Principles and techniques of drama therapy

Abstract

Drama therapy can be defined as the intentional use of creative drama toward the psychotherapeutic goals of symptom relief, emotional and physical integration, and personal growth. Drama therapy, like the other creative arts therapies (art, music, and dance), is the application of a creative medium to psychotherapy. Specfitally, drama therapy refers to those activities in which there is an established, therapeutic understanding between the client and therapist and where the therapeutic goals are primary, and not incidental to the ongoing activity. Thus, creative drama in a strictly educational setting, for example, though probably helpful to the participants, should be differentiated from drama therapy. Drama therapy broadly defined includes any therapeutic use of role-playing. However, the term drama therapy is best used for those approaches which stress the appreciation of creative theatre as a medium for self-expression and playful group interaction and which base their techniques on improvisation and theatre exercises. In the past decade in the United States drama therapy has emerged as a profession which spans both creative and mental health disciplines and offers great potential for further research into the nature of theatre and interpersonal processes (Irwin, 1979; Schattner & Courtney, 1981). The current development of drama therapy is the result of many influences. Foremost among these is Jacob Moreno, whose psychodrama was the first utilization of theatre for curative purposes since early civilization (Cole, 1975; Moreno, 1945). He developed a specific, structured approach in which the client portrays himself and significant others in re-enactments of important life events. In the 195Os, pioneers of child drama such as Peter Slade (1954) and Brian Way (1969) in Great Britain, and Winifred Ward (1957) in the United States began applying theatre techniques in children’s education. They stressed the process of creative drama rather than merely the production of scripted plays. A parallel trend in child psychotherapy was occurring with the development of play therapy approaches which utilized roleplaying and pretend games (Axline, 1947; Moustakas, 1953). In the 1960s Viola Spolin (1963) and others applied many principles of creative drama and story theatre to the creation of theatre games and improvisational forms of theatre. At the same time. Jerzy Grotowski’s (1968) experiments became known in the United States. Together, these advances influenced a generation of American theatre artists such as Chaiklin (1972) and Schechner (1973), who began experimenting with new forms of theatre and increasingly focused on the experience of the actor instead of the audience. In the 1960s the social upheaval within the United States also influenced the emergence of drama therapy. New humanistic techniques which departed from traditional psychoanalytic approaches were being created, many of which used fantasy, physical activity, or role-playing. In addition, the increased sensitivity to socially deprived groups, as well as the increased scarcity