KAFU Students Explore Dance-Movement Therapy Methods
On November 2, 2026, a practical session on “Dance-Movement Therapy” was held at the Kazakh-American Free University (KAFU) for third-year students of the Psychology degree program, as part of the “Fundamentals of Psychological Training” course.
The session was led by guest specialist Vera Kulenova—a clinical psychologist, logotherapist, and dance-movement therapist.
During the session, students were introduced to the core principles of dance-movement therapy—a psychological approach focused on recognizing and expressing emotions through movement, as well as developing body awareness and emotional self-regulation.
Particular emphasis was placed on the practical application of techniques for addressing emotional states, including rhythmic group activities, “body action,” kinesthetic empathy (mirroring), and symbolization.
The practical work was structured in three stages: a warm-up, the development of the main theme, and a conclusion. This framework allowed participants to engage progressively in group interaction, explore ways to express emotions through movement, and reflect on their experience.
The students participated actively in the exercises, showed a keen interest in learning new psychological techniques, and noted the positive atmosphere of the session.
Such practical sessions help broaden the professional horizons of future psychologists, develop their group-work skills, and introduce them to contemporary methods of psychological support.
Department of Pedagogy and Psychology