Training programs

We offer consultation and training in planning, assessment, evaluation and reporting in dance movement therapy for individual therapists, program teams and professional training and educational contexts.

Talk to us about your needs for preparation, development and support for effective assessment for your participants or programs. We can shape a program to meet your needs.

All training takes place over Zoom, with times and dates to suit you.

Cost: Prices available on request.

introductory consultation

For those who have registered as MARA users, we offer consultation to help you get going using the instrument.

MARA app as a planning, assessment and reporting tooL

Introduction:
This session introduces the basic layout of MARA app and its functions as a planning, assessment and reporting tool.
Or you can watch the videos.
In-depth: This session offers an in-depth exploration of MARA app as a planning, assessment and reporting tool. Participants will have the opportunity to undertake hands-on practice of the various features including intake processes, assessment (quantitative scoring, qualitative note taking including Voice to text function, and media options of photo, video, voice recording and drawing to support more traditional scoring and note-taking and reporting).

Trainer: Simea Schoenenberger-Howie, Paula Lebre, Sue Mullane

Values-based planning

Introduction: This basic workshop introduces principles of values-based planning for your DMT program: what should you be attending to, considering the imperatives of the funding body that supports your program, the values of your host organisation, the needs and interests of your participant and your values and expertise as a DM therapist.

In depth: This workshop enables you and members of your team to work together to develop a program plan that consider the imperatives of the funding body that supports your program, the values of your host organisation, the needs and interests of your participant and your values and expertise as a DM therapist. Develop a program plan that addresses all of these factors to have the best chance of making a difference, supporting your participant, meeting the agencies’ requirements and getting paid in the longer term.

Trainer: Sue Mullane

Assessment

Introduction to assessment: This short workshop introduces the basic principles of assessment as utilised in the Outcomes Framework and MARA instruments.

Assessment in depth: This workshop offers a deeper engagement in the assessment process as utilised in the Outcomes Framework and MARA instruments. What should we assess and how? What are we looking for? What can we see? How can be assign a numerical score to our observation? How reliable is our observation?

Trainer: Sue Mullane, Paula Lebre, Simea Schoenenberger-Howie

LBMS for observation and assessment in dance movement therapy:

This workshop supports DM therapists to develop skills in observation and assessment using the Laban-Bartenieff Movement Systems.

Trainer: Sue Mullane

Enhancing participants’ agency in the planning and assessment process

In dance movement therapy, as yet there has not been a significant movement towards client’s contribution in the assessment process. This presentation offers redress to that situation, in introducing an approach to assessment that actively involves clients, including those who may not have good access to verbal and written communication. It uses technological tool, iPad app MARA and its features including video, photo, drawings, voice recordings and numerical scoring against a comprehensive Outcomes Framework for DMT to introduce participants to a range of assessment options. Participants will be actively involved in exploring these strategies, using role play in experiential activities.

In dance movement therapy, as yet there has not been a significant movement towards participant’s contribution in the planning of therapy and assessment processes. Assessment has ordinarily been undertaken by therapists drawing on their specialist expertise and using complex tools that are often outside the understanding of participants themselves and other stakeholders in the therapeutic process including families, carers, other professionals, managers and funders. Many participants, such as people with cognitive impairment or who do not have access to verbal and written communication, have been inadequately supported to reflect on their own experiences and engage in self-assessment with respect to services they access. This has limited their ability to share their views authentically and influence relevant service provision.

This workshop offers redress to that situation, in presenting an approach of DMT planning and assessment that actively involves participants, including those who may not have good access to verbal and written communication. The presentation uses technological tool, iPad app MARA and its features including video, photo, drawings, voice recordings and numerical scoring against a comprehensive Outcomes Framework for DMT to introduce workshop participants to a range of possible assessment options for their practice.

This workshop also draws on from findings of a research process of a DMT program for participants with intellectual disability in which therapists and participants worked together to increase participants’ engagement in, and capacity for, self-assessment. The workshop will discuss findings of that research, including tools found to be useful in this task, such as recognition and use of different communication styles; and dance, movement, and visual arts exercises.

Workshop participants will be actively involved in exploring these assessment strategies. They will use role play in experiential activities to trial the use of MARA app and its features for client self-assessment. This will be followed by discussion of data options gathered using this tool and its diverse media features and how these might complement and advance current assessment approaches. Benefits and challenges in including client contribution in assessment approaches will also be considered, as well as the vital process of reporting utilising all this additional data.

Learning objectives

At the completion of this workshop participants would expect to have:

deepened understanding of issues associated with participant self-assessment in DMT
increased skills in use of diverse media options and their possibilities for participant engagement in planning and self-assessment
greater capacity to engage participants in planning an self-assessment process, including those who have challenges with verbal and written communication

Trainer: Tessa Hens, Sue Mullane, Paula Lebre, Simea Schoenenberger-Howie

Train the Trainer

This workshop offers those with well developed expertise in planning, assessment and evaluation skills in use of MARA and the Outcomes Framework to share with others.

Languages available: