Dance For Living was established by Rebecca Simpson in 2013 as a platform to combine creative movement with psychological development, encouraging exploration of how emotions live and move in our bodies, in a supportive and interactive group environment.

Having studied anthropology, performing arts, psychodrama and sacred theater, Rebecca traveled extensively and explored forms of ritual, dance and movement which regulate emotions and social relationships in different cultures. She sensed an under-developed “We” in Western culture where Psychology focuses on the individual and “talk therapy” is the dominant approach, often overlooking the roots of our emotional experiences: in the body and in the social environment.

With a passion to develop forms of therapy bridging this divide between individual psychotherapy and the healing power of ritual and movement as found in traditional cultures, she completed a BSc. in Psychology and a graduate diploma of Dance-Movement Psychotherapy with the International Dance Therapy Institute of Australia. She was deeply influenced by her training as a facilitator of Biodanza and her experiences in the USA learning from pioneers of dance therapy and somatics, including Gabrielle Roth (5 Rhythms), Anna and Daria Halprin (Life-Art Process), and Emilie Conrad (Continuum Movement). Also a certified yoga instructor and a licensed massage therapist, Rebecca weaves her many years of experience working in these modalities into an understanding of how the breathing, ever-changing body is the basis of our moment-to-moment experience of life.

In her native Australia, Rebecca provided programs to the general public and in settings such as community health, team-building, drug/alcohol rehabilitation, and children and adults with special needs. She created “Moving Forward”, an innovative program utilising movement experiences, visual arts and emotional regulation tools, to build resources for moving forward in life.

Since living in Berlin and the Alpujarra region in Spain she developed Wise Moves, a …

and Resonance Dance (aka “Dance-to-Connect”), a facilitated dance journey where self-connection provides solid ground for expansion into the risks and delights of connecting with others.

She also offers individual sessions, uniquely blending expressive movement and body awareness with more traditional psychodynamic approaches anchored in dialogue and role-play.