Amy Vanderveer
MA, BC-DMT, LPC
she/her
Dance & Movement Therapist
Amy S. Vanderveer is a board certified dance/movement therapist and a licensed professional counselor. Her specialties include creative arts therapy with a focus in dance/movement therapy and trauma-informed care. Amy’s area of focus includes working with adults and children who live with special needs, individuals who are survivors of trauma and support for processing of grief/loss. Amy incorporates the awareness of the mind-body connection and mindfulness into her practice.
Who have you worked with as a creative arts therapist and for how long?
I have worked in a therapeutic nursery/ children’s partial hospitalization program, private practices, community mental health outpatient settings, school districts, community-based programs and non-profits. I have been practicing as a dance/movement therapist for 15 years.
Where did you go to school, and what was one of your biggest takeaways from your education there?
I graduated from Rider University with a BA in Psychology/Fine Arts ( Concentration in Dance) and received my MA from Drexel University in Creative Arts in Therapy, with a concentration in Dance/Movement Therapy. I feel grateful for my education and clinical experiences.
What's your favorite internship or practicum experience?
Bridging the Gaps, Community Health Internship Program, I worked with children who were experiencing homelessness in a camp that supported the integration of the arts and sciences. I also started a dance/movement therapy program in residential treatment facility for adolescents.
What are some activities you do during your sessions?
I implement wrist ribbons, ribbon bells and scarves as props into my sessions. I enjoy supporting clients to engage in mirroring as a activity to support creative expression, improvisation and enhancing of our movement relationship.
What's a meaningful professional experience that you've had?
Working in the Family Court system was very meaningful. Being able to support children to have a positive experience with their parents in a supervised visitation setting was amazing. I also have enjoyed my work in school districts as teaching artist, sharing the joy of dance/movement with everyone. I loved the partnership that I created between a dance studio and local non-profit to support adults living with special needs to attend a dance program and have inclusive performance opportunities. I feel grateful for these professional experiences.
What brings you joy outside of your professional life?
I enjoy spending time with my family, being in nature, practicing yoga and volunteering. I also enjoy writing poetry, journaling and dancing!
More About Amy
Amy is a board-certified dance/movement therapist and licensed professional counselor. Amy’s foundation for her clinical work originates from a client-centered and humanistic approach. She focuses on strengthening one’s awareness of the mind-body connection and increasing mindfulness of self in relationship to the world. Through her modality, Amy supports her clients to enhance their ability to cope with their environment, develop resiliency and find their own sense of perspective in life. With the integration of her creative arts background and client centered as well as humanistic approach, Amy provides a supportive, non-judgmental environment in which clients are supported to thrive. Amy is a member of the American Dance Therapy Association. Amy provides supervision for aspiring dance/movement therapists that are seeking board certification.
