- Dance teacher Gargi Dasgupta shared how dance and movement therapy helped her fight depression.
- American Psychological Association (APA) suggests that depression patients should consult with a therapist to seek medical help.
Dance and movement therapy (DMT) uses movements to help people achieve their emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration. It is extremely beneficial for psychological well-being as it helps to reduce stress, prevent mental illnesses, and manage mood, National Health Service (NHS) suggests.
Gargi Dasgupta, a Kolkata-based dance teacher, shared with MindHelp how dance and movement therapy immensely helped her in overcoming depression and other psychological issues. Two years back, she lost her fiance in a car accident. When the COVID-19 hit the world, many corporate organizations laid off their employees and Gargi was one of them. The sudden surge of devastating incidents triggered her physical and mental health issues as well.
“I was broken into pieces I thought could never be joined. I was just blank. I just had a black screen in front of my eyes all the time,” she said. Over time, she caged herself in a room and never even attempted to find another job. She had no goals left in her life.
Gargi indulged herself in further studies and joined a master’s course in Psychology– a subject that had always interested her since childhood. “I started reading again from where I had left and came to know about a new aspect of psychotherapies – the expressive therapies,” she shared with MindHelp.
She came to know about the benefits of dance and movement therapy (DMT) and decided to join the sessions that were being held in her city. She cleared her interview and started her journey with DMT. Over time, her emotions towards the therapy classes changed from apathy to excitement.
“I wanted to go to the class, I wanted to learn more about myself and about the subject,” she added further,” 32-year-old Gargi said. She started smiling like before and the 15 people in her DMT batch became a second family for her with whom she could share her happiness and sorrows.
A few months back, she started her own dance institution. When she looks back at her journey, she sees that there were a few significant things that helped her overcome her depression and eliminate her negative outlook in life.
According to Gargi, the regular DMT sessions were a safe space for her where she could express herself without any hesitation. Her batchmates were completely non-judgemental towards her and eventually became her great support system. She gradually learned to love herself and live her life to the fullest.
APA experts suggest that people with depression or other related symptoms should consult with a therapist as only a mental health professional can advise the most beneficial treatment for a patient. A therapist works closely with the symptoms and creates tailored treatment plans to address each patient’s individual concerns.
P.S – Name and place changed due to privacy concerns