We recently connected with Melissa Briggs and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Melissa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

At this point in my career, I have had several meaningful projects; however, a more recent project particularly stands out to me. In this project, I was not only challenged artistically and professionally but I was equally challenged personally. This project encouraged me to tap into my innermost authentic self and to truly, embody and embrace the character and elements of the story being told. It was one of the first moments in my performing arts career where I felt I was wearing my emotions and heart on my sleeve. I was inspired by my choreographer, music composer, and dance colleagues, to expand my dance capabilities even further beyond my comfort zone and far past anywhere I had explored before in my dancing. I was touched by the community and how the movement and story connected to them, which allowed me to showcase most vulnerable parts of myself in the piece.

Melissa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Melissa!

I’m a professional ballet dancer with the Realm Company, based in Los Angeles, CA. We’re consistently performing a few times a year around the Los Angeles area, working to build our company to higher levels in the performing arts industry. I’m also a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT) and Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC). I hold a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance Performance with a Ballet emphasis from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where I graduated in May of 2020, summa cum laude. I also received my M.A. from Lesley University in May 2022, in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Dance/Movement Therapy. I am currently working towards Board Certification in Dance/Movement Therapy under the supervision of a Board-Certified Dance/Movement Therapist and also work under a licensed clinical mental health professional as I prepare for my full clinical mental health license. I have worked with adolescents and individuals with special needs in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, in the areas of trauma, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, most of which included dual diagnoses. I have also worked in residential care and treatment for those 18+ who sought relief and recovery from mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, trauma, complicated grief, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, psychosis, co-occurring disorders of substance misuse, and disordered eating.

I am devoted to using Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) in conjunction with other expressive and integrative therapies, to promote healing and positive self-transformation to overcome and manage trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and other challenges. DMT is the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of each individual, for the purpose of improving health, self-esteem, body-image, and well-being. My theoretical framework is based upon Chacian DMT, and I use the Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) to support, observe, assess, and offer treatment with appropriate interventions in my DMT practice. I also use Carl Rogers’ Person-Centered Therapy (PCT) theories, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Grief Therapy, along with psychological approaches including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and incorporates Mindfulness, Psychoanalytic Theory, Adlerian Psychology, Humanistic Psychology, Jungian Psychotherapy, and Relational Therapy techniques in my multi-dimensional approach to treatment. I believe that building a therapeutic relationship tailored to meet the needs of the moment is a key factor for enhancing insight and growth in every individual.

I believe the mind-body-spirit connection is essential to healing and overall wellness. Meeting people where they are, building trust by creating strong therapeutic relationships, and fostering a safe space allows clients to explore their most challenging inner conflicts and barriers to paving a healthy way forward. I am strongly influenced by the core concepts and structures of Marian Chace, Carl Rogers’ Person-Centered Therapy (“PCT”), and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (“CBT”). In addition to my core concepts above, I use the Laban Movement Analysis (“LMA”) assessment tool as a framework to analyze a client’s observed movements to help enhance their growth.

I am proud to integrate my extensive dance background with my movement therapy lens to best support others and their well-being, which I believe sets my focus apart from others in that I have found a way to blend both my disciplines to complement one another.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a ballet dancer is the feeling of performing on stage and connecting with an audience, experiencing the thrill of expressing yourself through movement and artistry, especially when you successfully execute a challenging routine after dedicated practice and hard work; essentially, the satisfaction of sharing your passion with others through dance and movement. I have found that the emotional connection I have to dance and movement offers me the ability to convey and explore emotions and stories through physicality to connect with the audience on a deeper and more intimate level. The physical achievement and mastery have encouraged me to work hard toward fine-tuning my technique and mastering complex choreography. Also, by pushing myself to new heights of physical resilience to be able to perform with grace and precision. Ballet has offered me the opportunity to interpret music and create beautiful art through my body via artistic expression. I’m grateful for the feedback from audience members as a performer and the time, dedication, and discipline I have gained that is required in ballet training, which has led to personal growth and self-awareness.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish there were more resources available for mental health earlier in my creative journey. Hence, a part of why I pursued dance/movement therapy, was to be able to strengthen my mind-body connection while navigating mental health challenges not only for myself but to be able to support others through theirs. Mental health is especially important for dancers because they are often judged on their physical appearance and performance, and face stressors that can negatively impact their mental health. Mental health resources can help dancers regain their sense of self, identify unhealthy values, and develop a healthy relationship with dance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.melissabriggsofficial.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissalorraineee/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissa.l.briggs/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-lorraine-briggs-7834866b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mell7266

Image Credits

Hannah Cox, Emily DeVito, Chasen Greenwood, Taylor Briggs