Facebook group: The Lasting Love Movement
Jody Wager shares the intersections of her worlds as a dance therapists and massage therapist to share important insights into the human body, movement, and the mind-body connection at large.
Jody Wager, MS, BC-DMT, has been a dance/movement therapist since 1980, after receiving her Masters degree from Hunter College; which included a yearlong internship at Saint Elizabeth’s hospital in Washington, DC. Her professional career has been rich and varied. She has worked in long-term and short-term psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes and residential settings. She is currently the Director of the Expressive Therapy Department at Dominion Hospital in Northern Virginia, where she has worked since 1995. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, she continues to serve as the Senior Dance/Movement Therapist, where she provides dance/movement therapy groups for children, adolescents and adults living with mental illness, both chronic and acute. She maintains a private practice in massage therapy, body psychotherapy and clinical supervision. She teaches as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University’s Art Therapy Graduate program on the topic of embodiment and enjoys teaching dance/movement therapy theory and practice workshops throughout the country. She has offered movement openings for the past 10 years at the Psychotherapy Networker in Washington, DC and has presented at the Expressive Therapy Summit in NYC since it’s inception. When not working, she enjoys participating in a variety of dance forms, including contra, folk, blues and authentic movement. She is an avid believer in the transformative powers of movement. She is the Past President of the American Dance Therapy Association and the current Spokesperson.
Thank you, Orit, for interviewing Jody Wager. How lucky Jody’s clients are in both of her worlds. What a wonderful opportunity to hear other dmts speak about massage. It so made me miss my massage therapist of several years who left massage to go to psychology school. How do I find another massage therapist with such sensitivity – to the body and pscyhe? And, btw, I did my master’s thesis on The Healing Power of Touch in DMT. I love the gentleness of your approach, Jody. I have said to massage therapists, it took a long time for me to build up this tension. I don’t expect or want it to away overnight, as much as I’d like to be without the discomfort. It’s about learning to love ourselves. Thank you, Orit and Jody.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Donna! I thought the same thing repeatedly as I talked to Jody – where can I find a massage therapist like you?! Jody is a rare gem 🙂 I looked up in my maps how far it is to travel to her. Unfortunately, it won’t work! I hope you find someone who suits your needs gently and in careful consideration of your emotional needs too!
I am an Italian Dance Movement therapist. I’m an APID partner and I’ve been on the APID board. I really like to hear that Jody combines the different skills that are part of her formations. even when she has to work with only one technique, there is an interesting dialogue inside her! Thank you
There really is a fascinating mix that she brings to the table… and floor! 🙂 Nice to meet you Eleni, thanks for following all the way from Italy!