Information about the course
Dance Movement Therapy Training
Have you experienced Dance Movement Therapy or have you heard that this form of therapy is a recognized healing method? Have you experienced the transformative power of dance and movement and would like to learn Dance Movement Therapy systematically in order to accompany people (back) on their path to their body experience and personal expression through movement and dance?
Since 2022, ZOE SCHOOL FOR DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY has been offering the preparatory course for the Higher Swiss Federal Diploma (HFP) in Arts Therapy / Dance Movement Therapy as a recognized institute.
Immerse yourself in a world and a personal process full of learning, movement and application.
To whom it may concern
Our training is aimed at people who have already completed a qualification (BA/MA) or course of study in the fields of education, health/medicine or art. Interested parties with other qualifications or at least a high school diploma also have the opportunity to complete the course after an equivalence test.
Find out more about our admission criteria.
The course
Scope:
Our training is designed as a part-time course so that you can plan a workload of up to 60% during the training period.
The course lasts four years (eight semesters) and comprises a total of 1433 hours of contact lessons and 1735 hours of self-study time. This means that the course covers all the required learning content, contact and self-study hours as well as the seven module examinations required for admission to the Higher Swiss Federal Diploma (HFP).
An obligatory internship in a clinic is integrated into the course, accompanied by the corresponding supervision.
Timetable and organization:
Our lessons usually take place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. In principle, we aim for one weekend a month from Friday to Sunday (three days) or two weekends a month either Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday (two days). In the remaining weeks, lessons take place either on Friday or Saturday.
From the fourth to the seventh semester, a total of six intensive seminars of four to seven days are on the schedule.
All dates will be announced at the beginning of the course and later in the fall for the coming year to enable you to plan reliably. The course times are from 09:00 to 17:30/18:00, depending on the break time on the half days, with a one-hour lunch break.
The internship takes place in the sixth and seventh semester. We can offer you suitable internships or you can suggest your desired internship to us.
Language in the course
Our school is bilingual. As teaching at the ZOE SCHOOL is based on both German and English literature and some of our lecturers only speak English or German, we expect you to have knowledge of both languages at least on level B2.
Our courses in 2026 during the training years
Start of courses in 2026
1st year of training
06.02.26 Salutogenesis and mental hygien
20.02.26 Laban Bartenieff Movement System I: Self-reflection
14.03.26 Biography
24.03.26 Communication models
04.09.26 Imagination, improvisation, interaction
16.10.26 Rituals and ritualisation in Dance Movement Therapy
2nd year of training
30.01.26 Group work according to Marian Chace
18.03.26 Pedagogy
10.04.26 Kestenberg Movement Profile
25.04.26 Authentic Movement
30.05.26 Special psychopathology
13.11.26 Psychology Learning and creativity psychology
3rd year of training
06.03.26 Research in practice
08.05.26 Ethics
06.06.26 Documentation
11.09.26 Sociology Demography and foreign cultures
Internship
The course phases and their learning worlds
The courses are divided into our five levels:
Basic Level I Personal Learning World
In this phase, you will immerse yourself in the fundamentals of the Laban-Bartenieff movement system through experience, learning, and self-reflection. You will discover your personal movement language and expand and enrich it based on your own movement experiences and reflection on them.
In addition, you will learn about approaches to depth psychology dance therapy and working with movement rituals. You will gain valuable insights into the topic of mental hygiene and learn how you can consciously use it for yourself.
Another focus is on exploring your biography and the theoretical foundations that will help you to better understand yourself and others. You will also deepen your knowledge of communication, both practical and theoretical.
This phase is entirely dedicated to you – as an inspiring and well-founded start to your professional life as a dance therapist.
Basic Level II Expanded Learning World
In this phase, you will expand your foundation as a dance therapist with valuable knowledge that will make you confident, inspired, and competent in your work.
We will prepare you to work with ease and clarity in an educational context, combining the fundamentals with the creative world of art education, which will open up new possibilities for expression and creativity.
Since you will be accompanying people from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, we will work together to open your eyes to diversity: you will learn to understand and appreciate the values, norms, and lifestyles of other cultures. Insights into sociology and demography will help you recognize connections and consciously use them in your work.
In addition, you will acquire theoretical foundations in group work that will prepare you step by step to shape group processes, promote community, and accompany people in their development.
Middle Level: Medical Learning World
During this phase, you will deepen your knowledge of anatomy, physiology, psychosomatics, psychiatry, and psychopathology—always with an eye toward their significance for your future work as a dance therapist.
At the same time, the door to your artistic world of expression will be opened. You will learn the choreographic tools with which you will enter into a creative process and experience how your inner process and your creative power interweave and give power to your choreography.
Upper Level I Dance Movement Therapy Learning World
In this phase, you will expand and deepen your dance therapy practice with new methods and diverse perspectives. You will learn about topics such as assessments, therapy phases, and the therapeutic relationship, and gain a solid introduction to evidence-based work.
Upper Level II Business Learning World
In this phase, you will prepare specifically for your work in a professional environment: you will develop your own concept, learn how to communicate your services clearly and convincingly, and find out how to set up your practice from a legal and financial perspective.
You will get to know the Swiss healthcare system and find your place in it as a dance therapist. Based on your experiences from your internship, you will also create your case study. You are ready for the advanced professional examination!