Grounding: Theoretical application and practice in dance movement therapy

• Key concepts of grounding in bioenergetics and dance movement therapy (DMT) are reviewed.
• Grounding and its application on a physical, sensory, emotional and social level are introduced.
• DMT literature supports the relevance of grounding for working with traumatic, psychiatric and older patients.
• Clinical vignettes demonstrate different grounding exercises for older people and for adults with intellectual disabilities.
• Grounding in DMT helps to anchor and stabilize clients, and to connect them with their physical and psychological reality.

In dance movement therapy practice, it is customary and widespread that therapists use and apply concepts of grounding in their sessions and for assessing their clients’ movement profiles. Literature exists in Bioenergetics’ body oriented psychotherapy; however, theoretical foundation of grounding in dance movement therapy is sparse. This theoretical article revises key concepts of grounding and integrates them in the theory and practice of DMT. The clinical vignettes provide examples of grounding exercises applied to two specific populations, namely older people with dementia and adults with intellectual disability. Grounding exercises provide a therapeutic and creative tool that aims to strengthen the connection to one's body and to one's personal reality. Exercises regarding physical, emotional, sensory and social levels of grounding are applicable to practitioners of DMT and related fields. The theoretical foundation and application of grounding in DMT suggests that its use is especially beneficial, for example, in cases of depression, anxiety, stress, and trauma.