Recent AnnouncementsA Message From ADTA LeadershipMarch 13, 2020Dear ADTA Community:As the news of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) rapidly grows and evolves, we know that you are concerned about the well-being of your families, clients and community. The ADTA and DMTCB (Dance/Movement Therapy Certification Board) are fastidiously monitoring the situation in order to provide guidance to our community of dance/movement therapy practitioners, educators and students. The well-being of our community and those we serve is of the highest concern and priority for your leadership at this time.As such, we are writing to provide you with support and guidance as you strive to make safe, healthy and socially mindful decisions for yourself, your families and your clients. We will be updating our guidance as the external circumstances evolve. In the meantime, please reach out to us at [email protected] with specific questions, concerns or needs.*Thank you to the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) for their comprehensive March 12, 2020, communication which helped inform much of the guidance below.Keeping Current with Accurate InformationUp-to-date and accurate information is critical for safety. Visit the CDC website for accurate and up to date information. Below are specific sections from the website that may be particularly helpful:
Working with ClientsIf your work requires you to have direct client contact during this time, please consider the following strategies to protect both you and your clients’ safety:
Educators and StudentsThe ADTA educators and Committee on Approval and the DMTCB have held several meetings to discuss the unique circumstances COVID-19 is creating for educators and students. Most colleges and universities have suspended all in-person classes and our educators are working diligently to adjust teaching methods and content for an online environment. If you are an educator, you will be receiving a comprehensive communication with support and guidance from the Committee on Approval in the coming days.
We also know this a time of high anxiety for students, especially those who are planning to graduate soon and are unable to attend their internships. The ADTA and DMTCB leadership are engaged in serious ongoing consultation about how to address this situation. We will be able to provide more information very soon.
Mental Health, Self-Care and Reducing IsolationStress, anxiety and fear are common reactions to the current COVID-19 outbreak. It is critically important that as we work to ensure safety, we also remember to attend to the mental health and wellbeing of our clients, communities and, critically, ourselves.
Some ideas to help with this include:
See the CDC’s Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19 and Taking Care of your Emotional Health webpages for further information.
It is important we find ways to remain connected during this difficult time. We encourage you to stay in touch more broadly via social media. Consider using the ADTA Facebook Group to connect, decrease isolation and share ideas about how you are managing personally and professionally.
We will be sending additional messages providing updated guidance in the weeks to come. For now, we are wishing you and your loved ones safety and mental well-being during this difficult time.
Paul Sevett, ADTA President-Elect
Below please find the prior email communications regarding the change.
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