Therapy for the mind: Movement-based healing

KOCHI: Sushila Pai, a dance instructor and trainer from Kochi, is helping disturbed minds find strength through rhythmic movement. She empowers minds using "movement therapy." According to Sushila, movement therapy is not a treatment but a perspective. Songs can bring joy and calm to the mind, while movements enhance focus. This is the approach she has implemented at the Mudra Centre of Dance, which has five branches across Ernakulam.

Unlike classical dance, movement therapy doesn’t follow strict rules or require continuous practice. There is choreography, but it’s not necessary to follow the meaning or mood of a particular song.

Sushila, daughter of Krishna Pai and a native of Convent Junction, began learning classical dance at the age of five. She got married at 18 and later worked as a school teacher. It was during that time that she felt the desire to become a professional in dance. She trained in modern dance under Padma Menon and learned Kathak under Deepali Vichare.

Through modern dance, she began observing the connection between the mind and body movement. She earned certification from the Creative Movement Therapy Association of India, based in Bengaluru. Her husband is Umesh Pai, a businessman. Her mother is Rajamani. Her children are Shalini, an Odissi dancer, and Siddharth, a student.

Two-hour training sessions

Each training session lasts two hours, starting with a warm-up that aims to lift participants into a joyful mood. The fee package varies depending on the number of participants and their specific needs. Monthly fees for dance classes range from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000. Most attendees are staff from corporate companies.

During the floods, Sushila offered comfort at relief camps. She also provided online classes to those isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Movement therapy sessions are also conducted in jails and community colonies.