?How Does Drama Therapy Work

How Does Drama Therapy Work?

Drama therapy uses play, embodiment, projection, role, story, metaphor, empathy, distancing, witnessing, performance, and improvisation to help people make meaningful change.

A drama therapist first assesses a client's needs and then considers approaches that might best meet those needs. Drama therapy can take many forms depending on individual and group needs, skill and ability levels, interests, and therapeutic goals. Processes and techniques may include improvisations, theater games, storytelling, and enactment. Many drama therapists make use of text, performance, or ritual to enrich the therapeutic and creative process. The theoretical found ation of drama therapy lies in drama, theater, psychology, psychotherapy, anthropology, play, and interactive and creative processes.

Who Can Benefit from Drama Therapy?

Drama therapy is for everyone across the lifespan. You do not have to be “good” at acting to benefit from drama therapy!

Client populations may include persons recovering from addiction, dysfunctional families, developmentally disabled persons, abuse survivors, prison inmates, homeless persons, people with AIDS, older adults, behavioral health consumers, at-risk youth, and the general public.

Drama therapists work in a variety of mental health and community settings. Below are some possible examples of locations where drama therapists can be found :

Mental Health Clinics

Schools

Hospital Medical Units

Hospital Mental Health Units

Substance Abuse Treatment Centers

Adult Day Treatment Facilities

Correctional Facilities

Community Centers

After School Programs

Programs for Older Adults

College Counseling Centers

Programs for Persons with Disabilities

Businesses

Programs for Refugees and Immigrants

Shelters

Residential Facilities

Nursing Homes

Private Practice Settings

Corporations

Theaters

Housing Projects

Medical Schools

Training Organizations

What are the Outcomes?

Drama therapy is beneficial for individuals, families, and communities struggling with transition, loss, social stigmatization, isolation, and conflict. It is an effective option for the treatment and prevention of anxiety, depression, and addiction, among other conditions. Drama therapy can promote positive changes in mood, insight, and empathy, and it can facilitates healthy relationships.

We invite you to learn more about drama therapy research and the Drama Therapy Review.

What is the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA)?

The North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) was incorporated in 1979 to establish and uphold rigorous standards of professional competence for drama therapists. The organization maintains requirements that must be met to qualify as a registered drama therapist (RDT). NADTA promotes drama therapy through information and advocacy.

As a member organization of the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations (NCCATA), the NADTA is aligned with professionals in the fields of art, music, dance, and poetry therapies, as well as group psychotherapy and psychodrama.

Learn more about the NADTA here.

Can I Attend a Conference or Workshop?

A good way to find out about drama therapy is to attend one of our national conferences. There you can see the work of drama therapists from across North America and throughout the world presenting many different types of drama therapy techniques used with different client populations. Conferences are open to the public and do not require previous exposure to drama therapy. You can also meet and network with professionals, talk with students about the schools they are attending, and go to workshops on such topics as alternative training, registry, and professional ethics. Watch our Events Page for information about the next conference.

If you are unable to attend a national conference, there may be regional conferences and workshops in your area. These will be listed on the Events Page as wellHow Does Drama Therapy Work?

Drama therapy uses play, embodiment, projection, role, story, metaphor, empathy, distancing, witnessing, performance, and improvisation to help people make meaningful change

A drama therapist first assesses a client's needs and then considers approaches that might best meet those needs. Drama therapy can take many forms depending on individual and group needs, skill and ability levels, interests, and therapeutic goals. Processes and techniques may include improvisations, theater games, storytelling, and enactment. Many drama therapists make use of text, performance, or ritual to enrich the therapeutic and creative process. The theoretical found ation of drama therapy lies in drama, theater, psychology, psychotherapy, anthropology, play, and interactive and creative processe

Who Can Benefit from Drama Thera

Drama therapy is for everyone across the lifespan. You do not have to be “good” at acting to benefit from drama therap

Client populations may include persons recovering from addiction, dysfunctional families, developmentally disabled persons, abuse survivors, prison inmates, homeless persons, people with AIDS, older adults, behavioral health consumers, at-risk youth, and the general publi

Drama therapists work in a variety of mental health and community settings. Below are some possible examples of locations where drama therapists can be foun

Mental Health Clini

Schoo

Hospital Medical Uni

Hospital Mental Health Uni

Substance Abuse Treatment Cente

Adult Day Treatment Faciliti

Correctional Faciliti

Community Cente

After School Progra

Programs for Older Adul

College Counseling Cente

Programs for Persons with Disabiliti

Business

Programs for Refugees and Immigran

Shelte

Residential Faciliti

Nursing Hom

Private Practice Settin

Corporatio

Theate

Housing Projec

Medical Schoo

Training Organizatin

What are the Outcom

Drama therapy is beneficial for individuals, families, and communities struggling with transition, loss, social stigmatization, isolation, and conflict. It is an effective option for the treatment and prevention of anxiety, depression, and addiction, among other conditions. Drama therapy can promote positive changes in mood, insight, and empathy, and it can facilitates healthy relationships

We invite you to learn more about drama therapy research and the Drama Therapy Revie

What is the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADT

The North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) was incorporated in 1979 to establish and uphold rigorous standards of professional competence for drama therapists. The organization maintains requirements that must be met to qualify as a registered drama therapist (RDT). NADTA promotes drama therapy through information and advocacy

As a member organization of the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations (NCCATA), the NADTA is aligned with professionals in the fields of art, music, dance, and poetry therapies, as well as group psychotherapy and psychodram

Learn more about the NADTA her

Can I Attend a Conference or Worksh

A good way to find out about drama therapy is to attend one of our national conferences. There you can see the work of drama therapists from across North America and throughout the world presenting many different types of drama therapy techniques used with different client populations. Conferences are open to the public and do not require previous exposure to drama therapy. You can also meet and network with professionals, talk with students about the schools they are attending, and go to workshops on such topics as alternative training, registry, and professional ethics. Watch our Events Page for information about the next conferenc

If you are unable to attend a national conference, there may be regional conferences and workshops in your area. These will be listed on the Events Page as welle.op?e.a.. A)?w.. es?nslstsrsnsgsesesrstsesesrstsmsrsesesrststslscsd:c.y!py?s..

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