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Personal
Background and Influences on my Work
I first consciously
harnessed the healing power of dance when I was 19 years old
to help me through a period of angst. This was long before I knew Dance/Movement
Therapy was an established profession. Since that time, I have been
engaged in a path of self- discovery and self-expression through movement,
dance, psychological and spiritual |
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Authentic
Movement was the initial kinesthetic process I studied to integrate
unconscious elements of the body, psyche, and spirit. This form
taught me how to listen attentively to my immediate body experience,
to physically express evolving images, memories and emotions
and to be a clear, attentive witness to the movement of others.
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| Next, I was drawn to the dynamic improvisation and performance practice of Body Tales which weaves personal storytelling with creative movement expression. | |
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I
received my Marriage
and Family Therapist License (LMFT) and became registered as
a Dance/Movement Therapist
(DTR) in 1995. Soon after, I began studying The Blanche Evan Method
of dance therapy with Bonnie Bernstein. This work is a major influence
on my present practice. The approach purposefully mobilizes the
many creative elements of dance to discover, express and integrate
in depth personal questions and issues.
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| Currently, I am an advanced student of Hakomi Body-Centered Psychotherapy and use this a great deal in my work. Through mindfulness and somatically-based awareness, this method gently supports exploring present experience. By staying with felt experience, the transformation of old core beliefs into new choices and the emerging of your true self can evolve. | |
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Other
meaningful influences on my work are Egyptian, African and
Jazz dance, The NIA Technique, Yoga, T'ai Chi Chih, and spiritual
dance. These diverse dance forms as well as depth-oriented movement
practices continue to be a part of who I am and how I approach body-oriented
psychotherapy.
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Teaching and
Professional Experience Currently I am teaching Body Consciousness/Body Wisdom at John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, CA in the Consciousness and Transformative Studies Department. This class offers an experiential and academic introduction to: systems of the body, developmental movement, authentic expression, creativity through movement and ecosomatics. Over the past year I taught a 9 month Group Process course in the Somatic Department for those on the Marriage and Family Therapist track. We explored intrapersonal, interpersonal, group level and transpersonal experiences in our intensive work together. |
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Each winter I offer Deep Power -- a ten week expressive arts workshop with: movement, dance, drawing, writing, storytelling and transformational ritual. This is a great opportunity for singles or couples to explore inner power and learn ways to express it outwardly and heartfully in relationships, jobs and the world. Please see my workshops page for more information and FREE introduction evening. |
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| In 2006, I developed the series Meditation and Movement in Nature to create a safe container for people to immerse in the beauty and awe of nature. Through earth based meditations, authentic natural movement and Earth art, we explore our connection with the earth, ourselves and each other. I offer 4 week classes or drop in days in the spring and fall. See my workshops page for more details and FREE class for National Dance Week. | |||
For 15 years, I taught the movement forms of T'ai Chi Chih, NIA (mind/body/spirit aerobics), and Creative Movement and Dance for Children. Teaching helped me to develop my movement observation skills, to lead and follow a group's energy, and to integrate many styles of movement. |
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I taught Couples Communication for Kaiser Permanente from 2000-2001. These classes focused on listening skills, positive and effective communication styles, managing anger and conflicts, and problem solving. |
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In 1996, I trained with BAWAR (Bay Area Women Against Rape) answering crisis calls for women and co-leading support groups including one with a combination of self-defense and therapeutic processing. |
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I have been in private practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 1996, and have supported people with the following issues:
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Copyright
2004 by Ariana Candell, MFT, DTR |
