Time Inside: innerdance for inmates at HMP Perth

Nestled by Scotland's River Tay, HMP Perth holds a legacy of creative recovery. Today, it houses a Recovery Hub that offers vital support to men in custody dealing with substance misuse and mental health challenges. The Hub, led by a dedicated team specially trained in trauma and addiction—including peer mentors with lived experience—provides a lifeline for those seeking to rebuild their lives. Through sessions ranging from SMART Recovery to mindfulness and sound-bowl healing, participants learn to foster resilience and reclaim inner freedom through self-awareness.

One of the newest practices offered at the Hub is innerdance, a global healing modality that helps break cycles of trauma and addiction. Contrary to its name, innerdance isn’t about dancing. It’s a sensory experience supported by music and gentle, trauma-informed touch, guiding participants into a deeply restful state where profound healing can occur. This rest helps their nervous systems reset and promotes healing processes akin to those that occur during sleep. For many participants, especially those struggling to sleep during their time in custody, the ability to feel safe enough to rest is transformative and essential to their healing. Individuals report that they are able to relax, nap, and sleep through the night—often for the first time in years.

Men in custody at HMP Perth experiencing innerdance

My name is Caroline. I am a trauma counsellor and movement therapist. For over two years, I’ve facilitated innerdance, and for the last nine months, I’ve had the privilege of working with up to 15 men at HMP Perth’s Recovery Hub. My experience in counselling spans 20 years, and in all that time, I’ve never encountered a practice that supports such immediate self-healing as innerdance. Each session leaves me humbled by the courage of these men who show up to face their inner conflicts and who are learning to trust themselves and one another.

During innerdance, participants lie down with their eyes closed while carefully curated soundscapes take them on an internal journey. The sounds guide them into a state between wakefulness and dreaming, where the branches of the nervous system are co-activated, enabling regulation while new neural pathways begin to develop. This can often lead to personal insights, changes in addiction patterns, and vivid, personal visions. Some connect with loved ones they’ve lost. One man shared how, during a session, he was transported to his sister’s grave; others, mourning friends lost to suicide, have described similar experiences, gaining a sense of closure they never thought possible.

Each session is structured to ensure safety, and the experience is uniquely personal for every participant. As they progress, many shift from chronic states of stress to feelings of balance and calm. Some men report vivid dreams or insights into their past, while others feel called to make amends for past behaviours. One participant described a vision of walking in other people’s shoes around the world—a powerful moment of empathy for him. Another expressed how the sounds of innerdance helped him bring his body into alignment, calling it “true sound healing.” He has also shared his plans to continue with sessions in his local community after his sentence is completed.

The transformations I’ve witnessed are profound. Participants report feeling better after each session, and the bond between group members deepens with every meeting. They’re not just healing themselves; they’re supporting one another. This shared vulnerability fosters trust in a place where most have experienced deep, early-life trauma. innerdance is spreading within the prison community, and sessions have increased to weekly. HMP Perth has been incredibly supportive, inviting me and some participants to share the experience on prison radio. As word spreads, other prisons are showing interest in introducing innerdance into their recovery programmes.

In early 2025, I was invited to co-create a fusion of GOGI (Getting Out by Going In) with innerdance to Los Angeles County Jail and Calipatria State Prison in America. This unfolding process will be documented, and data will be collected so that, on my return, I can integrate my learning into the spaces I hold and further develop innerdance within the UK prison system.

What’s happening in these sessions is more than just relaxation; it’s deep nervous system healing. For men accustomed to looking outside themselves for solutions or distractions, innerdance is teaching them that true peace comes from within. Through this process, they are learning to face their fears, rediscover their innate strength, and create new possibilities for their lives. By finding this inner freedom, they are charting new paths towards healing, peace, and self-empowerment.