What is drama therapy?
Drama therapy involves the use of dramatic and theater processes to achieve therapeutic goals. There are a number of tools available within drama therapy to foster self-expression, exploration, and transformation.
Sometimes people wonder if they need to identify as creative to participate in drama therapy, and the answer is a resounding no! This approach can be helpful for people of all ages and backgrounds. Working creatively allows us to explore ourselves in new and different ways, and has the potential to produce meaningful change.
Some of the drama therapy modalities I use in my practice include (but are not limited to): psychodrama, improvisation, story-telling, bibliodrama, role exploration and role-play, and dramatic play. Where it is helpful, I also integrate writing, art, or music exercises into sessions.
What would a drama therapy session look like?
Here are a few examples of how drama therapy might be used in your session:
We can work experientially, meaning that we can confront challenging experiences and emotions directly in the therapy session (while maintaining a sense of safety.)
We can delve into your story and help you to articulate your experiences in a way that feels meaningful.
We can explore different roles you perform in life (for example, “caregiver”, “survivor”, or “daughter”) and bring awareness to roles that feel out of balance. In trauma work especially, certain roles may dominate— often because they have served to protect you. Through role exploration, we work toward a greater sense of balance and integration between roles.
Using embodied methods, we can help get you out of your head and into your body. This is a powerful way to address overthinking.
By working creatively, we are also practicing playfulness and spontaneity— which can bring more joy into your day-to-day life!