Rhythmic Co-regulation as a Recovery Tool for Grief, Loss, and Change: A Literature Review

Author

Rebecca Kushner, Lesley UniversityFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-20-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA - Master of Arts

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Meg Chang

Abstract

Rhythm is a core tenant in the field of dance/movement therapy. Rhythm is a particularly noteworthy tenant due to its easeful translation and universality across populations and cultures. The literature review below is a trauma-informed exploration of how rhythm might aid in the recovery process of change, grief, and loss at both the individual and collective levels. Research is explored across historic and present-day rituals which embody dance and rhythm while societal expectations, the denial of death and the harmful effects this produces are scoured closely. This literature review looks at bereavement processes in family and group systems and how rhythm can assist in regulatory behaviors among its members. Through the presented research and in self-reflection, it became apparent that although rhythm has guided mourning processes throughout human history, the practice of honoring self-and-community expression in modern grief practices while utilizing conscious rhythm has been carried onward with a fading and diminishing light.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Kushner, Rebecca, "Rhythmic Co-regulation as a Recovery Tool for Grief, Loss, and Change: A Literature Review" (2023). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 736.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/736