Dance/Movement Therapy, a form of intervention that uses movement rather than words as the primary medium for assessment, insight, and change, is incorporated into Dr. Rivi’s treatment. During the session, she facilitates change in movement patterns which may lead to alteration of the psyche, thus promoting growth and health.

Movement Therapy (MT), which incorporates music, essentially frees up the body to move even if a patient has a lot of difficulties. Moving to music combines rhythm, words, images and sounds which adds flow to people’s movement overcoming the bodies stiffness.

Even people with a lot of pain gather strength, distract their mind, relax and are more motivated when they move to music. Tremendous results have been seen in pain and stress reduction from this method. Patients describe feeling happier, stronger and pain free from continuing classes of MT over the years.

As every one knows movement may increase flexibility, decrease pain and improve mood. Dr. Rivi tries to tailor MT to specific patients’ needs. Since she knows what they can or can not do these exercises will not hurt them. Therefore people who can not participate in Aerobic training (because it is too demanding for them) benefit from MT.

Movement therapy facilitates changes in the way a person moves (physically) and feels (emotionally). These changes initially occur in the session and then carry on to everyday life. It stimulates a patient’s ability to expand their repertoire of movement, thus, affecting the body and the mind. For example, if people are habitually slouched when sitting, they will explore, practice, feel and sense how it is to attain an erect sitting position. Eventually, they will be able to utilize various sitting positions that are comfortable for them and easy to attain.

In addition to movement with music Dr. Rivi’s approach incorporates creative visualization and guided imagery. Images are thoughts that draw on senses: they may involve one, several, or all the following senses: sound, taste, movement, vision, touch and inner sensation. The goal of guided imagery is to make beneficial physical changes in the body by repeatedly “visualizing” the sensations associated with an experience. For example, asking the patients that may complain of tight upper body and neck to sit comfortably, in a quiet room, and imagine the top of their head elongating up toward the ceiling. Then checking the patient’s experiences and guiding them farther as needed. This has the effect of relaxing the muscles of the back and shoulders and reducing pain.

An image, like any other thought, sparks an electromechanically chain of events in the brain. For example, imagery influences endorphin secretion which then affects the person’s mood. At times, Dr. Rivi guides the participants in the process (“help them to see in pictures”) and on other occasions, the participants come up with their own image (“develop their own pictures”).The patient is encouraged to either create or use suggested images to explore, refresh, exercise and build on the body-mind connections. This is done either in a group setting or one on one.

This method is done in a positive, uplifting manner trying to find the health, hope, beauty of the person within. Emphasis is on realizing where we are stuck and then shifting to a different direction. And hopefully moving on in this different direction to a better place for our bodies and minds.