{"value"=>"<p> <span class=\"title\">A Rationale for Family Dance Therapy for Treating the Emotionally Disturbed Child</span></p> <p>Historically, emotionally disturbed children have received treatment in isolation from their family. With the increased acceptance of the systemic family origin of emotional disturbances in children, the need has risen for an integration of child therapy and family therapy. The traditional verbal approach of family therapy limits the active participation of the emotionally disturbed child in the therapeutic process. Therefore, this paper promotes the joining of dance-movement therapy and family therapy to create a hybrid theoretical perspective-family dance therapy. To support this hybridization, a developmental approach to treating the emotionally disturbed child through the techniques of dance-movement therapy is presented. In addition, the importance of the family system is discussed in relation to the environmental effect on the child's psychological development. These theoretical constructs are subsequently integrated to form a cohesive therapeutic perspective. Finally, suggestions are made to further the awareness of the mental health field to the value of a dance-movement based approach to family therapy.</p>"}