Dr Thania Acarón is a dance movement psychotherapist, researcher, lecturer and performer from Puerto Rico, currently based in Wales. She obtained her PhD on the role of dance in violence prevention at the University of Aberdeen and holds an MA in Dance Education from New York University. She is certified as a clinical supervisor in dance movement psychotherapy in the UK and US and has worked in this field since 2006. Thania currently works as a lecturer at the University of South Wales in the Faculty of Creative Industries. She offers international workshops on movement for wellbeing, therapeutic work with the LGBT+ community, embodied decision-making, physical theatre/contemporary dance, interdisciplinary therapeutic arts and violence prevention.
Samina works as an Integrative Embodied Psychotherapist, focusing on client-centred psychotherapy, alongside a therapeutic toolkit such as - Gestalt and Internal Family Systems, Laban Movement Analysis, and psychodynamic and phenomenological interventions based on the client’s interests and belief systems.
Samina’s training and approach focuses on movement and creative pathways to healing embodied trauma, whilst creating new neural pathways to living a more fulfilling life.
Samina has worked with children in primary school, children with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), adults with schizophrenia and depression, elder community groups focusing on themes of bereavement, depression and isolation, and more recently young adults with anxiety, including a client with brain damage and severe physical disabilities. The ever increasing field of neuroscientific research and compassion based approaches informs Samina’s work today.
Emma Dickson is a Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist, Somatic Body Map Practitioner, Perinatal Mental Wellbeing Practitioner (Beyond Birth) and performer based in Cardiff, Wales. Emma completed her BA Hons in Dance and Professional Practise at Coventry University in 2009. In 2014 she gained her DMP Masters at the University of Roehampton. Emma has worked with children, adolescents, adults and older adults within the community, NHS, forensic, mental health, learning disabilities, prison services and armed forces community.
Emma is passionate about holding space for those who wish to work through trauma and life events in creative ways, supporting individuals to reconnect with their body’s, mind & soul/spirituality. Through Move Into Freedom Emma offers a range of DMP and wellbeing sessions and retreats, whilst with her dance collective Neoteric Dance Company, she creates dance films and live performances that explore mental health, social issues and topics that are important to audiences, artists and local communities.
Matilda Tonkin Wells is a Dance Artist and Dance Movement Psychotherapist based in Wales. From a background in dance, political activism and community engagement, she went on to obtain an MA in Dance Movement Psychotherapy from Goldsmiths College in 2018. Her work has been shaped by trauma informed practices which has led to an interest in interweaving creativity and psychoeducation as a means of addressing the intersectionally influenced way in which individuals relate to their bodies. Matilda’s work is heavily influenced by animism - the worldview which posits that all things are beings and all beings are interrelated. From this angle, both her therapeutic and creative work focuses on relationship to self, others and the more-than-human realm.
She has worked with survivors of sexual, domestic and gender based violence, those who have experienced forced migration and those seeking mental health support. She is currently involved in the Health Art Research People Seed Project and is collaborating with the sexual violence support service for Wales, New Pathways.
Henrietta Wynne Finch is a registered Movement Psychotherapist (RDMP), Craniosacral Therapist (RCST), Somatic Movement Practitioner and Sound Healer.
She runs a private practice in North Wales offering one-to-one sessions, workshops and retreats. She works with both children and adults, specialising in working with adolescents and young adults.
In all her work Henrietta’s focus is on deep shadow work. Uncovering, exploring and transforming unhelpful patterns of behaviour and unresolved traumas and fears. Patterns that may be imprinted deep in our bodies from as far back as the womb. With the use of movement and touch Henrietta works creatively and energetically through the body to help her clients connect with the deepest sense of who they are and the potential for who they may become.
Henrietta is currently developing a Creative Arts Retreat Centre on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park. The vision of the Centre is to collaborate with Artists, Therapists and Creative visionaries to bring people together in a spirit of openness to explore our relationship with ourselves, each other and the natural world and deepen into our commitment to transformation for ourselves and our planet.
Roisin Murphy-Mortimer is a Dance Movement Psychotherapist and Yoga Teacher based in South Wales. Coming from a dance and drama background she uses a multitude of creative tools to facilitate the creative process and sees the benefit of exploring emotional, psychological and relational challenges through a creative lens. She uses a combination of psychological theories and a person centred approach with clients.
Roisin has worked with children and adolescents with attachment disorders, depression, anxiety, ASD and ADHD. She has worked with adults with additional learning needs and physical disabilities, Parkinson’s Disease and dementia. Presently she is working in a crisis setting for adults and in a hospital rehabilitation setting within Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board working with eldery patients. Here they explore movement, bodies and the healing process.