Sabine C. Koch

Prof. Dr. Sabine C. Koch is a Professor of Dance and Movement Therapy at Alanus Hochschule Alfter and Head of the Research Institute for Creative Arts Therapies (RIArT). She holds a habilitation and multiple professorships, including at SRH Hochschule Heidelberg (2012–present) and has led the Alanus Research Institute since 2015. Her work focuses on embodiment theory, applying it to creative arts therapies such as dance, theater, and art to address mental and physical health challenges.

Her education includes a Diplom in Psychology from Heidelberg University (1999) and a PhD (2003) and Habilitation (2009) from Heidelberg. She has led major projects like the BMBF-funded 'Körpersprache' (2009–2011), the EU TESIS project (2011–2015), and the Heidelberg Center for Motion Research (2016–2022). Awards include ADTA Research Awards (2007, 2013, 2014, 2023) and a Fulbright Scholarship (1996).

Research interests span embodiment theory, enaction, systems theory, and their application in therapies. Her work emphasizes the role of movement in mental health, including studies on autism, schizophrenia, oncology, and refugee trauma. She collaborates internationally, including with institutions in Chile, Slovenia, and France. Her recent articles explore drama therapy for flood-affected children, dance therapy for dementia patients, and embodied approaches to experience studies.

Grants and networks include the DFG-funded EmbodiNet (2024–2026) and a PhD program in Creative Arts Therapies with Witten/Herdecke University. Koch’s labs and teams focus on interdisciplinary motion research and clinical applications of movement therapies. She has advised numerous studies on therapeutic efficacy and co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles and books, including 'The Routledge International Handbook of Embodied Perspectives in Psychotherapy' (2019).