Meeting Joan Chodorow: Dancing in the Depths
I met Joan Chodorow in 1980 at an American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) conference in Los Angeles, California.
Her warm, authentic engagement left a strong impression on me, so I was excited when, a few years later, she agreed to an interview for my master’s thesis on DreamDancing, which integrated dreamwork with movement.
This brief portrait draws on two subsequent interviews, insights from our recent conversations, and elements from her writings.
I highly recommend her books and articles for their rich articulation of her work.
Here, I will focus more on the life experiences that inspired and shaped her pioneering contributions to embodiment in depth analysis.
During our initial interview, we met in her lovely studio in Fairfax, California, where she lived with her husband, Jungian analyst Dr. Louis Stewart.
Family paintings and sculptures brightened the space, while large windows invited in light and garden views.
I still remember the floor-to ceiling bookcases, as tall as the dance floor was wide, symbolizing Joan’s roles as a scholar, dancer, and analyst.
As we sat with cups of tea, her warmth and depth put me at ease, while her curiosity galvanized our discussion of the connections between body, psyche, and spirit — interrelationships that had fascinated me since I first danced my dreams as a young dancer.
Soon, I discovered that Joan, too, had been drawn to exploring images and their relationship to movement since her early childhood – something she later called “the moving imagination.”
Over the years, our relationship has grown – from mentor to colleague to co-leader to treasured friend.
Co-facilitators in courses and conferences at the Jung Institute of San Francisco, the Authentic Movement Institute, ADTA Conferences, and in a variety of countries at IAAP Congresses, our evolving conversations and creative collaborations have enriched my life tremendously.
Over this time, I have had the pleasure to witness the impact of her writing, teaching, and depth of presence in her work with people from many parts of the world.
A pioneer in dance/movement therapy, Joan pursued training as a Jungian analyst at the C.G. Jung Institute in Los Angeles (1977–1983) to continue to deepen her understanding of the body–psyche connection.
She also led individual and group movement therapy sessions at Cottage General Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, during this time.
Her landmark book Dance Therapy and Depth Psychology: The Moving Imagination (1991), translated into more than twenty languages, remains a vital resource for clinicians and anyone exploring the body as a direct avenue to accessing and working with the unconscious. ~Tina Stromsted, Meeting Joan Chodorow: Dancing in the Depths, Page 1-2
Joan Chodorow: Dancing in the Depths
Carl Jung Depth Psychology Blog
