as I've heard it's a beautiful building.
Included in my day was flower arranging and yoga.
Attached is a photo of Copley Square which I walked through on my way home.

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Paperwork

Have finally gotten my contract sent in for my internship. Providing everything is approved I will be starting this Friday! The process has been a lot of back and forth which has been a different experience than last year. This contract is also a bit more in-depth and covers many more areas. Reading through the contract with my supervisor was a great experience that allowed us to discuss any concerns we had such as appropriate dress, making a set weekly schedule etc. It has also taught me the importance of being informed of regulations including who and what are covered by which parties' insurance. I think this experience has been one that has taught me what to expect once I join the work force and begin applying for jobs.

Along those lines we discussed SOAP notes in my Clinical Skills and Applications class this week. Having this standard progress note format is a great tool and learning how to complete them accurately and efficiently is important. It gives us a paper trail of all the sessions with clients and is important documentation in any potential lawsuits that may arise. They also provide information to other members of the treatment team. This year we will have practice writing them in class which I am very much looking forward to.

Both of these experiences has reminded me that as a dance/movement therapist, there is still paperwork to be completed and it is not all about the moving.


Saturday 21 September 2013

Dance or Movement?

The weeks are progressing and the readings are still captivating. There have been many interesting discussions and readings, however I would like to share this particular one. It started off with a discussion around what is dance? What is movement? What is therapy? Finally, what is dance/movement therapy?

It was interesting to see how my classmates and I defined each individual word and how the definition changed when all three words were placed together. I had never thought of how I defined the individuals words and how I related those definitions with the term dance/movement therapy. I recommend experimenting with this yourself if you have a few extra minutes to see how your definitions shape how you define dance/movement therapy.

The final piece of this I just finished exploring in a reading. Bruno (1990) takes us through the journey of how dance has come and gone in the field of dance/movement therapy. We explored the history of the field and whether or not dance/movement therapy should be the term used. Should dance be in it? Should therapy be in it? I had to think about this piece last year when at an internship the group challenged the title of being a dance/movement therapy group because "we were not dancing". I think this relates back to how one defines what dancing is. I would argue that the group was dancing. However, to them they were just moving because "we don't know how to dance".

I think that being a part of this field requires us as professionals, students and companions to question the terms used and examine why people have such a difficult time with some terms. We must find that balance of staying true to the field, ourselves and our clients.

Tuesday 17 September 2013

Internship

I've finally secured an internship! Received the call today offering me the position and of course I accepted. The site is an independent living facility for seniors and I will be supervised by the head of the activities department. There are 56 residents of varying ages, mental ability and physical ability.

They haven't had a dance/movement therapy student before so it will be a learning opportunity for all involved. I just had my interview yesterday and the facilities look amazing. Before I can officially start the contract needs to be signed and then hopefully I will start shadowing and building relationships with the residents next week.

In the first semester (from now until December) I need to complete 150 hours. So far my supervisor seems to be flexible with scheduling which will come in handy working around classes and maybe even a trip or two home!



Friday 13 September 2013

Professional membership

Today felt like a big day...I received approval for my American Dance Therapy Association student membership. I can now list a professional membership on my resume! The amount of resources they have for members is plentiful and I can't wait to explore them. See the link for the ADTA website under the menu on the right hand side of the blog.

Photo from the ADTA Twitter page (profile picture), September 11, 2013.

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Putting it into a Canadian context

I have now survived the first week and a half of classes. The semester is looking busy but never before have I wanted to do my readings like I do now. I have powered through quite a few today and am forcing myself to take a break. 

What is striking me as I read through chapters on what DMT is and it's history, is how different the field seems to be in Canada. I am not claiming to be an expert on the field, either in Canada or the U.S., but I have noticed a few things. It seems in the early days of DMT it was acceptable in clinical settings with Marian Chace (whom they call the founder of the field) beginning in a hospital, St. Elizabeth's. However, through my practicums at ISIS-Canada, it seemed as though any suggestion of working in a clinical setting was met with some resistance. 

Of course going to school in the U.S. means I will be learning the history of the field in the U.S. but it has sparked my interest in learning the development of DMT in Canada. Why has it practically disappeared there whereas here in the U.S. it is a lively field with 95% of graduates from my program having multiple job offers before they even graduate?

Friday 6 September 2013

Books have finally arrived



Finally gathered up the last of my books today. Most are specific to dance/movement therapy...how great is that! Can't wait to dive into them!

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Lesley GEXTH Orientation

And so the adventure begins. After a busy summer and many hiccups along the way, the paperwork got done in time and I was all set to go. Then I found out I had to be in New Hampshire for the Graduate Student Expressive Therapies Orientation for a week in August. After a 12 hour drive, seeing New York, Vermont and finally New Hampshire, I arrived at Sargent Centre ready for orientation.

There are 120 (give or take a few) students entering the program this year. All modalities were at orientation including the intermodal students and then of course faculty. *For those of you who are wondering what I mean by modalities they are dance, music, art and drama*. Sargent Centre is a huge camp that is in the middle of nowhere that is used for team building activities by companies, schools etc. It was much like summer camp would be I imagine. Sleeping in cabins, eating in a cafeteria, beach to go swimming and so forth.

After getting settled into our cabins and meeting our roommates we were called to the field by a drum. The days generally consisted of breakfast, community warm up in the field, core groups (where we met with the people in our modalities and spent time getting to know each other), lunch, workshops, free time, dinner and finally more workshops or community building activities. The week was a full one and by the second day we were all looking at each other thinking our brains had taken in as much as they could.

They gave a huge selection for workshops that were offered by core and guest faculty. I took part in a narrative workshop in which we worked with Dr. Seuss' "Oh! The Places You Will Go" and then another one that was focused on self-care and meditation. Everyone in the group has their own amazing story of how they found expressive therapies and it is one talented group of people! We had an open mic night our last night and it was unforgettable.

I was the only Canadian in the group, however the group consists of people from all over the world. One of the things that was the most refreshing of the experience was not having to explain what you meant by dance therapy or expressive therapy. Don't get me wrong, it's great when people don't know and you get a chance to spread the word but it was a nice change to talk to someone and not have to explain yourself.

After the week it was another 12 hour drive back home to pack up and say my goodbyes before making the move to Somerville, MA!