Drama as Therapy

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

How is dramatherapy practised? What does research reveal about how dramatherapy offers therapeutic change? This book examines the many ways clients and therapists explore the therapeutic possibilities of drama. Whilst the first volume combined theory, practice and research in the field, this second volume concentrates on clinical material from a range of contexts, with thorough description and analysis of therapeutic work.

Bringing together international contributors, chapters explore work with various client groups in an array of contexts, including:

Drama as Therapy Volume 2: Clinical Work and Research into Practice is not only a welcome companion to the first volume, but also is an important stand alone work which will be of great interest to all those studying, practicing or with an interest in dramatherapy.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of illustrations (p. xiii)
• Contributors (p. xv)
• Preface (p. xviii)
• Acknowledgements (p. xx)
• Part I Clinical practice: contexts, research and dialogues (p. 1)
• 1 The nature of practice and practitioner research (p. 3)
• Introduction: the emergence of the dramatherapy practitioner (p. 3)
• The practice of research: researching practice (p. 4)
• Practitioner research (p. 6)
• The variety of dramatherapy practice (p. 10)
• The triangle in dramatherapy practice (p. 10)
• Dramatherapy: practice, dialogues and research (p. 13)
• The dramatherapy space (p. 19)
• Conclusion (p. 20)
• 2 The social and political contexts of dramatherapy (p. 21)
• Introduction: perspectives and contexts (p. 21)
• The idea of a political context for dramatherapy (p. 21)
• The politics of provision: visible and invisible (p. 22)
• The politics of the client and the therapist (p. 23)
• Opening understanding: examples of engaging with social and political contexts (p. 27)
• Conclusion (p. 33)
• 3 The theory within the practice: dialogues with key theorists Dialogues With (p. 35)
• Introduction (p. 35)
• Dialogue with Sue Jennings; 'Embodiment, projection, role: broad stages that contain many activities' (p. 35)
• Dialogue with Robert Landy: 'Healing occurs through the ability to live within the paradoxical realities of actor/role, worldlstage' (p. 41)
• Dialogue with Dorothy Langley; 'The dramatherapist is actor, audience, director and interpreter' (p. 46)
• Dialogue with Adam Blatner: 'Only through a mobilisation of viewpoints can people develop a more mature consciousness' (p. 50)
• Dialogue with David Read Johnson: 'As the therapist and client play, the play is increasingly about what is real, while remaining play' (p. 54)
• Dialogue with Helen Payne: 'It is emotional intelligence which is being developed. .. since feelings are located first and foremost in the body' (p. 61)
• Part 2 Clinical practice and practitioner research (p. 65)
• 4 The Narratives of Change project: dramatherapy and women in conflict with the law (p. 67)
• Introduction (p. 68)
• Contexts (p. 68)
• Description of the work (p. 72)
• Reflection on theory and method (p. 78)
• Conclusion (p. 82)
• Acknowledgements (p. 83)
• 5 Clinical eifectiveness of dramatherapy in the recovery from severe neuro-trauma (p. 84)
• Introduction (p. 85)
• Contexts (p. 85)
• Description of the work (p. 88)
• Case studies (p. 91)
• Reflection on theory and method (p. 95)
• Conclusion (p. 103)
• 6 Expanding the frame: self-portrait photography in dramatherapy with a young adult living with cancer (p. 105)
• Introduction (p. 105)
• Case study: Gaia (p. 106)
• Contexts (p. 106)
• Description of the work (p. 109)
• Reflection on theory and method (p. 118)
• Conclusion (p. 124)
• 7 Dramatherapy with adolescents living with HIV: story making, drama and body mapping (p. 126)
• Introduction (p. 127)
• Contexts (p. 127)
• Description of the work (p. 132)
• Reflection on theory and method (p. 146)
• Conclusion (p. 150)
• 8 Dramatherapy and victim empathy: a workshop approach in a forensic setting (p. 152)
• Introduction (p. 153)
• Contexts (p. 154)
• Description of the work (p. 157)
• Reflection on theory and method (p. 168)
• Conclusion (p. 171)
• 9 Dramatherapys learning disabilities and acute mental health (p. 172)
• Introduction (p. 172)
• Contexts (p. 173)
• Description of the work (p. 175)
• Reflection on theory and method (p. 185)
• Conclusion (p. 188)
• 10 Mind the gap: facilitating transformative witnessing amongst audiences (p. 189)
• Witnessing and interactive audience: core processes in dramatherapy (p. 190)
• Creating safer spaces with South Asian women: a violence prevention programme using the applied arts (p. 194)
• Description of the work (p. 196)
• Conclusion (p. 205)
• 11 Embodying difference: to join or not to join the dance (p. 208)
• Introduction (p. 208)
• Contexts (p. 209)
• Description of the work (p. 210)
• Reflection on theory and method (p. 221)
• Conclusion (p. 223)
• 12 Cinderella: the role fights back (p. 224)
• Introduction (p. 225)
• Contexts (p. 225)
• Case study: Jenny (p. 227)
• Description of the work (p. 228)
• Reflections on theory and method (p. 240)
• Conclusion (p. 245)
• 13 'The river of my life - where things can break and things can mend': Ruth's nine years' therapy programme at Family Futures and three sessions that stand out. An account by Ruth and her therapist (p. 247)
• Introduction (p. 248)
• Contexts (p. 248)
• Description of the work (p. 249)
• Reflection on theory and method (p. 256)
• Conclusion (p. 258)
• 14 Saisir les etoiles: fostering a sense of belonging with child survivors of war (p. 260)
• Introduction (p. 260)
• Considering trauma in treatment (p. 261)
• Description of the work (p. 263)
• Reflection on arts processes (p. 272)
• Challenges and future considerations (p. 273)
• 'Results' of the group and conclusion (p. 274)
• Appendix (p. 275)
• References (p. 278)
• Contacts (p. 291)
• Index (p. 292)