Dancers
I work with ballet dancers aged 15+ and people in professional dance careers who are engaged in training and professional life/performance, as well as injuries and transitions, or navigating life beyond dance.
Drawing on both my clinical expertise and lived experience within the dance world, I bring a nuanced understanding of the culture of dance and the complexities that can arise within these environments.
My work includes body image and eating concerns, self-criticism and perfectionism, anxiety, identity, relationships, injury and transition, as well as the broader challenges that can come with growing up, working and finding your place within the dance world.
Support for the Psychological Demands of Dance
Dance can involve intense pressure, high expectations and constant evaluation. For some dancers, this can contribute to perfectionism, self-criticism, body image or eating concerns, anxiety, or feeling that they are never quite “enough”.
I also see the many strengths dancers bring. Dancers are highly motivated, bright, creative and incredibly hard-working. I take a strengths-based approach that builds on these qualities, while helping you develop greater flexibility, self-understanding and compassion.
The aim isn't to change what you love about dance, but to help you feel more able to thrive within it, and beyond it.
When To Get Help & What Can We Do?
(dancer edition)
If emotions are feeling unmanageable, confusing, or are starting to impact your wellbeing, relationships, training, or work, support can help you build greater understanding and practical skills, whether you are currently dancing, navigating injury or transition, or thinking about what might come next.
We can work together to:
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Identify emotional triggers and patterns, including those shaped by training and performance environments
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Learn skills to calm and re-focus your attention during periods of pressure, stress, or self-criticism
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Increase emotional awareness and understanding, particularly around difficult or conflicting feelings
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Build tolerance for strong emotions without reacting in ways that feel unhelpful or punishing
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Improve communication about feelings, needs, and boundaries within and beyond dance
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Develop greater self-compassion and acceptance
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Explore identity, values, and future planning, including considerations around change, transition, or life after dance
Therapy can be a space to understand yourself better, develop practical skills, and work through whatever is getting in the way of your wellbeing whether or not it is directly related to dance.
You also don't need to explain the dance world to me. I speak the language and understand the context, while recognising that every dancer's experience is different.
Sessions are available in person or via telehealth, with flexibility where possible around training, touring and performance schedules.