Date of Award
Spring 5-5-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Expressive Therapies
Major
Expressive Therapies Studies
First Advisor
Meg H. Chang, EdD, BC-DMT, LCAT
Abstract
The goal of this thesis was to understand the impact that perimenopause and the COVID-19 pandemic have on individuals and how existential theory and dance/movement therapy can be applied to enhance quality of life. The literature review first explores historical and current contexts of perimenopause. The second section covers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregiving individuals, particularly women. Subsequent sections introduce existential theory and dance/movement therapy frameworks, with a concentration on relevant concepts for the specified population. Research shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, external pressures around appearance, reproductive value, and the societal expectations of women intensified. Overall, the research supported that perimenopausal individuals in a post-COVID-19 pandemic society can benefit holistically from dance/movement therapy through an existential-feminist lens.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Schmitz, Karen, "Exploring Dance/Movement Therapy Through an Existential-Feminist Lens for Perimenopausal Individuals in the Post-COVID Digital Age: A Literature Review" (2025). Expressive Therapies Theses. 52.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_therapies_theses/52
Included in
Counseling Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Mental and Social Health Commons, Somatic Psychology Commons, Women's Studies Commons
