Michalina Zawartowska is a second-year master’s student in Cognitive Science at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. She has always been intertwined with music, improvisation, and dancing. During her music education (eurythmics, pianist), she was always curious about the intrinsic mechanisms occurring inside our brains. Additionally, as a contemporary/contact improvisation dancer, she has always been fascinated by the continuous relationship between mind and body. Therefore, she decided to connect these elements in the field of neuroscience.

Michalina is also interested in psychoneuroimmunology, the gut microbiome, the relationship between stress and trauma, and various types of therapies. Hence, her master’s thesis will aim to create a supportive framework and uncover the neurobiological mechanisms of dance and movement psychotherapy (DMP).

During her current internship at MIB, she will learn about data analysis of fMRI data, especially parametric modulation. Furthermore, with her supervisor Dr Victor Pando-Naude she plans to conduct a pilot study on synchronicity, rhythm, and pleasure—tools in dance and movement psychotherapy. These will be examined through the prism of the DMP framework.

Michalina is tremendously grateful for the opportunity to be here—to develop, explore, and learn.