ABSTRACT
Therapeutic movement practices are considered to be any embodied movement practices which either instill a sense of wellbeing in the practitioner, diminish trauma/distress, or aid a person to better understand themselves mentally and physically, whether they be organized/created specifically for the purpose of therapy or whether the therapeutic effect of movement is incidental to the activity. This chapter highlights key themes that have evolved in academic research on therapeutic movement practices. It explores the concept of dance/movement therapy (DMT), its theoretical groundings and purported benefits. The chapter considers sport/physical activity specific studies that concentrate on the less formalized yet implicit therapeutic benefits of being active for the management of mental health. It also considers spatio-centric studies, in particular those that focus on the therapeutic benefits of taking part in nature-based activities. DMT, 'sport as therapy' and therapeutic landscapes studies, all have at their core an overlapping interest in understanding the affective, sensory and psychological impact that movement practices can yield.
