Dance Therapy For Trauma Healing

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Your body can tell the truth long before your mouth can. We sit down with Erin Wilkins, a dance teacher and dance therapy practitioner with 31 years of experience, to explore why movement therapy can be a lifeline for people carrying trauma, shame, and the feeling of being “stuck” inside themselves.

We talk about dance therapy as a nonverbal healing modality, especially for people who don’t want to retell their story or who can’t find the words yet. Erin explains how he meets each client differently, from someone afraid to move at all to someone who was taught that dancing is “bad.” We also dig into the role of agency: choosing a song that matters, creating choreography, even teaching the dance back can rebuild confidence, voice, and a sense of safety in the body. If you care about somatic healing, nervous system regulation, and holistic health, this conversation connects the dots in a grounded, human way.

We widen the lens to presence and everyday wonder: how slowing down, noticing what’s around you, and staying adaptable can be its own kind of medicine. Erin also shares how he defines dance as any movement, whether you’re standing, seated, or moving only your hands and face, making this practice far more accessible than most people assume.

If this resonates, subscribe to the Healthy Living Podcast, share it with someone who needs a new door into healing, and leave a review so more listeners can find these conversations. What song would you choose for your first two minutes of movement today?

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