By using meaningful and purposeful activities in occupational therapy, health and well-being are provided by the development of physical, cognitive, sensory, emotional and psychosocial skills of individuals. Activities such as handicrafts, daily life activities, games, cooking, animal-supported activities, gardening, dance, and music are used therapeutically by occupational therapists according to the interests, wishes and needs of individuals. To use activities therapeutically, occupational therapists need to analyze activities in detail. Because occupational therapists should apply the activities to individuals not randomly, but by analyzing them in detail based on the occupational therapy perspective.
The book “Activities in Occupational Therapy” contains information about what kind of path occupational therapists should follow when analyzing and rating activities, the therapeutic value and effects of activities such as games, crafts, music, cooking, sports, gardening and dance, and how they can be applied in different diseases.
Res. Asst. Selen Aydöner touched on the following topics about “Dance” in the book:
Dance is a therapeutic tool.
Dance, one of the therapeutic activities, is based on the idea that the body and mind are inseparable. In this way, it aims to be in contact with our emotions, body and mind. Dance aims to help healthy individuals as well as individuals with physical, cognitive and emotional problems to regain the sense of integrity in physical, cognitive and psychosocial dimensions by providing the basic unity of body, mind and spirit. It provides treatment opportunities for people with psychological and physical disorders, including anxiety, depression, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurological diseases.
Why do we use dance as a therapeutic tool?
● Absence of a general performance norm
● Observation of movement and emotional communication
● Expression and harmony through posture, movement and gesture
● Exploring possibilities of movement
● Self-directed dance and active participation
Occupational therapists can recommend dance as a therapeutic activity to their clients according to the results of their comprehensive evaluation and activity analysis, and dance practices can provide a variety of therapeutic activities in the intervention.
