Movement Therapy for Teens:
Move, Heal, and Be Seen

Movement Therapy is the therapeutic use of movement to support emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration. In this group, teens explore how their bodies hold experiences—stress, joy, tension, numbness—and learn ways to move, breathe, and connect that support healing. Movement Therapy honors the connection between mind, body, and spirit, and recognizes that our bodies carry stories that deserve care and attention.

Youth in the United States may experience interpersonal and racial trauma and discrimination, which can impact learning, emotions, relationships, and physical health.

This Movement Therapy group:
• Creates space where teens can feel seen, affirmed, and understood.
• Uses rhythms, group practices, and culturally rooted movement expressions that reflect experiences of resilience and connection.
• Offers tools for emotional regulation and body awareness to help reduce stress and trauma symptoms.
• Supports identity exploration, self-advocacy, and a sense of belonging in community.

Sessions are designed to feel predictable, safe, and choice-based.

A typical session may include:
• A gentle warmup: breathwork, stretching, rocking, or mirroring the facilitator.
• Rhythmic practices: clapping, stepping, or simple group rhythms that support regulation.
• Movement explorations: low-pressure invitations to move, gesture, or stillness that reflect how teens are feeling.
• Verbal and non-verbal processing: opportunities to name emotions, sensations, and patterns without pressure to share more than feels safe.
• Closing ritual: a grounding practice so teens leave feeling more settled and prepared to re-enter their day.

No movement experience is required.

Teens are invited to:
• Wear comfortable clothing they can move easily in.
• Bring water and anything that helps them feel grounded (for example, a small object, journal, or hoodie).
• Participate at their own pace—sitting, standing, or modifying movements as needed.

All movement invitations are adaptable, and teens are encouraged to honor their own limits and needs.

To safely and effectively support each teen, the registration form will collect:

• Full Name
• Email
• Phone
• Date of Birth
• Grade (custom CRM field)
• Parent/Guardian Name
• Parent/Guardian Email
• Parent/Guardian Phone
• Any known allergies/health conditions we should be aware of *

*Health and contact information is collected solely to support participant safety and communication.

If you would like to explore research and professional resources related to this kind of movement-based therapeutic work, consider:

• American Dance Therapy Association (2020). “What is dance/movement therapy?” — Overview of how movement is used therapeutically to support well-being. https://adta.memberclicks.net/what-is-dancemovement-therapy

• Barnstaple, R., & Dieterich-Hartwell, R. (2022). Neurobiological considerations in the treatment of trauma from a movement-based therapy perspective. In Dance/Movement Therapy for Trauma Survivors (pp. 40–58). Routledge.

• Devereaux, C., & Harrison, L. (2022). Body, brain, and relationship: Movement-based therapy and children with complex trauma. In Dance/Movement Therapy for Trauma Survivors (pp. 83–100). Routledge.

• Menakem, R. (2017). My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies. Central Recovery Press.

• Metzger, I. W., Anderson, R. E., Are, F., & Ritchwood, T. (2021). Integrating racial socialization into trauma-focused care for youth. Child Maltreatment, 26(1), 17–27.

• Woods, A. (2018). Empowering young males through movement-based group work. Movement Therapy Theses, Sarah Lawrence College.