Decluttering the Mind: A Creative Approach Towards Becoming

The purpose of this research was to explore the researcher’s mind, as defined within the field of interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB), and concept of self in the context of professional development as a dance/movement therapist. An embodied artistic inquiry methodology was chosen to support this in-depth reflective exploration, utilizing visual art making and movement as methods of data collection and analysis. Primary research questions were inspired by Rogers’ (1961) views of psychotherapy, asking “Who am I as a therapist?” and “How may I become myself as a therapist?” The process was further structured through Siegel’s (2010a) nine domains of integration: consciousness, bilateral, vertical, memory, narrative, state, interpersonal, temporal, and transpirational. Fourteen themes were identified through dialogue transcript, creative synthesis, conversations with a research consultant, and a resonance panel. Themes were organized into two groups: (1) steps describing and supporting the process of becoming, and (2) a description of this researcher’s concept of self and its creative potential. In addition, two overarching themes— transgenerational trauma and the connectedness of brain, mind, and relationships comprising the triangle of human experience (Siegel, 2007)—were discovered. 41 pages