The Use and Function of Altered States of Consciousness within Dance/Movement Therapy A ...

128 Pages·2009·0.4 MB·English

The Use and Function of Altered States of Consciousness

within Dance/Movement Therapy

A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty
of
Drexel University
by
Amberlee Woods
in
partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree
of
Master of Arts
Dance/Movement Therapy
May 2009
© Copyright 2009
Amberlee Woods. All Rights Reserved.

iii

Dedications

This thesis is dedicated to my grandmother and grandfather-in-law, both of whom
recently passed away. They each have blessed me with the values and optimism I
carry with me today. They also taught me to continue in my journey with determination
in order to achieve my goals, which ultimately helped me to complete this thesis.
iv

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the following:
To Ellen Schelly Hill, M.M.T., Chairperson, for her dedication to the process, for
patience in letting the process unfold, her understanding of my need to “plug through,”
and her insight regarding the use of altered states within dance/movement therapy.
To David Flood, Ph.D., for his undying dedication to grammar and punctuation, his
persistent questions causing me to think beyond the material, and his consistent reliability
within the process.
To Karen Clark-Schock, Psy.D., ATR-BC, for her insight regarding hypnosis, reinforcing
the idea that we are using altered states all the time and that we should be “conscious” of
them, and her ability to make me think further.
To Joe Venti, my lovely fiancé, for his relentless dedication to supporting me in this
process, amazing editorial work, consistent attempts at understanding the material, and
allowing me the space to complete this work.
v

Table of Contents

List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………….. vii

List of Figures ...……………………………………………………………………. viii
Abstract ...……………………………………………………………………………. ix
1. INTRODUCTION ...…………………………………………………………...... 1

2. LITERATURE REVIEW ...……………………………………………………... 5

2.1 Theories of Altered States and Hypnosis ...……………………………………… 5

2.1.1 State Theory ...……………………………………………………………... 5

2.1.2 Non-State/Role Theory ...………………………………………………….. 6

2.2 Therapeutic Features of Trance and Altered States ...…………………………… 7

2.2.1. Ideodynamics ...……………………………………………………….. 8

2.2.2. Different Levels of Experiencing ...…………………………………... 9

2.2.3 Community/Safety Outside of Oppression ...………………………… 10

2.2.4 Relief, Release, and Revitalization ……………………………………13

2.2.5 Individualized Benefits ………………………………………………. 17

2.3 Psychobiology of Trance ……………………………………………………… 18

2.3.1 Neurological and Physiological Changes ……………………………. 19

2.4 Liminality………………………………………………….…………………... 22

2.5 Spirituality and Religion with Trance and Altered States ……………………...24

2.5.2 Possession Trance ……………………………………………………. 24

2.5.3 Non-Possession Trance ……………………………………………… 26

2.6 Trance within Psychotherapy and Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT).………... 27

2.6.1 Hypnosis ………………………………………………………………28
vi

2.6.2 Healing Processes of DMT: Catharsis, Vitalization, Rhythm, Synchrony
and Ritual …………………………………………………………….. 30

2.6.4 Experiencing/Focusing within DMT ...……………………………… 32

2.6.5 Authentic Movement ………………………………………………… 33

2.6.6 Imagery ………………………………………………………………. 37

2.6.7 Breath Work ………………………………………………………….. 39

2.6.8 Phrasing, Drives, and States ………………………………………….. 42

2.6.9 Altered States and Music Therapy/Music..…………………………… 44

2.6.10 Creativity and Transitional States …………………………………... 49

3. METHODS …………………………………………………………………….. 57

3.1 Research Design ……………………………………………………………. 57

3.2 Procedures ………………………………………………………………….. 57

3.3. Operational Definitions ……………………….…………………………… 58

3.4 Data Analysis …….………………………………………………………… 59

4. RESULTS ……………………………………………………………………… 62

4.1 Open Coding ……………………………………………………………….. 64

4.2 Axial Coding ……………………………………………………………….. 68

4.3 Selective Coding …………………………………………………………… 80

5. DISCUSSION …………………………………………………………………… 88

5.1 Overview of Results and Clinical Application of Theory …………………. 88
5.2 Limitations of the Study …………………………………………………... 103
5.3 Implications for Future Research …………………………………………. 104
6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ………………………………………….. 107
7. LIST OF REFERENCES ………………………………………………………. 109
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List of Tables
1. Open Coding for Anthropological Literature ……………………………………….. 65
2. Open Coding for DMT Literature …………………………………………………... 66
3. Open Coding for Psychotherapy Literature …………………………………………. 67
4. Axial Coding for Community and Group Theme …………………………………… 69
5. Axial Coding for Healing Potential Theme …………………………………………. 70
6. Axial Coding for Ritual Theme ……………………………………………………... 71
7. Axial Coding for Body Action and Rapid Motion Theme ………………………….. 72
8. Axial Coding for Rhythm Theme …………………………………………………… 73
9. Axial Coding for Spirituality and Religion Theme …………………………………. 74
10. Axial Coding for Experience of the Self Theme …………………………………... 75
11. Axial Coding for Energy and Revitalization ………………………………………. 76
12. Axial Coding for Catharsis and Abreaction ………………………………………... 77
13. Axial Coding for Recovery of Play and Creativity ………………………………… 78
14. Axial Coding for Focus, Attention and Absorption Theme ………………………... 79
viii

List of Figures
1. Literature map ……………………………………………………………………….. 63
2. Selective coding flow chart ………………………………………………………….. 87
ix

Abstract
The Use and Function of Altered States of Consciousness within DMT
Amberlee Woods
Ellen Schelly Hill, M.A.

The purpose of the study was to research trance and altered states of
consciousness (ASC), within dance, psychotherapy and anthropological literature, so that
dance/movement therapists may practice with an informed understanding of the altered
state experience, its potential therapeutic benefit, and methods for working with altered
states in the practice of dance/movement therapy (DMT). The question guiding the study
was: “How can different forms of ASC in DMT and dance therapeutically inform the
practice of DMT?” The study aimed to answer this question through a literature based
study utilizing grounded theory methodology. The study analyzed the identified
literatures through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Eleven core themes
were recovered through the process of open coding and axial coding and eventually
related to one overarching theme relevant to the nature of ASC in DMT. These eleven
themes were the following: community and group, healing potential, spirituality and
religion, ritual, rhythm, experience of the self, body action and rapid motion, catharsis
and abreaction, energy and revitalization, recovery of play and creativity and focus,
attention and absorption. The overarching theme derived through these eleven themes
answered the initial research question through the finding that different forms of ASC
therapeutically inform DMT through providing healing qualities that are similar to the
therapeutic processes and goals in DMT. While specific DMT approaches such as
Authentic Movement and Experiencing cultivate and utilize ASC, ASC are also an
integral part of the DMT process through their shared fundamental components of DMT