art/dance-movement therapy pain management techniques?

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I am working in a chemical dependency unit in a community health

center with clients w/ triple diagnosis: mental illness, chemical

addiction, and developmental disabilities. I have a middle-aged male

client who is in remission from polysubstance abuse but suffers from

chronic pain due to health problems related to living w/ obesity,

cancer, and HIV. I see this client individually weekly and wanted some

feedback on pain management activities through movement and/or art I

could do with him to help him better manage his pain and avoid relapse

as a coping mechanism. He is very clever and has an extensive history

of therapy and is thus resistant to any CBT-type activities b/c he

sees them as " infantilizing. " Please advise! Please email me directly

at Sharon.Itkoff@...

Thank you for your time!

Sharon Itkoff, LCAT-permit

--

www.artsii.com

[Guest guest]

It would be great for others to be able to read these responses as well! Beate From: NYCCAT [mailto:NYCCAT ] On Behalf Of Sharon ItkoffSent: Thursday, April 26, 2012 11:24 AMTo: NYCCAT Subject: art/dance-movement therapy pain management techniques? Hi all,I am working in a chemical dependency unit in a community healthcenter with clients w/ triple diagnosis: mental illness, chemicaladdiction, and developmental disabilities. I have a middle-aged maleclient who is in remission from polysubstance abuse but suffers fromchronic pain due to health problems related to living w/ obesity,cancer, and HIV. I see this client individually weekly and wanted somefeedback on pain management activities through movement and/or art Icould do with him to help him better manage his pain and avoid relapseas a coping mechanism. He is very clever and has an extensive historyof therapy and is thus resistant to any CBT-type activities b/c hesees them as " infantilizing. " Please advise! Please email me directlyat Sharon.Itkoff@...Thank you for your time!Sharon Itkoff, LCAT-permit-- www.artsii.com

[Guest guest]

Hi,

In response to Beate's suggestion that we share our responses, I am posting my original response to Sharon Itker.

Give me some time to come up with resources that I've used in the past.

I've created pain relief tapes that are musical selections that elicit responses on a subconscious level at the various spiritual/chakra centers in the body. They have been very successful, partly because they've been personalized.

I've also done grief to acceptance musical tapes of the same nature, which might work really well with someone who is in a rehab/TC element.

Adding movement to the music can be very subtle - just watching him while he sits with his eyes closed and breathing, you will note which parts of the body he responds to the music with. Then you can have him listen with eyes open and mirror back to him the movements that he did. It might just be a finger moving to the rhythm or his shoulders flexing slightly. Or a slight frown or a smidgen of a smile. All of this is therapeutic, for it shows a response, even within his resistance.

Good luck.

Margie Ann Stanko

Recreation Therapist

specializing in writing, movement & fabric arts workshops

"The body is a clear place" -- k Hawkins, American Dance Pioneer

"The soul is characterized by these capacities: self-nutrition,

sensation, thinking, and movement." - Aristotle

"The body is a soul space." - Margie Ann Stanko

[Guest guest]

Wow, beautifully constructed, Margie Ann.

 

Hi,

In response to Beate's suggestion that we share our responses, I am posting my original response to Sharon Itker.

Give me some time to come up with resources that I've used in the past.

I've created pain relief tapes that are musical selections that elicit responses on a subconscious level at the various spiritual/chakra centers in the body.  They have been very successful, partly because they've been personalized.

I've also done grief to acceptance musical tapes of the same nature, which might work really well with someone who is in a rehab/TC element.

Adding movement to the music can be very subtle - just watching him while he sits with his eyes closed and breathing, you will note which parts of the body he responds to the music with.  Then you can have him listen with eyes open and mirror back to him the movements that he did.  It might just be a finger moving to the rhythm or his shoulders flexing slightly.  Or a slight frown or a smidgen of a smile.  All of this is therapeutic, for it shows a response, even within his resistance.

Good luck.

Margie Ann Stanko

Recreation Therapist

specializing in writing, movement & fabric arts workshops

 

" The body is a clear place " -- k Hawkins, American Dance Pioneer

" The soul is characterized by these capacities: self-nutrition, 

  sensation, thinking, and movement. " - Aristotle

" The body is a soul space. " - Margie Ann Stanko

[Guest guest]

Hello,As a dance therapist working on a dual diagnosis unit, I too would be interested in hearing responses from others. Best,Kendra Kambestad, MS, R-DMT, LCATSent from my iPhone

It would be great for others to be able to read these responses as well! Beate From: NYCCAT [mailto:NYCCAT ] On Behalf Of Sharon ItkoffSent: Thursday, April 26, 2012 11:24 AMTo: NYCCAT Subject: art/dance-movement therapy pain management techniques? Hi all,I am working in a chemical dependency unit in a community healthcenter with clients w/ triple diagnosis: mental illness, chemicaladdiction, and developmental disabilities. I have a middle-aged maleclient who is in remission from polysubstance abuse but suffers fromchronic pain due to health problems related to living w/ obesity,cancer, and HIV. I see this client individually weekly and wanted somefeedback on pain management activities through movement and/or art Icould do with him to help him better manage his pain and avoid relapseas a coping mechanism. He is very clever and has an extensive historyof therapy and is thus resistant to any CBT-type activities b/c hesees them as "infantilizing." Please advise! Please email me directlyat Sharon.Itkoff@...Thank you for your time!Sharon Itkoff, LCAT-permit-- www.artsii.com