Creative Healing in Mental Health
“Creative work, as is so beautifully demonstrated in this film, is timeless, an inherent part of being human, and always accessible to us.” — Janet Adler, Ph.D., ADTR, Author &...
Introduction
Eleanor Irwin, PhD, RDT, TEP
“Looking for Me”
Janet Adler, Ph.D., ADTR
“Should be of great interest to mental health professionals, especially those who work with emotionally disturbed children”
— Jack Neher, Mental Health Materials Center
This 1968 film of Janet Adler’s dance/movement therapy work has been celebrated for capturing a series of ongoing sessions between Janet and two autistic girls, ages two and five. As Janet mirrors their gestures, the children gradually develop trust in her, shifting out of their profound isolation. With time, the girls allow themselves to be touched by Janet, building toward a sense of reciprocity and intimacy. The viewer cannot help but be moved by this heartfelt and compelling film.
Awards:
*CINE Golden Eagle Assn. honoree
*American Psychological Assn. honoree
*American Psychiatric Assn. honoree
*Council for Exceptional Children honoree
*American Speech-Language-Hearing Assn. honoree
*National Coalition of Arts Therapy Associations honoree
*Landers Associates Award
*Rio De Janeiro Film Festival Award
“Still Looking”
Janet Adler, Ph.D., ADTR
“What a beautiful, compelling film this is. What it shows so clearly is the ongoing, interwoven relationship between the body, the imagination, and the emotions” — Dr. Joan Chodorow, ADTR, Analyst Member, C.G. Jung Institute, San Francisco
Twenty years after “Looking for Me,” Janet Adler produced the first filmed sessions featuring Authentic Movement, an embodied awareness practice with roots in dance, somatic healing practices, and mysticism. In this film, Janet allows us to join her as witness to the spontaneous movement experiences of eight professional women as they explore the relationship between moving and witnessing. Learning how to see and be seen clearly in the presence of one another, the process of compassionate witnessing invites consciousness, enhancing the integration of body and spirit.
Awards:
*Dance on Camera Film Festival Award
*International Film & Television Festival of New York honoree
Total Running Time: 1 hour, 1 minute
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