Expression in any form is essential and inevitable.
Antarang believes in the power of the body and its ability to support emotional well-being.
At Antarang, we use creative therapeutic tools like movement, art, music and drama to support clients to express themselves and make meaningful emotional connections.
Antarang has been established by Founder and Director Mrunmayee (Maya) Kulkarni who is a trained Dance Movement Psychotherapist from Goldsmiths, University of London.
She has a vast experience of working with children and young people with learning disabilities, cerebral palsy and haemophilia, and older people with Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease and other neurological disorders. She has also worked with adults with psychiatric conditions like Schizophrenia and Personality Disorders.
Her work is built on the principles of inclusion and acceptance.
Creative arts therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the body as a creative tool to express and explore feelings and emotions.
Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP)
DMP is the language of movement that the body uses to understand and express inner thoughts and feelings. It encourages people to move spontaneously so that they can communicate their emotions naturally. DMP offers a safe and supported space to make sense of feelings through movement, non-verbal communication and symbolic play. DMP does not require the person to be a trained dancer.
Art Therapy
In Art therapy, the client is encouraged to create a painting, drawing, clay structure or any other piece that reflects how they feel. Sometimes, the client might just create a piece without being aware of its deeper meaning. Once the piece is made, the therapist and client work together towards exploring it. Art therapy does not require the client to be a trained artist.
Drama Therapy
Drama therapy is the applied use of theatre, story-telling and improvisation that helps clients to process their experience through enactment. The client can relate with the character and explore their own story more objectively. Drama therapy does not require the client to be a trained actor or singer.
Expression is the sign of life! Creative Arts Therapy can support any individual who is willing to meet themselves and explore their journey of understanding the togetherness of body and mind.
Being a parent isn’t easy, especially during these extraordinarily challenging times! Even when you know that you’ve done your best, children may face challenges that could affect the way they see themselves, their schoolwork, their friends and their families.
You may notice
This can be due to
Some children find it difficult to put their feelings into words. Antarang offers a child-centred approach to support creative self-expression, thus helping the child to experience a more fulfilling life.
Each child is different but sometimes that difference can become overwhelming due to
Antarang can help your child and your family to celebrate this difference. By exploring different roles and developing creative movement ideas with the therapist, your child can increase their self-esteem, grow in self-confidence and develop ways to cope.
Sessions are usually 50 minutes long, either individual or in a group. Music, fabrics, puppets and other creative materials are available.
Are you experiencing
Problems at work or at home?
Problems forming relationships?
Low mood or mood swings?
Sleep troubles?
Lack of confidence and
motivation?
Antarang can support you to analyse and channelize your responses, thus enabling you to be at peace with yourself!
Chinu chya Goshti
Chinu chya Goshti is a series of 15 stories narrated in English and Marathi. These stories are aimed at helping children understand complex concepts like loss, privacy, boundaries and relationships and are built on the principles of creative arts therapies.
Manthan
Through creative movement, the dancer explores her journey towards emotional wellness.
Priy Saees,
This series of letters written by a mother to her teenaged daughter explore all the topics that a teenager confronts and discuses them openly and transparently.
Applied Arts
We use applied art forms like dance and drama to express ourselves!
Information Videos
In this segment, we discuss and answer questions about various issues related to mental health and wellness.
Keep following us on social media to get updates about our latest projects!
My son is a part of Antarang since a few months. First, I had thought it is a dance class and since he loves music, he would surely like it. But as his sessions started, I realised that it is about understanding my son’s emotional needs and developing a relationship with him through body movement. I was amazed by Mrunmayee’s understanding and positivity towards my son. I would see him smile during interactions with her and he gradually became more expressive and now explores more complicated emotions. Mrunmayee knows my son now and has helped me understand him better through very supportive explanations. I have started changing strategies and I think I can reach my son and acknowledge him better now. I can be with him as a mother, nurturing our bond and relationship. I see self-regulation and behavioural changes in him. I look forward to more support and work with her to truly understand the body-mind connection! My son equally looks forward to his sessions every week!
I got associated with Antarang through a Women’s Group for Mothers of children with Haemophilia. My experience of this group was very fruitful. I felt that I have a community sharing my same tensions and worries and all of us together could overcome our problems and be strong, without losing our confidence. We ended our group with a dance programme which was fun, stress-free and very boosting! Dance Movement Psychotherapy is a great help to those who are having some stress in their daily lives, but not able to express it verbally.
I was scheduled to have a bypass operation and I felt very anxious and scared. On top it, I was given a long list of things that I can’t do anymore. With a limited diet and several exercises to do, I was feeling very angry towards my body so decided to meet Mrunmayee for body-based therapy. As our sessions started, I began exploring many emotions and expressing them through my body. My movement was very limited at first, but soon it expanded and my negative emotions also began reducing. I started focussing on all the things I CAN do! Now, I have found my body’s new pace, and my mind is happy with it.
(MBBS, DCH, DNB (Paediatrics), Vice President (Medical), Haemophilia Society of Maharashtra, Pune Chapter.)
(PhD, Paris. Professor of French)
(German State Qualified Physiotherapist, Swiss State Qualified Paramedic)
