Body- and Movement-Oriented Therapies for Adolescents in Foster Care: Reducing Aggressive Behavior

Abstract

Adolescents in the foster care system have common life paths characterized by violence, deprivation, and stress. Although foster care is implemented to prevent the negative consequences of adverse contexts, these adolescents often reveal aggressive behaviors. Motricity is the form of excellence for externalizing internal suffering when mentalization and symbolization are not accomplished. Therefore, body and movement can assume a therapeutic role when working with adolescents in foster care services. Through body, movement, and expressiveness, body- movement-oriented therapies, such as psychomotor therapy and dance-movement therapy, aim to promote positive emotional states and a feeling of competence; self-awareness and a sense of belonging; mentalization and symbolization abilities; emotional and behavioral self-regulation; and interpersonal relationship skills. This chapter presents a five-stage group intervention proposal, organized towards a deeper self- and social-awareness, a greater involvement with the group, and an increasingly frequent verbalization of emotions, thoughts, and desires.