Moving Toward Wellness: The Somatics and Movement for Healthcare Program

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In the heart of the Sun City, a groundbreaking project at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is putting movement at the center of medical care. Led by Dr. Melissa Melpignano from the College of Liberal Arts, Department of Theatre and Dance, with Dr. Amelia Rau from the College of Health Sciences, the Somatics and Movement for Healthcare research project is pioneering a new approach to wellbeing for healthcare providers, patients, and their families. Funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, this project redefines the body not just as a vessel or site of diagnosis, but as a source of wisdom, empathy, and connection.

With burnout rates among healthcare professionals remaining elevated compared with pre-pandemic levels (Mohr, 2025), the need for sustainable self-care has never been more urgent. In collaboration with local healthcare institutions such as University Medical Center (UMC) and El Paso Children's Hospital, and with Texas Tech, Dr. Melpignano and her team are training healthcare workers to reconnect with their bodies through dance, mindful movement, and somatic awareness.

Somatics, a field exploring body awareness and movement as critical to well-being, has roots in both science and art. The field is interdisciplinary, integrating scientific foundations, such as neuroscience, with artistic practices like dance (Lynch, 2016). The program’s trainings and workshops encourage participants to listen to their bodies in active ways, building new possibilities for agency. This involves transforming daily routines and workplace environments, reducing stress, and exploring new pathways to connect with colleagues, families, and patients. Early results are promising, with more than 90% of participants reporting that the workshops helped them acquire tools to intervene and advocate for effective patient care.

As the Somatics and Movement for Healthcare program continues to grow, it is creating new pathways for recognition. The goal is to set a national model for integrating arts-based and somatic training into healthcare, equipping providers with the tools they need to thrive in body, mind, and spirit. Recent program milestones reflect that growth. A fall workshop centered on the pediatric care community brought together medical doctors, nurses, clinicians, and mental health providers for training grounded in the realities of their work. In February 2026, UTEP’s Slow Emergences dance festival included a special recognition event honoring healthcare professional for their exceptional service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Melpignano noted that many providers are still carrying the weight of pain and suffering from that period. Somatics and Movement for Healthcare is a compelling example of what becomes possible when academics, the arts, and medicine come together in the service of the community.

Written by Nora Hernandez, Assistant Director of Research Development, Research & Innovation.

Point of contact: Melissa Melpignano, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Director of Dance, Department of Theatre & Dance, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at El Paso, mmelpignano@utep.edu

References

Mohr, D. C., Elnahal, S., Marks, M. L., Derickson, R., & Osatuke, K. (2025). Burnout Trends Among US Health Care Workers. JAMA Network Open, 8(4), e255954. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.5954

Mullan, K. J. The Art and Science of Somatics: Theory, History and Scientific Foundations. Master’s Thesis, Skidmore College, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Program, March 2012. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/24471053/The_Art_and_Science_of_Somatics_Theory_ History and_Scientific_Foundations