First Things First

Step #1: Get a Master's Degree in a related field (to Dance/Movement Therapy).

Because I live in California and there are no ADTA approved graduate programs yet in this state, I chose to do my Master of Arts degree through the Tamalpa Institute and Lesley University's joint program in dance based, Expressive Arts Therapy. I have advisors for this process, and travel to Cambridge every semester for meetings with a Tamalpa Institute representative, who lives on the East Coast, as well with two additional faculty members from Lesley University, all of whom are experts in the fields of somatics, psychology, and movement. Tamalpa's training levels 1 and 2 count for my graduate level coursework, with papers and my thesis being additional independent work specifically for Lesley University. Tamalpa training offers an additional Halprin Practitioner certification, with which I need to fulfill additional requirements.

Step #2: Complete Alternate Route Training:

Because Tamalpa is not approved by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA), additional coursework in alternate route training is necessary to become Dance Therapist Registered. I have applied to Center for Movement Education and Research (CMER)'s program, an 18 month program that meets one weekend a month for this education and training. CMER's program includes most of the coursework EXCEPT the hours necessary for Movement Observation and requirements in Anatomy/Physiology.