Nina Valo finds healing through dance movement therapy in Lapua, Finland

Three years ago, Nina Valo, a 54-year-old from Lapua, faced overwhelming work pressures, stress, and personal changes that led to significant struggles. She experienced concentration difficulties, sleep disturbances, and shame following social interactions, finding it hard to accept her body and herself. Valo works in a demanding expert role within the South Ostrobothnia welfare region. She turned to occupational health services for support, where she received a recommendation to try dance movement therapy.

Having always valued music and rhythm in her life, Valo found this movement-based therapy a natural fit and soon connected with a suitable dance movement therapist. Through movement, she learned to articulate her emotions more deeply than mere conversation allowed. At its best, the therapy provided momentary relief from the long-standing tensions and pain in her body.

Dance movement therapy is a form of art therapy that incorporates movement and dance into the therapeutic process. Research by Kaisa Kella at the University of Jyväskylä indicates strong evidence that movement can significantly alleviate depressive symptoms. Participants in her studies reported reduced anxiety during movement, experiencing feelings of freedom, joy, and playfulness.

During therapy sessions, participants might move freely within the space, sometimes with music and sometimes without, exploring various emotional states related to their life experiences, which could evoke powerful feelings or fears.

Valo describes herself as highly self-critical, which made her strive for perfection and eventually led to burnout. After two years of therapy, she feels empowered to engage in activities she enjoyed and now plans to continue her sessions. While currently not covered by Finnish health insurance, existing research suggests potential expansion of its use for those diagnosed with depression. Valo confidently utilizes the tools gained from therapy to manage stress and embraces herself more fully, finding the relationship with her body increasingly easier.