Movement and Mindfulness: A Formative Evaluation of a Dance/Movement and Yoga Therapy Program with Participants Experiencing Severe Mental Illness

This article provides a process/formative evaluation of the program Movement and Mindfulness, a body-based program designed and implemented for use with an outpatient psychosocial rehabilitation facility. The Movement and Mindfulness program offered stress-reduction, coping skills, and pro-social behavior for people experiencing severe mental illness using
dance/movement therapy and yoga therapy-based techniques, as well as traditional group counseling and the Eastern concept
of mindfulness. A formative evaluation was carried out during a 20-week period, involving an experiential curriculum focused
on self-regulation and self-awareness. This study used qualitative methods including interviews, surveys, and verbal group
feedback for data collection and analysis. The results provide examples of psychological and physical shifts that had occurred
for the participants during the course of the program. Participants’ clinical observations revealed amelioration in pro-social
behaviors, stress management, and communication skills. Numerous hypotheses emerged to be tested in future studies at the
interface of Movement and Mindfulness programs.