Move with curiosity, purpose, expression, intention, acceptance and joy

  • Inner resilience is a key pillar of health.

    Resilience has been described as the “capacity to remain flexible in our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors when faced by life disruption, or extended periods of pressure, so that we emerge from difficulty stronger, wiser, and more able” (Pemberton, 2015, p. 2).

    Developing resiliency increases capacity to cope with challenges and stress, and contributes to changes over time.

    Using a Somatics & Dance-Movement Therapy approach, this personalised program offers a creative, dynamic, innovative, and contemporary pathway to strengthening your resilience, that is underpinned by empirical evidence.

    We will form a client/therapist alliance and focus collaboratively on you.

    Strong resiliency results from a developmental and skill-building process. This personally directed program aims to focus on and develop the following areas:

    • Goal setting.

    • Improving self awareness, including tracking thoughts and mood

    • Self reflection and journaling

    • Emotional regulation

    • Stress management and adopting effective coping strategies

    • Developing purpose and meaning in life

    • Planning and practising self-care

    • Reframing problems and adopting an optimistic outlook

    • Using the power of positive emotions

    • Practising self-compassion

    • Realising and developing character strengths and abilities

    • Building trust and a social support network

    • Improving communication skills

    • Creating a resilience action plan

    Program includes:

    1. 8 sessions over 4 consecutive weeks, 75 mins each session. Session days/times will be set to mutually agreed times that can vary week to week. Start any time.

    2. Weekly homework activities.

    3. Messaging support between sessions.

    This program is for anyone seeking to improve their ability to bounce back from obstacles that life presents.

    Location: professional studio In Merewether

    Fee: $1390. Payment upon invoice with Paypal pay later (instalments) and credit card options.

    Book a free 20 minute video chat with Helen to get started! To book a chat, scroll to the end of the page.

    References

    Pemberton, C. (2015). Resilience: A practical guide for coaches. Open University Press.

    Bibliography

    Ph.D, J. S. (2019, January 3). What is Resilience and Why is It Important to Bounce Back?PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-resilience/#resilience-skills

    World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. (‎2017)‎. Building resilience: a key pillar of Health 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals: examples from the WHO Small Countries Initiative. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/338752

Client/Therapist alliance available for adults and children from 9 years.

Connecting body, mind and wellness using a somatic, conceptual and creative approach to movement. A client-centred approach using Dance-Movement Therapy, to facilitate giving physical shape and form to human thoughts, emotions and life experience.

Dance-Movement Therapy (DMT) is a multifaceted modality for healing, empowerment and joy across physical, cultural, emotional, social, cognitive, and integrated domains. This includes addressing the emotional and physical impacts of trauma. DMT experiences are introduced for guiding body-based self-discovery and transformative creative expression. The primary goal is to build new psychophysical capacities through expanding expressive freedom, strengthening self-esteem and developing new emotional resources. This approach is sensitive to cultural context for healing and expressivity in the global community. The DMT approach prioritises emotional safety. Dance-Movement Therapy is a broadly effective approach for healing and wellbeing, that is underpinned by: neuroscience; scientific evidence; ongoing research; creative arts; and holistic frameworks, methodologies and techniques.

Clients are invited to a held, safe, welcoming and positive movement space that offers support for individuals. No movement experience necessary, just a curiosity to explore and move. Clients with and without diagnosed mental and/or physical health conditions are invited to a collaborative therapeutic alliance.

INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC SESSIONS

Studio sessions are available in an uplifting private and professional space in Newcastle East (Australia).

4 session THERAPY bundle - 75 mins

4 sessions of DMT treatment over 4 consecutive weeks. You can also opt for 2 sessions weekly over 2 consecutive weeks. - $695

At your first session, we will discuss your goals, move together as part of your initial assessment and intake process,

THERAPY SESSIONS CONTINUING treatment - 75 mins

Your initial treatment/series of weekly sessions, will be reviewed together for ongoing weekly, fortnightly or monthly sessions depending on your treatment goals and progress. - $195

Decisions about ongoing treatment sessions are up to you, on the basis that your journey is directed by you. You will be supported and guided.

Get in touch with Helen with any queries.

  • The style of the alliance is conversational, using movement as the primary communication tool between client and therapist, along with artistic and verbal expression.

    This style embodies core conditions from the therapist towards the client for therapeutic change. These core conditions are empathetic understanding, genuineness and transparency, unconditional support and acceptance, in order to facilitate the client’s self-exploration and self-understanding.

    This client-centred approach always holds that individuals are their own agent for change.

    As a modality of Creative Arts Therapy, interventions intend to create a safe and positive environment for clients to express themselves.

    The theoretical framework for interventions draws on psychodynamic theory, Jungian analytical psychology and developmental theory, cognitive and humanistic psychotherapies. Concepts of Laban Movement Analysis and about creativity, plus contemporary therapeutic approaches and methods are incorporated.

  • A client/therapist alliance is by specific documented agreement and consent prior to sessions.

    Helen Ilich is a Soamtics and Dance-Movement Therapist.

  • After you submit the intake form, we will promptly connect via WhatsApp.

    We will discuss your goals and agree to an initial session.

    A payment link will be forwarded. Full advance payment is required to confirm your session/s.

    You will be required to complete client forms in order to formalise a client/therapist alliance, prior to your session/s. Links to forms will be sent via WhatsApp.

    Your first session/assessment will help us agree to a treatment plan to address your goals.

    (You will require to have WhatsApp installed on your phone)

    Read the Terms & Conditions for Somatics and Dance-Movement Therapy Sessions - Private.

  • Services can currently be provided under the ‘other professionals’ category for plan managed or self managed NDIS participants (Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living and Capacity Building – Increased Social and Community Participation).

A relaxed and confidential chat, providing an opportunity to introduce ourselves, and to discuss Dance-Movement Therapy and how we can potentially work together towards your psychotherapeutic goals. Let's see if we are a good fit, and if DMT is a good fit for you. This chat is at no charge and chat appointments are offered for clients who are local to Newcastle and surrounding areas.