Dance/movement therapy (DMT) may appear at first glance to be a creative or expressive practice rooted in the arts — and it is. But behind its flowing gestures, improvised movement, and embodied connection lies a growing body of scientific evidence that explains why it works. Neuroscience, psychology, and physiology all offer insight into how movement can impact the brain, regulate emotions, and support trauma recovery. Understanding these mechanisms not only strengthens the credibility of DMT but also helps therapists apply it with intention and nuance.
Movement and Brain Function: An Intricate Relationship
Movement is far more than mechanical action. It involves a complex interplay between sensory input, motor output, and internal emotional states. When we move, we engage multiple areas of the brain — including the motor cortex, cerebellum, basal ganglia, and areas related to emotion and memory such as the amygdala and hippocampus.
Research shows that movement, especially when done rhythmically or in synchrony with others, activates neural pathways associated with reward, pleasure, and social bonding. Dance, in particular, has been shown to increase dopamine and endorphin levels, leading to enhanced mood and emotional resilience. This is especially relevant for individuals struggling with depression or anxiety, whose reward systems may be underactive.
Furthermore, movement enhances neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections. In therapeutic settings, this means that new movement patterns can contribute to new emotional responses or ways of thinking. A person who habitually contracts their shoulders in fear may begin to explore more open, expansive postures in therapy, subtly reshaping both their felt experience and their internal narratives.
The Role of the Nervous System: Regulation Through Movement
At the heart of emotional wellbeing is the ability to regulate the nervous system. When the nervous system is dysregulated — stuck in fight, flight, freeze or collapse responses — it becomes difficult to think clearly, connect with others, or feel safe. Many mental health challenges involve some form of dysregulation, especially trauma-related conditions.
Dance/movement therapy engages the nervous system through somatic tracking and co-regulation. By moving, breathing, and exploring physical sensation, clients begin to shift their physiological state. For instance, slow, rhythmic movement can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting calmness and restoration. Grounded, weight-bearing movement may help someone feel more stable or present.
Additionally, the presence of the therapist plays a crucial role. Through embodied attunement — responding to the client’s movement with sensitivity and care — the therapist helps the client’s nervous system feel seen and regulated. This mirrors early attachment experiences and can support the development of internal regulation over time.
Mirror Neurons and Empathy
One of the more fascinating findings in neuroscience is the discovery of mirror neurons — brain cells that fire both when we perform an action and when we observe someone else performing it. These neurons are thought to underpin our ability to understand and empathise with others.
In DMT, mirror neurons are constantly activated. When a therapist mirrors a client’s movement, the client not only sees their experience reflected but feels it validated on a neurological level. This helps build trust and deepens the therapeutic alliance. It also provides a pathway for emotional integration, as clients begin to sense that their internal states are legible, shared, and accepted.
Group dance/movement sessions further amplify this effect. Moving in synchrony with others creates a sense of unity and belonging, which can be profoundly healing for those who feel isolated or alienated. Shared movement activates both emotional and social brain circuits, reinforcing the client’s sense of connectedness.
The Limbic System and Emotional Memory
Emotions are not stored solely in our minds — they are encoded in our bodies and shaped by movement. The limbic system, particularly the amygdala and hippocampus, is responsible for emotional memory and the processing of affect. When movement engages these brain structures, it can trigger memories, surface buried emotions, or open new channels of expression.
This is especially important for trauma survivors, whose emotional memories may be nonverbal and lodged in somatic experience. DMT provides a structured and safe environment for these memories to emerge and be processed. Movements may initially arise without conscious meaning, only to later be recognised as connected to past experiences. The therapist helps contain and make sense of these moments, fostering integration and healing.
Balance Between Movement and Reflection
While movement is the primary medium in DMT, the process also involves moments of verbal reflection and emotional processing. These transitions are supported by changes in brainwave activity. For example, improvisational movement can stimulate theta brainwaves, associated with creativity and emotion, while focused reflection may increase alpha and beta waves, linked to awareness and cognition.
By moving back and forth between movement and stillness, clients engage different modes of processing. This enhances their ability to link body-based experiences with cognitive understanding, making the therapy more comprehensive and integrative.
Bilateral Movement and Brain Integration
Bilateral movement — movements that alternate or cross the body’s midline — has been shown to support integration between the brain’s left and right hemispheres. This kind of movement is often used in therapies such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) for trauma treatment.
In DMT, bilateral movement may involve reaching from side to side, walking patterns, or flowing gestures that involve both arms or legs. These movements can enhance coordination, emotional regulation, and access to memory. They also support what is sometimes referred to as “whole-brain thinking” — the ability to link logic with emotion, language with sensation.
The Power of Rhythm and Music
Music is often used in dance/movement therapy to support rhythm, evoke mood, and create structure. Neuroscientific research confirms that music engages numerous areas of the brain simultaneously — including those related to movement, memory, and emotion.
Rhythm has a powerful organising effect on the nervous system. In trauma recovery, consistent rhythmic movement can provide a sense of safety and predictability. For individuals with anxiety, synchronising breath and movement to music can slow physiological arousal and promote relaxation. In group settings, shared rhythm promotes synchrony and social bonding.
Therapists select music with care, considering its emotional tone, tempo, cultural relevance, and potential to support the client’s goals. Sometimes sessions occur without music, allowing the client’s own rhythm to emerge and guide the experience.
Scientific Support for a Creative Practice
Though it is grounded in expressive and artistic methods, dance/movement therapy is increasingly supported by scientific evidence. Studies have shown its effectiveness in reducing symptoms of depression, improving quality of life in people with chronic illness, enhancing emotional expression in people with autism, and supporting recovery in trauma survivors. Neuroimaging and physiological studies are beginning to map the specific mechanisms through which these benefits occur.
This scientific foundation strengthens the case for including DMT in integrated mental health care, while also validating what practitioners and clients have known for decades: movement heals.
Bridging the Body and Mind
Dance/movement therapy exists at the intersection of science and art, body and mind. It draws upon the latest research in neuroscience and psychology while remaining rooted in the human experience of movement. It reminds us that we are not just thinking beings but moving ones — that healing can come not only through insight but through sensation, rhythm, and connection.
In a culture that often separates body from mind, DMT offers a necessary bridge. It affirms that movement is not just a form of expression but a vital process through which we grow, connect, and heal. And with growing scientific insight, we can better understand — and appreciate — the remarkable power of movement to change the brain and touch the heart.
