International Dramatehrapy conference 2025
“Human & Nature in Dramatherapy”
RIGA, Latvia
CATALOGUE
Tickets here → Dramatherapy Conference “Human & Nature in Dramatherapy”
LIVE STREAM
Opening ceremony with Latvian Dramatherapy Association,
Nisha Sajnani, Johannes Junker, Jana Duhovska
Keynote Speakers Merry Ross and Susana Pendzik
Latvian Dramatherapy Association
Nisha Sajnani, PhD, RDT-BCT, is the director of the NYU Program in Drama Therapy, principal editor of Drama Therapy Review, past president of the North American Drama Therapy Association, founding member of the World Alliance of Dramatherapy, and co-founding co-director of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab founded in collaboration with the WHO. She is the co-author of Intercultural Drama Therapy (2023) and co-editor of Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, Classrooms, and Communities (2014/2024). An award-winning author, educator, and advocate, her body of work explores the unique ways in which aesthetic experience can inspire care, equity, and collective human flourishing across the lifespan.
Johannes Junker
Jana Duhovska
A teacher, a trainer and a performer – Merry Ross, LMFT, RDT,who will be presenting her talk titled: Natural Connection: With Our Surroundings, Our Community and Ourselves.
Our natural world is interconnected. Trees, plants, flowers, animals, are always in communication with each other. Their survival depends on it.
Humans are the same. We are also interdependent with our family, friends, and community. They help sustain us, support us when we need it, bring us joy, play with us.
This keynote will explore how our connections to nature and community enrich our lives and help us know ourselves better, and live our best lives.
Prof. Susana Pendzik, PhD, RDT, Lecturer in Theatre Studies Department, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Co-editor of Dramatherapy Journal. Prof. Pendzik will be presenting her speech with a topic: Dramatherapy – A Living Tree of Hope in a Chaotic Environment.
Mental health is defined by the World Health Organization as a state of well-being in which each person can realise his or her potential, cope with life’s stresses, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to his or her community. But in the global political, economic, climatic and social environment, in which we are all immersed, this postulate seems more an elusive ideal than an achievable reality.
What could be the purpose of dramatherapy in a world driven by discrimination, wars, and climate distress?
Dramatherapy is rooted in the therapeutic potential of theatre, play, imagination, and the creative arts. It is an active, experiential and collaborative approach that focuses on the regenerative aspects of human personality, drawing on the capacity inherent in the arts to activate vital energy, facilitate therapeutic transformation, and promote resilience among individuals, groups and communities.
This lecture strives to instil a little seed of hope by sharing some amazing dramatherapy stories of resilience and collaboration that dare to grow amid despair, impotence, and chaos.
Tickets here → Dramatherapy Conference “Human & Nature in Dramatherapy”
May 2-3, 2025 | Riga, Latvia
1. Duet Between Leelah and Playback
Dov Blum-Yazdi, Hila Haba Ashkenazi, Amani Mussa
Israel
We are a team of three therapists, each hailing from the same country but from distinct societies and sectors. Each brings a unique blend of perspectives. Hila is rooted in traditional Jewish culture, Amani is a member of Palestinian Arab society, and Dov is part of secular Israeli society. These diverse backgrounds, with our unique norms, values , and rituals, shape our approaches to therapy. We come from different and sometimes conflicting cultures, adding a rich layer of diversity to our multicultural space.
The war to which we are inevitably subjected sharpens the various conflicts and raises the anxiety threshold around the continuum – personal and collective identity, expressed in a complex multicultural discourse. This complexity leads us to ask to study human nature in a multicultural context. How much space is given to personal authenticity, separateness and individuality, loyalty to society, belonging to subcultures, and togetherness? Which of these deaths is natural to us, and which is forced and artificial?
Our dramatherapy process brings human nature and culture to life within the play and dramatic experience framework. It incorporates diverse cultural norms and values, specific places, historical events, characters, and more. This approach allows patients and therapists to explore different aspects of themselves and work on cultural and emotional processes in a safe and creative environment.
We offer a tasting in a workshop that combines two methods: Leelah, a dramatherapy model based on a framework within a story that the game Dungeons and Dragons inspired. Through it, we enter a fantastic space divided into different tribes and cultures. Playback Theater uses the language of stage improvisation to perform life stories shared by a teller from the audience’s impressions. Through it, we will dive into the personal stories so that the workshop will contain transitions between the personal and the collective.
Dov Blum-Yazdi is the researcher of “Leelah – Play for Itself” – a non-directive model,” and “The Leelah play paradigm”: Theoretical Concepts of Power, Identity, and Liberty in the Therapeutic Playing Field.
He is a Drama Therapist and Clinical Criminologist. Graduate of psychotherapy mind-body-spirit program. PhD graduates in psychoanalysis and Hermeneutics: Bar-Ilan Uni. Post-doctoral, Laboratory of Psychology & S.E., University of Crete. Graduated as a Palliative Care and Chaplaincy at Shutafim Lamasa Association.
Head of Psychodrama and Dramatherapy MA program, Ultra-Orthodox Men track, Haifa University. Therapist, senior supervisor, and group specialist at the Israeli Ministry of Education. Works in “Place to be,” a drama and art therapy studio; Drama Therapist for high school youth groups, Ministry of Education.
Public activity: international representative of the Drama Division and member of the Supreme Council of the Art Therapists Association – Yahat.
A peace activist.
Hila Haba Ashkenazi: drama therapist. Works as a helpline therapist for anxiety victims at the “Resources Resilience” Centre of Professor Molly Lahad, facilitator, lecturer, actress, and anthropologist. Founder of the “Cafe Nene” ensemble, actress of “Kan and Now”: the multicultural theatre in which Arab Jewish women act together. Teaches playback theatre at the college and the community for adults. Conducts workshops for experiential learning in educational systems. Taught at universities and colleges in anthropology, sociology and playback theatre for preschoolers. The company of the IPTN World Playback Association. Currently, a therapist teaches and hosts playback theatre in Israel and abroad. She has written two articles, and another one is at work
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Amani Mussa: is an Arab drama therapist, supervisor in the field, and lecturer. She serves as the Chair of the Drama Division in YAHAT, the professional organisation for arts therapists. She is also an actress and facilitator in Playback Theatre and a founding member and performer in “Here and Now” Theatre—a bilingual, multicultural group of Jewish and Arab women aimed at creating a space for personal and community reflection and growth.
In this year 2024, completing her PhD in the field of art therapy, focusing on working with children who have experienced violence in the Arab education system in Israel
2. The Development of the Core Processes Coding Manual: Mapping the New Core Processes
Angelle Cook, Jason Frydman, Rebecca Versaci, Calli Armstrong
United States
The core processes are a unifying theory in drama therapy that extends to multiple approaches. First conceptualized by Jones (1996) and re-defined in Frydman et al. (2022) from a North American perspective, the core processes are common factors across drama therapy approaches that represent universal in-session process variables. This workshop will present and explore the continued work of the NADTA core process sub-committee to operationalize the core processes and move toward measurement development. Findings from Frydman et al. (2022) have been applied to video demonstrations of drama therapy sessions resulting in further refinement of core process definitions as well as a coding manual and decision tree. Within this work, there is a more nuanced understanding of 1) how the core processes can be observed and coded, and 2) the observable relationships among the core processes. The current coding system will be shared and participants will understand how measuring the core processes connects to research, pedagogy, and practice in the field. In adapting to survive, as discussed in the conference theme, drama therapists must adapt to be more research oriented for our field to grow, while still honoring what cannot be observed within our practice. Curiosity in one of our ways forward, to connect to our human nature, which can and should be done through empirical investigation of our form.
Angelle Cook, Phd, RDT-BCT is a visiting professor at Lesley University in the drama therapy department, where she is also the Research Lab Director of the Drama Therapy and Dis/ability Lab. She is an adjunct at New York University in the drama therapy department. Angelle is the Managing Editor for the Drama Therapy Review and the current Research Chair for the NADTA. She runs her own private practice in Virginia where she works with teens and adults at the intersections of dis/ability, chronic illness, and mental illness.
Jason S. Frydman, PhD, RDT/BCT, NCSP is associate professor of expressive therapies at Lesley University where he teaches in the expressive therapies PhD program, co-chairs the Institutional Review Board, and is the Lab Director for the Collaborative for Creative Arts Therapies in Schools. Jason serves as associate editor for general topics of Translational Issues in Psychological Science and serves on the editorial boards of Drama Therapy Review, School Psychology Review and Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma. He is past Research and Communications chair of the NADTA and was the recipient of the 2023 NADTA Research award.
Calli Armstrong, MA, PhD, RDT, is a psychologist and drama therapist at the Student Wellness Hub at McGill University. Calli is a psychotherapy process researcher and has taught at both Concordia and McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Calli previously served as Research Chair for the North American Drama Therapy Association.
Rebecca Versaci, MA, PhD(C), RDT, CCLS Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, Registered Drama Therapist, and Certified Child Life Specialist specializing in child and adolescent grief and bereavement. Rebecca is currently enrolled in Lesley University’s Doctoral Program in Expressive Therapies and passionate about using research to guide clinical practice.
3. The Dramatherapy Lab – Beyond Logic: Exploring Human Nature in a World of Nonsense
Lilith Berghmans, Lara Debeuf
Belgium
In this workshop, we invite you to step into the world of “nonsense” to uncover deeper truths about singular human nature. Inspired by our work with individuals experiencing dementia, we will explore how the unexpected, the absurd, and the playful can open doors to understanding human connection beyond the bounds of traditional logic.
Lara Debeuf is a drama therapist with a background in occupational therapy and drama therapy. From an early age, she developed a deep interest in people and human interactions. She engaged in various social projects and passionately took to the stage to express her creativity and connect with others.
Throughout her educational journey, Lara’s teachers often noted her direct approach and out-of-the-box thinking. While she struggled with subjects like mathematics, she excelled in creative disciplines such as arts, writing, and aesthetics. These experiences shaped her into a lateral thinker, someone who sees possibilities where others see limitations. Lara has a unique talent for rethinking situations, breaking free from expectations, and finding new approaches to human connection.
For Lara, playfulness, connection, and wonder are essential values—her guiding principles in both life and work. She views life as one big playground for discovery, where the only requirement is the courage to explore in your own way, defining the rules as you go.
Lara’s approach to drama therapy is deeply rooted in this philosophy, encouraging her clients to embrace spontaneity, creativity, and personal expression as tools for healing and growth.
Lilith – Storyteller and Dramatherapist
With a background in Art History, Archaeology, Anthropology, and Drama Therapy, Lilith is passionate about understanding the origins of human experience. As a “story shaper,” she strives to give people with dementia the power to reclaim their own narrative, even when words fall short.
Armed with an overflowing well of ideas and boundless enthusiasm, Lilith approaches every session with a playful spirit, while keeping a keen eye on the deeper layers of human experience. Fascinated by the complexities of the human condition, she believes that every glance, gesture, and silence contains a story waiting to be told.
Driven by empathy and a profound love for stories, Lilith works with individuals who seem to live in a different reality, where communication speaks a language beyond words. For her, communication is about more than verbal expression—it’s about reading people, sensing their energy, and empowering them to take control of their own story.
With her unique blend of creativity, compassion, and insight, Lilith offers a space where the unspoken can be heard and the unheard can be understood, helping others unlock the stories that deserve to be told.
4. Inner Spring of Strengths
Itzhak Vinokur
Israel
Starting with introducing by naming the desired or existing strengths the group moves to Warmup: moving to sounds of music of live performance on different percussions and piano (me performing). This warmup is kind of meditation aimed to allow to connect with inner voice and to Here and Now. In the Main activity every participant choses a hat and an item which mostly suites the charcter of each one and the group strats comunicating while the group manager supervises and from time to time describes new reality. Closer is for last 10/15 min where everyone says about his/her own experience during the session.
Musician: combines compisition and piano playing. Spent several years in writing music for theater and live improvisation with actors. Taught piano for people with special needs and studied Psychodrama in Haifa University for M.A. lives in Jerusalem with wife and kids. Works in private clinic and in schools using all kinds of arts. Made advanced training in psychiatric hospital in closed department.
5. The Werewolf on Trial
Ieva Alberton
Latvia/ United Kingdom
“The Werewolf on Trial” draws on the archetype of the werewolf -a potent symbol that fuses human and animal nature. Known as ‘Vilkatis’, the werewolf is an emblematic figure in Latvian culture and history, weaving together myth, fantasy, and historical reality. Records from 17th-century witch trials provide a unique view into the era’s social and spiritual beliefs. These trials, largely targeted Latvian peasants – an oppressed indigenous population illuminating underlying social tensions.
The trials centred around three key roles: the accused, witnesses, and judges, each with distinct motivations. The accused either denied or embraced their “crime”; witnesses denounced or defended neighbours; and judges aimed to impose social order. Remarkably, all participants shared a firm belief in magical forces, and many accused expressed pride in their alleged supernatural abilities – actions that defied social and moral constraint representing a triumph over their oppressors.
This workshop invites participants to engage with their own inner Vilkatis or rebel, as well as their inner judge and witness. By emphasizing the role of fantasy and its acceptance or rejection, we will explore how the inner judge and witness respond to this archetype. Participants will be first introduced to the theme, and then guided into a warm-up before diving in the main activity. Here, divided in groups, participants will rotate through the roles of werewolf, witness, and judge, embodying each of them in turn. The workshop will then come to a close with de-roling, discussion, and reflection, so to create a space to explore how these archetypal roles resonated within participants’ identities and experiences.
Ieva is a qualified Dramatherapist based in London. Originally from Riga, Latvia, she began her artistic journey at the Janis Rozentals Art School. Inspired by Antonin Artaud’s radical approach to theatre, she pursued theatre studies at Aix-Marseille University in France, deepening her understanding of performance as a transformative art form. She advanced her practice in Performance Design and Practice at Central Saint Martins in London, where she created an original piece merging St. Augustine’s philosophy with Guy Debord’s critique of society. During her MA in Dramatherapy at the University of Roehampton, Ieva investigated how her Latvian heritage could enrich her therapeutic approach, with a focus on identity and trauma. Her final project, How to be a Latvian, was a profound exploration of cultural stereotypes and intergenerational trauma. In her therapeutic work, Ieva is interested in helping clients draw on their heritage to rediscover and a deeper sense of identity and resilience.
6. Playful Instincts: Reconnecting with Our Primal Nature
Russya Connor
Australia
This experiential workshop explores how play and improvisation can serve as a bridge between our human nature and the natural world that surrounds us. Play reflects the unpredictability of life, offering a space to experiment and adapt to ever-changing circumstances. Neuroscientifically speaking, play trains us for the unexpected and buffers us against the uncertainty of being alive in a world that is constantly changing. Through guided improvisation and playful scenarios, participants will explore the spontaneity and interdependence that connect us with each other and the natural world.
We will engage with bodily sensations, movement patterns, and interactions with natural elements—such as water, plants, stone, and air—that shape and influence our experience of the world. This process will emphasize the permeability of our bodies and minds, continuously shaped by the sounds, textures, and energies around us.
This workshop aims to deepen ecological awareness, demonstrating how engaging with nature through play heightens our sensitivity to the environment and enhances a sense of connection to both human and non-human realms.
Dr. Russya Connor is a dramatherapist, facilitator and researcher with a focus on play and existential psychology. She holds a PhD from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where her research explored the intersection of creativity, play, and expressivity. With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Connor has worked across diverse sectors, including corrections, addiction recovery, mental health, and tertiary education. She currently works in private practice and offers supervision.
Her work highlights the role of play and embodiment in fostering resilience, enhancing creativity, and deepening self-awareness. Drawing from her background in the science of play and the performing arts, she is particularly interested in how creativity and spontaneity can support human development, helping individuals navigate life’s complexities with authenticity, flexibility, and curiosity.
7. Roots and Wings: Reconnecting with the Nature Within
Atalandi Apergi
Greece
“You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.”
Human beings are a part of nature, yet in modern life, we often feel disconnected from it, both externally and within ourselves. This workshop, which draws from both dramatherapy and ecopsychology, seeks to reignite our connection to the natural rhythms, instincts, and cycles that define us.
Just as nature adapts to change—like trees bending in the wind or rivers carving new paths—we, too, can find grounding and flexibility, rooting and adaptability in the unpredictability of life.
Participants will engage in a series of dramatherapy techniques and nature therapy techniques, to explore the “naturalness” of human emotion, thought, and behaviour. This experiential multimodel workshop , which encourages ecopsychological thought, blends poetic reflection, play, symbolic enactement, and movement exercises, offering participants a pathway to rediscover their inherent, nature-infused humanity.
Weaving in verses from Mary Oliver’s “Wild Geese”, a poem that beautifully captures the essence of our connection to the natural world and the call to return to our most authentic selves, the participants will be invited to access their inner wilderness in order to discover new ways to navigate the unpredictable world with confidence, flexibility, and grace.
Nature’s metaphor, and in particularly the themes of belonging, wildness, and freedom from Oliver’s work will be addressed and explored through embodiment, projective techniques and role playing “Meanwhile the world goes on”.
Atalandi Apergi, dramatherapist, sociologist, dramaturg (MA) has worked in theatre in both the UK and Greece and is now based in Athens where she has works as a dramatherapist. She has run dramatherapy groups with individuals with learning disabilities, the elderly, abused women, immigrants, drug addicts and psychiatric patients. She has also taught at the Hellenic American Educational Foundation and has conducted many empowerment seminars. Atalandi has completed a two year specialized training in applied Ecopsychology and has worked extensively privately but also with WWF Greece on various projects. She is co-founder and co-ordinator of “Village Psy : Encounters in Psychotherapy” an annual five-day meeting of encounters of psychotherapies in nature in Greece and author, producer and photographer of the book annual book/diary “Nature gives generously and works to heal”, Kondyli Publications .
She is also certified member of the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP), the British Association of Dramatherapists (BADth), the Panhellenic Professional Association of Dramatherapy and Playtherapy (PPADP)and the International Ecopsychology Society (IES).
“Wings of Curiosity”; Bringing a Dramatherapeutic Lens to a Collaboration with Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserves on Social-Emotional Learning in Early Childhood Education.
Ambre Lee
Singapore
Everybody’s relationship to nature is different. Amidst Singapore’s concrete jungle lies many green spaces beautifully curated and woven into the city’s urban fabric. Yet, it is undeniable that there is a noticeable disconnect between the people who live in this city and its flora and fauna. How can we inspire a rekindling of our connection to nature, around us and within us, whilst living in increasingly urbanized spaces?
In this presentation, I share about a collaboration with Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserves – a seminar for preschool educators on social-emotional learning through wildlife in one of their parks, Bird Paradise. I explore the power of Dramatherapy as an embodied practice, the use of play, imagination, nature-inspired stories, metaphor, and distance to enhance social-emotional growth. I also reflect on how learning through experiencing invites us to expand our perspective on nature’s role in our own emotional worlds.
The art of experiencing as a bedrock of Dramatherapy can inspire a rekindling of relationship with nature, nurturing a more curious, connected, and collaborative world (both our inner and outer worlds).
Ambre is a pioneering Dramatherapist in Singapore, Creative Facilitator and Multidisciplinary Artist. She is passionate about integrating the transformative power of the Arts, Somatics and Nature together in her practice. She has a particular interest in trauma-informed care, inclusion, artist wellbeing and the in-between space where dramatherapy and arts education meet. At its core, her work stems from a desire to create ripples, growth and transformation through connection, empowerment, and creativity.
Ambre is accredited and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (United Kingdom), the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA), as well as the British Association of Dramatherapists (BADth). She is currently also completing her training in Trauma-Informed Relational Somatics.
The Drama Therapist in War
Sandrine Pitarque, Lena Saade Gebran
France, Lebanon
This paper examines how Drama Therapists in war-torn Lebanon navigate the challenges of helping others while grappling with the emotional toll of conflict. Centered on recent experiences and research, it explores the intricate balance DTs must strike between their own survival instincts and the need to restore a sense of humanity for them and their clients.
Key themes include managing personal emotions, such as overcoming instinctive emotions rooted in Lebanon’s conflict-laden past. How can DTs set aside personal emotions, like the fear or resentment some Christian communities may feel towards Shiite refugees linked to Hezbollah, to foster genuine human connection? Conversely, how do they maintain emotional distance, especially when they share similar vulnerabilities, as being a refugee themself?
The paper also addresses the struggle to break free from the immediacy of live news and their psychological consequences: astonishment, fatigue. Additionally, it considers the effects of collective trauma, exacerbated by the absence of a shared historical narrative in Lebanon, where each community clings to its own interpretation of the past. Many people are stuck in a relationship mode based on the present moment and instincts.
May a reflective, creative mental space help DTs rejuvenate their energy? Could narrative work help create a conflict elaboration process?
Data comes from three sources: a survey of Lebanese DTs working with diverse refugee groups (primarily from Palestine and Syria) to gauge their experiences, challenges, and coping strategies; observations from ongoing narradrama settings with recently displaced Lebanese from varied backgrounds, facilitated by both professional DTs and Master’s students under expert supervision; and theoretical insights on narradrama, Paul Ricoeur’s narrative identity, the place of narration in the resilience process, and narrative supervision. Together, these findings aim to support DTs in transforming defense mechanisms into pathways for personal and collective healing through the power of narrative.
After a professional life as a theater director, Sandrine Pitarque works for twelve years as a drama therapist, particularly in psychiatry, addictology and social care. After a University Diploma in art therapy at Paris Descartes, she trained in psychoanalytic psychodrama at CEFFRAP.
As a teacher, she is co-convener for the Master’s degree in Artistic Creation, Dramatherapy option at the Paris Cité University and a lecturer at the Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle University as well as the drama therapy Master program at USEK (Lebanon). She also provides training in various private institutes (Puzzle, INECAT, ETSUP,…)
She coordinates the workshops and activities of the ‘Je d’enfant et d’adolescent’ association which employs up to 25 art therapists.
She leads professional practice analysis groups and supervises art therapists.
Lena Saade Gebran – Theatre Director and Producer with over a decade of experience as Associate Professor and Head of the Performing Arts Department at USEK. Skilled in directing, producing, and developing educational programs, including implementing the USEK Master’s program in Theatre and Drama Studies with a focus on Dramatherapy. Published in over ten scientific journals locally and internationally, and active in various colloquiums worldwide. An educator in the History of Theatre, including Lebanese and Sacred Theatre, and ECArTE’s Global Representative for Lebanon in 2023, Lena has produced and directed over thirty plays since 1993, contributing significantly to the arts community.
Therapeutic Theatre to the Borderland: Beyond the Split Between Nature and the Human Psyche
Maude Davis
United States
This paper considers a case study in which a theory regarding the human connection to nature informs the practice of therapeutic theatre. Jerome Berstein (2005) has described the recent emergence of a Borderland–a transrational spectrum of reality experienced by an increasing number of individuals. People with what Bernstein calls Borderland personalities have an awareness of Nature that “bridges the mind-body divide” and “is nothing short of sacred.”
Autobiographical Therapeutic Performance (ATP) offers participants the opportunity to aesthetically shape messages, traumatic experiences and self-defeating patterns that have conditioned them. Utilizing the Hero’s Journey as the underlying structure of a rite-of-passage transformation, an ATP can be a process that allows for the emergence of a new sense of self. What happens when a Borderland personality creates an ATP? Clinical models follow mainstream Western culture equating normality with the rational. Borderland personalities usually find it difficult to express their experiences within this Western construct. If the narrative of the Hero’s Journey doesn’t resonate with the Borderland personality, what underlying structure can the ATP director draw on?
After detailing this ATP case study, the author points to a future in which drama therapy practices, informed by theories from Depth Psychology and Archeomythology, have broader implications. Specifically, in our era of environmental crisis, how can Jung’s idea of the World Soul and Bernstein’s notion that there is a correspondence between ego’s dissociation from Nature and its split from the Self be applied to therapeutic theatre? Utilizing this expanded theoretical orientation, what new methods of drama therapy can be developed to heal the split between humans and nature?
Maude Davis, PhD(c) is a licensed research psychoanalyst, a Registered Drama Therapist, a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist and a diploma candidate at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich. Informed by her previous incarnation as a cabaret artist, she developed a Jungian-based Drama and Expressive Arts Therapy technique: Psyche’s Cabaret. Maude is a workshop facilitator affiliated with the Center for Living Arts in Berkeley.
LIVE STERAM
Playfulness as Human Nature: Dramatherapeutic Approaches to Nurturing Play in Vulnerable Populations and Circumstance
Rinat Feniger-Schaal
Israel
Abstract for the whole panel: In an era marked by technological advancement, global conflicts, and increasing social challenges, this panel explores a fundamental question: How can we preserve and nurture our innate human capacity for playfulness when it is most challenged? Through three distinct yet interconnected presentations, we examine how dramatherapeutic approaches can reawaken and sustain our natural playful spirit across different life situations and vulnerable populations.
Rinat Feniger-Schaal, PhD, is a senior lecturer (tenured) at the School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Israel, where she established the MA program in Drama Therapy and Psychodrama. She brings together multiple professional identities as a certified drama therapist (registered supervisor), medical clown, and developmental psychologist. Her research focuses on the intersection of clinical practice and empirical investigation, particularly exploring the relationships between play, playfulness, drama, movement, and attachment theory. With extensive clinical experience in both public and private settings, she specializes in working with individuals with cognitive impairment and mental health challenges. Dr. Feniger-Schaal has secured significant research grants, presented internationally, and published widely in peer-reviewed journals.
I “Playful Brains: A Possible Neurobiological Pathway to Cognitive Health in Aging”
Shoshi Keisari
Israel
Abstract 1: Play is at the heart of the human experience—a universal language that transcends cultures and generations, through which we connect with the world and build meaningful relationships. In older age, playful encounters open a unique window of opportunity to practice curiosity, openness, and social bonding. This study aimed to understand how brief playful experiences that are based on improvisational theatre can enhance cognitive functions in older adults, considering the natural aging process.Three experimental designs included 150 participants aged 75 to 100. Each participant engaged in two types of interactions: one based on social play through improvisational theatre exercises, and a control activity involving more routine experiences, such as exercise classes or personal conversation. The sessions were randomly assigned to either face-to-face or online settings (via Zoom). Cognitive assessments and self-report questionnaires were administered before and after each activity.The results of the three studies indicate that brief playful interactions improved cognitive functions, such as scores on digit span tests, word fluency tasks, and response times in the Flanker test, compared to control activities. Additionally, these playful interactions led to an increased sense of closeness between participants and elevated positive emotions.The findings highlight the positive impact of playful interactions on older adults. Playful interactions, based on improvisational theatre, serve as an ecological intervention to enhance cognitive performance. Unlike computer-based training, they align with the natural human tendency to engage in play. These interventions are simple to implement and can be seamlessly integrated into routine care for older adults, offering a natural and accessible way to improve cognitive function.
Shoshi Keisari, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Israel and the Director of the Drama Therapy and Psychodrama Graduate Program. She is a member of the Center for Research and Study of Aging, the Drama and Health Science Lab, and the Emilie Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center at the Faculty of Social Welfare & Health Sciences, University of Haifa. Her research focuses on playfulness and improvisation across the lifespan, theatre-based research, psychotherapeutic playback theatre, and arts-based interventions for the aging population and in palliative care. Prof. Keisari has been awarded both private and public grant funding, including from the Israel Science Foundation (ISF), the APA Division 10 Micro-grant, and the Minerva Center for Intersectionality in Aging (MCIA). She has presented her work at international conferences and published in refereed international journals.
II “Just play” – Playfulness Focused Dyadic Intervention for Parents and Children with Intellectual Disability
Amitai Stern
Israel
Abstract 2: What could be more natural than a parent playing with their child? Yet in families where children have intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD), this fundamental aspect of human nature often becomes challenged. This presentation explores how we can restore this natural inclination toward play when it has been disrupted. While research shows that parents of children with IDD tend to be less playful in their interactions compared to parents of typically developing children, we argue that playfulness remains an innate, though sometimes dormant, human capacity. Through “Just Play,” a novel drama therapy dyadic intervention, we demonstrate how to reawaken this natural tendency toward playful engagement. Drawing from both theoretical foundations and clinical experiences, we showcase how dramatherapy can create a safe space for parents and children with IDD to rediscover their natural playful selves. At a time when human connection is increasingly mediated by technology and structured interventions, this work reminds us of play’s fundamental role in human nature and its power to strengthen parent-child bonds. The presentation will integrate research and praxis to illustrate how dramatherapy can help families return to their natural state of playful connection, even in the face of developmental challenges.
Amitai Stern is a Ph.D. candidate in drama therapy at the University of Haifa. He holds an MA in drama therapy and practices individual and dyadic drama therapy with young children and their families. His primary research interests are the meeting points between drama therapy, children’s play and dyadic therapy.
III Humanitarian Clowns Working with Refugees and Displaced Families
Tamar Benbenishti
Israel
Abstract 3: In times of war and displacement, when human nature is tested to its limits, how do we maintain our capacity for joy, play, and connection? This study explores this fundamental question through an examination of medical/humanitarian clowns working with refugees around Europe and displaced by the October 2023 war in Israel. Through a mixed-methods approach including 45 interviews with clowns, displaced families, and staff members, alongside 20 structured observations of clown-family interactions, we investigated how clowns tap into core aspects of human nature – playfulness, – to foster resilience in extreme circumstances. Our findings reveal how clowns naturally bridge the gap between trauma and healing, leveraging humanity’s innate capacity for play even in the darkest moments. The research illuminates how clowning, as one of humanity’s oldest art forms, connects to our primal need for joy and community, while simultaneously serving as a sophisticated therapeutic tool. In an era where we question the nature of human adaptation and survival, this study demonstrates how theatrical play can activate our natural healing resources, offering insights for both dramatherapy practice and our understanding of human nature’s remarkable resilience.
Tamar Benbanishti is an MA student in psychodrama, she is an actress who creates and plays in several theatre productions. She is the manager of ”Kolanoar” youth theatre for Jewish and Arab adolescences. She is currently doing her practicum in “Shalvat”a mental health hospital.
IV Exploring the Lived Experiences of Older Women Caring for Spouses with Dementia through Theatre-Based Participatory Action Research
Meira Medina Junge
Israel
Meira Medina Junga will present theater-based participatory action research with older women who are caregivers to spouses with dementia, and Shiri Kordova will present theater-based participatory action research that focused on the embodied experiences of older Mizrahi women.
This symposium demonstrates how theatre-based research can highlight intersections between individuals and their environments, offering participants a platform to explore new perspectives on relationships with their bodies, communities, and surroundings. By broadening coping strategies and enhancing understanding of the interconnectedness of self, society, and environment, we aim to open a dialogue on the contributions of theater-based research to drama therapy in addressing urgent human questions and fostering resilience and transformation.
Meira Medina Junga, M.A., holds master’s degrees in Drama Therapy from the Academic College of Tel-Hai and in Theatre from Tel Aviv University. She is a supervisor in the Drama Therapy program at the University of Haifa. Her Master’s thesis explored the experiences of women caring for spouses with dementia, supported by the Minerva Center on Intersectionality in Aging. Currently pursuing her PhD, her research focuses on creating research-based theatrical performances and analyzing their impact on community attitudes toward aging. Meira has extensive experience directing theater productions, some of which are based on her research. She has presented her work at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.
The Perpetrator Within. Nature Vs Nurture?
Ornela Kapetani, Armand Volkas
Canada, United States
In these collaborative Autobiographical Therapeutic Performances (ATP), two Drama Therapists explore the complex nature of the ‘inner perpetrator,’ focusing on how violence and aggression are inherited through both collective and personal trauma. Presented as two distinct yet intertwined ATPs, they bring to life the dual struggles of human nature—where both victim and perpetrator reside within us all. Each drama therapist draws from their own life stories, confronting these darker aspects of the self through ATP techniques.
The first performance ‘Jew Boy!’, centers on the son of resistance fighters and Auschwitz survivors, who bears the weight of historical trauma passed down through generations. His struggle is not only with the inherited victimhood from his family’s suffering but also with the “perpetrator within”—the internalised ‘anti-Semite.’ This internal battle reflects the duality of human nature, where both light and shadow, compassion and cruelty, coexist. As he works to reconcile with the darker elements of his psyche, he finds a path to healing, which culminates in a powerful reckoning with his wounded yet heroic father.
In the second performance ‘Lola is Dead’, the painful dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship are explored, focusing on how intergenerational trauma shapes the lives of both women. At its heart, this piece examines the unfulfilled lives of mothers and how the weight of their unresolved pain and desires can alienate their daughters from their true capacity for nurturing and love. Through an act of reclamation the performer seeks to awaken the inner self and find a path toward self-actualization.
Though presented as individual performances, the two works complement each other, both delving into the nature of trauma, the ‘inner perpetrator,’ and the potential for transformation. Together, they illuminate the shared human struggle with these inner forces and show how, through Autobiographical Therapeutic Performance, we can confront and heal from the darkest parts of ourselves.
A discussion and talkback will follow the performances.
Ornela Kapetani is an experienced Drama Therapist, blending her expertise in therapeutic practice with her background as a professional theatre and film actress. She is a registered Drama Therapist with the North American Drama Therapy Association and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in the United Kingdom. In addition, she holds certification as a Clinically Certified Trauma Practitioner and is a trained Transpersonal Regression Therapist, registered with the EARTH Association.
With a unique ability to integrate therapeutic techniques from diverse cultural contexts, Ornela has extensive experience working in both clinical and educational settings. Her private practice in Montreal, Canada focuses on creative and holistic approaches to healing. With a deep commitment to the therapeutic power of drama therapy, Ornela conducts workshops and contributes to discussions on trauma recovery and emotional resilience through performance.
Armand: Bio
Armand Volkas is a psychotherapist, drama therapist and theatre director and Director of Center for the Living Arts in Berkeley, California. He is a Board Certified Trainer of drama therapy with the NADTA. In addition, Armand is Associate Adjunct Professor in the drama therapy program at California Institute of Integral Studies. He is director of Healing the Wounds of History, a therapeutic method that uses the transformative and healing power of the arts to work with groups in conflict or who carry a legacy of historical and collective trauma. Armand is also Director of The Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble which is now in its 36th year. With his colleague Ornela Kapetani, Armand has developed a unique approach to the application of theatre as a therapeutic act. At the heart of Armand’s work is a respect for the power of personal story to build bridges between people and cultures.
The Tree of Life
Christina Papathoma
Greece
A workshop of self-awareness character, by the use of the art of cinema. The workshop involves a short part (30’min) of film projection “The tree of life” by Terrence Malick. The workshop‘s goal is to work out the points of the film that illuminate, trigger and move its of us, via dramatherapeutic process. After watching the excerpt of the movie we desymbolize the key points of the film, focus on the impact of its messages and denote possible identifications with characters of the plot. In correlation with the film and the emotions that will come out, we will work in inner “branches” of our personal tree, through dramatherapeutic techniques. We’ll draw and plan the key aspects of the tree of our life and explore which part of this inner journey is revealed. Action of dramatization will follow.
Christina Papathoma studied psychology in England (Kingston University) and completed a Master’s degree in Group and Intercultural Therapy at Goldsmith College, University of London, UK and MSc in Educational Psychology (Neapolis University Pafos) Cyprus. She continued further training in Dramatherapy, 4years diploma at AION Institute of Dramatherapy, Athens. She has also attended theatre courses for 3 years at a drama school in Greece and London. Since 2009, she has worked individually with adults, teenagers and coordinated dramatherapy groups. Since 2013, she has been conducting a Cinematherapy workshop. The last five years she is also working as an employees’ scientific coordinator of psychosocial support program with refugees and LGBTQI+ people. Furthermore, she has taught psychology and drama courses, coordinated and participated in performances. Finally, she has authored articles for Greek newspaper. She is member of Greek Dramatherapy Association.
When You Sleep, the World Empties: Discovering Human Nature through the CineDramatic Method
Vasiliki Moka, Evika Mavroidi
Greece
In response to a world increasingly distanced from nature, ACTivation combines Contemporary Circus and Dramatherapy to reconnect with our primal instincts and natural expression. This experiential workshop invites participants to explore movement inspired by animals – from the grounded strength of the bear to the fluid grace of the cat – as a pathway to reconnect with our own human nature. Unlike traditional circus, Contemporary Circus emphasizes expression over performance, much like Dramatherapy’s focus on self-discovery and embodied healing rather than passive observation.
Through dynamic animal-inspired movements, balance exercises, and role-play, ACTivation reawakens both body and mind, fostering a deeper awareness of our natural instincts. Circus techniques, like spatial awareness and collective trust-building, intertwine with Dramatherapy practices of symbolic action and narrative exploration to counter the passivity of screen-based living. By activating physical expression, participants reconnect with their bodies and the natural rhythms of life.
In alignment with the conference theme “Human & Nature in Dramatherapy,” this workshop explores essential questions:
How can animal movements reconnect us with our own nature?
How does physical expression help us stay grounded and adaptive in an ever-changing world?
Participants will experience the power of animal-inspired embodiment, gaining tools to help clients reclaim movement, presence, and authenticity in their lives, enhancing resilience and adaptability in today’s world.
Vasiliki Moka holds a Master’s degree in Human Rights from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), and is a scholarship recipient of the Japanese Foundation SYLFF. Currently, she is completing her thesis and finalizing her studies as a Dramatherapist at the “Hellenic Institute of Play Therapy and Dramatherapy ‘To Athyrma’.”
She is a co-creator of the Cinedramatic Method, which is a synthetic approach utilizing the theories and tools of Cinema and Dramatherapy.
She has conducted and continue to conducts Dramatherapy individual and group sessions and seminars in collaboration with psychotherapy centers and theatrical spaces such as the Hellenic Institute of Play Therapy and Dramatherapy “To Athyrma,” the Mythia Center for Psychotherapy & Social Rehabilitation, the Aktios nursing home, the Koukoutsi Project, the Improvibe improvisational theater school, and others. She also participates in conferences, presenting experiential workshops and theoretical papers.
Evika Mavroeidi is a graduate of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where she studied in the Department of Philosophy, Education, and Psychology with a specialization in Psychology. She is currently completing her thesis and finalizing her studies as a Dramatherapist at “The Hellenic Institute of Play Therapy and Dramatherapy ‘To Athyrma’.”. She has worked in psychoeducational settings and conducts sessions with adults, applying the principles and techniques of Dramatherapy.
She is a co-creator of the Cinedramatic Method, which is a synthetic approach utilizing the theories and tools of Cinema and Dramatherapy.
Additionally, she has a private Psychotherapy Office in the center of Athens, where she offers therapy sessions.
Creating a Secure Base in Natural Settings for Clients with Insecure Attachments Due to Trauma
Laura Hubbard
United Kingdom
Outside (in case of rain inside) Please
This article explores the benefits and obstacles of using the outside environment for dramatherapy practice with particular reference to children with social emotional mental health (SEMH) issues. I explore the benefits and challenges that the outside environment can provide for children with SEMH issues and other client groups. Through the literature available at present, dramatherapists Steve Mitchell and Martin Cope have practised in this area, but most publications can be found in eco-psychology. The methodology for the study uses qualitative research methods, coding two interviews with dramatherapists who use the outside environment for practice and supported by the author’s own casework with children with SEMH issues. In the discussion, obstacles and benefits of outdoor dramatherapy for children with SEMH issues are considered.
Laura Hubbard has over 15 years experience in creating and delivering workshops for students and teachers. More recently Laura has been running workshops for students at universities, utilising the outside setting. The element of play has been at the heart of the workshops and is linked to Laura’s publication The obstacles and Benefits of working in the outdoor setting.
Postnormal Possibilities:An Ecology of the Disabled Future in Drama Therapy
Maria Hodermarska, Kristina Olegario-Loy
United States
“In so much utopian social justice–oriented science fiction, its unquestioned that in the good utopian future, disabled people don’t exist. Everyone eats organic, and disabled babies are eliminated before birth through genetic selection that no one ever calls eugenics. In the happy future, we are all dead.”
– Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha The Future is Disabled (2022)
The concept of postnormal possibilities, developed by neuroqueer theorist Walker (2021) and mediations on a disabled future by disability justice activist and author Piepzna-Samarasinha (2022, 2018), posit an ecological vision of care in which difference, not typicality, is the aspiration.
In this experiential workshop, we will follow Walker and Piepzna-Samarasinha into a future in which wellness and wellbeing of all kinds, are located outside of the pathologizing hierarchies of clinical relationship in which we currently operate, a.k.a. the binary of the Doer and the Done To (Benjamin, J. 2017).
We will frame this exploration through:
1. The Principles of Disability Justice (Sins Invalid, 2014),
2. Abolitionist dis/ability practices (Ben-Moshe, 2020)
3. Concepts of mutual aid (See, Kropotkin, P. & Robinson, V., 2020; Katie, H., 2020)
4. Current thinking in Role Theory and Method (Stevens,A., 2023; Kerns, C. 2022; Williams,B. 2017).
5. Models of peer to peer counseling in hearing voices work. (Coleman, R. & Smith, M. ,2006)
Clinical relationships modeled on the ecological systems of mutual aid and collective liberation, in which everyone in the therapeutic relationship locates themselves, to some extent, as unwell and in need of support from each other, offers a us a lens through which we can glimpse a postnormal future for drama therapy. Most importantly, the postnormal future, may also offer us different and better ways to love and to care.
Maria Hodermarska, MA, RDT-BCT, CASAC, LCAT (she/her) is a Clinical Associate Professor of Drama Therapy at New York University. She is a white, cis-gendered woman living with mental illness. Maria is the proud generational daughter of people who hear voices and see visions, people living with PTSD, depression, and substance dependence. She is also the parent and grandparent of many people living with or labeled as living with neuro-spicy, neuro-queer and mentally ill experiences.
Kristina Olegario-Loy , MA, (she/her) is a Filipino-American theatre artist and recent graduate of the NYU Program in Drama Therapy. She centers collective in care and storytelling and is deeply committed to bringing the principles and values found in abolition work, disability justice, and mutual aid into her drama therapy practice.She currently works supporting students in the NYC Public School system at Zone 126.
The Source Within – Dramatherapy Meets I-SELF Constellations
Simone Klees, Carina Weirather
Germany
In this workshop we invite you on a journey inwards. How can I (re)establish contact with my inner voice and what inner perspectives can I discover?
Is it about experiencing myself in my uniqueness? Separate and detached from everything else? Or is it important in this days to dare the journey towards connectedness? Connected with nature and every living being – to be part of the greater whole.
The workshop addresses precisely this apparent dilemma.
It is not about being separate or connected. What is important for us humans in this world is to be separate and connected. To experience and feel these apparent opposites at the same time.
As dramatherapists we combine in this workshop playfulness, embodiment and other dramatherapeutic processes with I-SELF constellations, as developed by the psychologist and psychotherapist Siegfried Essen. This allows connections to be made between individual and collective issues.
We play with connection and disconnection, which allows us to face our emotions, thoughts and actions in a different way.
Perhaps in working together we will find some answers, insights into the depths of our minds, souls and bodies – as living beings that are deeply dependent on their environment. In any case, we will create a space in which we give room to our inner voices, our questions, and explore them in connection with nature and people.
Dr. phil. Simone Klees, MA Sociology, Dramaterapist
– 2022-2025 Professorship for Creative Arts Therapies/Dramatherapy at Medical School Hamburg, Germany
– 2022 doctorate from University of Arts Berlin, Faculty of Performing Arts
– 2018 – 2020 Deputy Professorship for Dramatherapy at Nürtingen Geislingen University
– 2016 – 2018 Scholarship from University of Applied Arts, Ottersberg
– Since 2013 Dramatherapist in private and clinical practice, Northern Germany
– Since 2013 Guest Lecturer at University of Applied Arts, Ottersberg;
University of Hamburg and further educational institutions
– 2011 – 2013 Research Assistant at the Department of Arts Therapy, University of Applied Arts, Ottersberg
– 2011 Dramatherapy Certification Deutsche Gesellschaft für Theatertherapie (DGFT), Berlin
Carina Weirather, Diploma in social education/Dipl. Soz. Päd., Dramatherapist
– since 2022 Director of Wilde Bühne e.V.
– 2006 – 2022 Employee at Wilde Bühne e.V. – socio-cultural forum for people with experience of addiction (specializing in “Forumtheater” Augusto Boal, biographical theater performances and theater therapy groups in addiction therapy facilities)
– 2017 – 2025 Lecturer at the HfWU Nürtingen, Geislingen University
– Since 2017 Dramatherapist in private and clinical practice, Southern Germany
Symbols and Metaphors of Nature A Bridge to the Inner and Archetypal World: A Psychotherapeutic Playback Theatre Workshop
Ronen Kowalsky, Meira Medina-Junge
Israel
Jungian thought had stressed the unique power of symbols and metaphors from the world of nature bridging the concrete and the inner world – personal and archetypal. This bridging is described as having the utmost therapeutic importance, and as required very often in the therapeutic process. It demands a change of language and syntax – from realism to dream-like surrealism – A change that lies in the heart of the emerging field of Psychotherapeutic Playback Theater. Psychotherapeutic Playback Theater is a unique form of group dramatherapy, which uses the structure and techniques of Playback Theater within a group therapy setting and draws from group analytic thought. In this workshop we will experience to use of symbols and metaphors from the world of nature and the unique way they appear and being used in the therapeutic process in Psychotherapeutic Playback Theater.
Ronen Kowalsky is a supervising clinical psychologist, co-founder and head of the Israeli Institute of Psychotherapeutic Playback Theater, and the Psychotherapeutic Playback theater program at Winnicott School of Psychotherapy, Tel-Aviv, a member of the Israeli Institute of Group Analysis, supervisor & Lecturer at Winnicott Center of Psychotherapy, and The Academic College of Society and Art. Former head psychologist at AMCHA center for psychosocial support to holocaust survivors and their families. Specialized working with trauma survivors worldwide. He acted, wrote, and directed in various theaters, established “The Left Bank Theater Group”, Tel – Aviv and “Third Generation” German-Israeli theater project. Won the European ARENA prize for young theater directors. Co-writer of “An Introduction to Psychotherapeutic Playback Theater” (Routledge, 2022) and articles in the field.
Meira Medina Junga, M.A., holds master’s degrees in Drama Therapy from the Academic College of Tel-Hai and in Theatre from Tel Aviv University. She is a supervisor in the Drama Therapy program at the University of Haifa. Her Master’s thesis explored the experiences of women caring for spouses with dementia, supported by the Minerva Center on Intersectionality in Aging. Currently pursuing her PhD, her research focuses on creating research-based theatrical performances and analyzing their impact on community attitudes toward aging. Meira has extensive experience directing theater productions, some of which are based on her research. She has presented her work at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.
North American Drama Therapists’ Perceptions of Climate Change
Nisha Sajnani, Anamarija Vuić
United States
In times of environmental crisis, we are called to reconsider how we relate to both our inner nature and the planet we share. The consequences of climate change have a significant impact on all aspects of planetary and human life including mental health, which brings an urgent need for action not just in science and policy but also in therapeutic spaces. Drama therapists, who engage deeply with both human experience and the social contexts in which we live, have a unique role to play in fostering emotional resilience and climate adaptation. But how do drama therapists themselves relate to the reality of climate change?
This presentation shares the results of a study that explored North American drama therapists’ perceptions of climate change using the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY). Among 78 participants, 67% were categorized as Alarmed, a proportion statistically higher than national averages (χ² = 12.089, df = 1, p < 0.01). Although the sample was limited, these findings—consistent across age and racial identification groups—suggest that many drama therapists recognize the severity of climate change and may be well-positioned to integrate these concerns into their practice.
This session encourages participants to explore their personal connection to climate change while providing insights into climate communication strategies for drama therapy education. Integrating climate awareness into training programs and professional development empowers drama therapists to respond creatively and compassionately to the evolving challenges presented by global warming, helping both themselves and their clients cultivate resilience.
Nisha Sajnani, PhD, RDT-BCT, is the director of the NYU Program in Drama Therapy, principal editor of Drama Therapy Review, past president of the North American Drama Therapy Association, founding member of the World Alliance of Dramatherapy, and co-founding co-director of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab founded in collaboration with the WHO. She is the co-author of Intercultural Drama Therapy (2023) and co-editor of Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, Classrooms, and Communities (2014/2024). An award-winning author, educator, and advocate, her body of work explores the unique ways in which aesthetic experience can inspire care, equity, and collective human flourishing across the lifespan.
Anamarija Vuić, MPsych, is a graduate student in the Drama Therapy program and a research assistant at the NYU Theatre and Health Lab. Anamarija is coordinator of the World Alliance of Drama Therapy, and communications lead for the Drama Therapy Review. Before moving to New York from Croatia, she worked for over a decade with adults, adolescents, children, and parents, supervised students, and served as a member of a national crisis intervention team. She is the co-founder and president of the Playback Theatre Troupe at NYU and founding member of the Zagreb Psychological Association.
The Dramatherapy Graduate Programme at Tel-Hai College (Israel): An Island of Sanity in a Chaotic Environment
Dovrat Harel, Amani Mussa, Galila Tabachnikov Oren, Sali Aboreesh, Susana Pendzik
Israel
“It turns out that there is a strong bond between us, even in sensitive situations”.
(Arab student)
“I do not agree to lose hope for peace… We have many layers in common…”
(Jewish student)
The Dramatherapy Graduate Programme at Tel-Hai College (Israel) is home to 25 students per year, of whom 10-20% belong to the Arab-Palestinian population living in Israel (including Bedouin, Christian, Druze, and Muslim). Often the learning process takes place against the background of security and political events, at the centre of which is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The students do not enrol in the program to deal with the conflict, but the complexity of the situation challenges the learning process, and could easily turn into mutual hostility, stigmatization, and mistrust.
However, over the years we have observed a sort of “island of sanity” taking place – even in the darkest times. We thought that this remarkable occurrence could be partly influenced by dramatherapy-based pedagogy, which encourages intercultural understanding and trust-building relationships between the parties. Dramatherapy processes have been known to foster dialogue in conflict situations, develop cultural sensitivity and awareness to stigmas and implicit biases, and have been thoroughly used in connection with social justice issues.
This research takes a closer look at the pedagogy of dramatherapy in relation to its potential for promoting openness and trust-building relationships. Based on experiential learning, dramatherapy pedagogical methods combine application of verbal and non-verbal means, bodywork, voice, movement, and improvisation, coupled with empathy-generating tools. Furthermore, dramatherapy training methods encourage the expression of feelings and opinions in a full and authentic way, while allowing for the use of aesthetic distance. This paper will present preliminary findings of a qualitative, arts-based research that focusses on the experiences of Palestinian and Jewish dramatherapy students of each other throughout the duration of their master’s programme studies.
Dr. Dovrat Harel: bio
Dovrat Harel, PhD, is the Head of the Drama Therapy Graduate Program at Tel-Hai College, Israel. She is a certified dramatherapist, senior supervisor, and lecturer. Dovrat is also affiliated with The Interdisciplinary Research Center for Arts and Spirituality: Therapy, Education, and Society, as well as The Aging and Well-being Research Center (AWRC) at Tel-Hai College. Her research spans dramatherapy and bibliotherapy with older adults, creative arts therapies for individuals with dementia, and dramatherapy for family caregivers. She also examines sexual assault against women in later life and engages in culturally sensitive dramatherapy research. Dovrat has developed innovative therapeutic approaches for the older population, which she has taught in several countries. She has presented her work at international conferences and published in international leading journals and books.
Dr. Amani Mussa: bio
Amani Mussa, PhD, Head of the Dramatherapy Division of YAHAT (the Association for Creative Arts Therapies in Israel). Wrote her PhD dissertation on children in the Arab educational system in Israel who have experienced abuse. She is a Playback Theatre actress and director in an all-women bilingual (Arabic-Hebrew) ensemble.
Galila Tabachnikov Oren: bio
Galila Tabachnikov Oren is a senior dramatherapist and supervisor. She is the former director of the dramatherapy training program in the Tel Aviv branch of Tel-Hai Academic College, where she currently teaches at the Drama Therapy Graduate Program. She also teaches at the Dramatherapy Institute of Switzerland and gives workshops internationally. She works with families, children, and adolescents in private practice, and trains and supervises social workers and educators who work with families and children at risk. She is a member of Ethics Comity in YAHAT (the Association of Creative Arts Therapies in Israel).
Sally Aboreesh, MA: bio
Sally has a B.A. in community educational theatre, and an M.A. in dramatherapy. She’s has been a group facilitator for 7 years in the fields of prevention, women empowerment, and dialogue between Jews and Arabs. She has worked as a coordinator in the “Wings of Karambo” movement for youth and children with special needs and in “Starting Line”, a movement that combines Jews and Arabs. She currently works in a hostel for at-risk youth as a dramatherapist and develops workshops with therapeutic orientation.
Prof. Susana Pendzik: bio
Susana Pendzik, PhD., RDT, Associate Professor and Former Head of the Drama Therapy Graduate Program at Tel Hai College (Israel), also lectures at the Theatre Department of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Swiss Dramatherapy Institute, the Dramatherapy Diploma at the University of Cuyo (Argentina) and in other institutions of higher education in Europe, Latin America, and the USA. Susana has developed the Six-Key Model – a method of intervention and assessment in drama therapy and the Dramatic Resonances Approach. A published poetess, theatre director, and researcher, she is a prolific writer, authoring many articles and book chapters, co-editing books, such as Assessment in drama therapy (2012), and The self in performance (2016), as well as books: Gruppenarbeit mit mißhandelten Frauen (1999) [Spanish and German] and Dramaterapia: Un enfoque creativo para el trabajo terapéutico (2018). Susana is a supervisor and has a private practice.
Review of Application of Drama Therapy in the Context of Psycho- Social Care in Lithuania
Kirilas Glushajev, Ieva Vaitkevičiūtė
Lithuania
Drama therapy in Lithuania has arrowsed just 5 years ago. These years were fruitfull and full of discoveries and unexpected findings. In this short period association was established, also ethical codex was created and despite the young and fresh energy of newly formed speciality, Lithuanian health care market and society are welcoming and treating dramatherapy in a opened, friendly and curiuos manner. That is a result of strategies and actions made by profesional dramatherapy enthusiasts in the field, so our presentation is targeting the aim to share some discoveries and experience of our way to dramatherapy’ s inegration into health care system in Lithuania. Dramatherapy in Lithuania is now spread around different spheres of health care system, education and social life, so using Dramatherapy methods and philosophy as an umbrella concept, Lithuanian dramatherapists serve the wide variety of needs for people in privat clinics, hospitals, educational institutions, social projects and everyday interactions. Application of Dramatherapy methods addapted to Lithuanian context and mentality helps people to get back on track after Covid-19 and Russian agression criseses and also helps to keep healthy psychosocial microclimat in the relationships between Lithuanian people who are sensitive and vulnerable in terms of connection to their natural ecosystems of families, relationships and homelands environment and nature.
Kirilas Glušajevas – dramatherapist, actor and director. Born in 1984 in Vilnius. Works in Republican centre for addictive disorders, Minessota rehabilitation program. One of the Lithuanian Dramatherapy Association’s commity members. Participates in social governmental health care projects, leads workshops and spreads knowledge through practice based on his research in the field of application of Imprvisational theatre methods in Dramatherapy for patiens with substance use and beheviour disorders, anxiety disorders and depression.
Ieva Vaitkevičiūtė- born in 1998 in Plungė. Currently works and lives in Vilnius. Psychologist and Dramatherapist experienced in working with groups of people in social risk, crisis and complex trauma symptoms. At the moment Ieva works in psychosocial rehabilitation program which focuseson children and adolescents who experience emotional- behavioural difficulties and have symptoms of comlex trauma. Currently Ieva is the President of Dramatherapy association of Lithuania.
Frattali Materni – Dramatherapy Laboratory for Mothers
Marina De Lucca Nucci
Italy
This paper presents the Frattali Materni project, a dramatherapy intervention designed as a supportive space for mothers to process their personal life experiences. It aims to create an comunitary platform where mothers can express their voices, communicate their needs, and share their socio-political perspectives. The project emphasizes the profound transformation and challenges encountered by women during their transition into motherhood, exploring the permanent changes in a woman’s body and life that begin during pregnancy and continue throughout their entire lives. Aligned with the theme of the 2nd International Dramatherapy Conference, “Human & Nature in Dramatherapy,” this study addresses the current dissonance between traditional maternal archetypes—such as The Great Mother or The Mother Nature, characterized by life-giving and nurturing power, deep empathy, and selflessness—and the modern, individualistic, virtual, and artificial cultural context that shapes contemporary life. This contrasting paradigm, reflected in society’s expectations, creates a fragmented narrative between the “good mother” and the “bad mother” stereotypes, highlighting the unrealistic pressures on mothers and the cultural and political identity displacement they experience. The paper outlines an eight-month laboratory process conducted by tho author in 2023/2024 in Turin, Italy, utilizing various drama-based methods including group foundation exercises and creation games inspired by the manuals of Augusto Boal and Salvatore Pitruzzella, Mary Starks Whitehouse’s Authentic Movement sessions, and a final performance following the Autobiographical Therapeutic Performance approach. It emphasizes the benefits of supportive community spaces for mothers’ growth and empowerment, the significance of creating personal and collective narratives to validate the ambivalence and complexity of maternal experiences, and the need for societal recognition of motherhood as a source of valuable knowledge for contemporary human transformations.
Marina Nucci is a director, performer, drama trainer, and workshop facilitator from São Paulo, Brazil. She holds degrees in Languages and Literature Education and Performing Arts Direction (Brazil, 2010). Since 2021, she has been living in Italy, where she is completing her training in dramatherapy at the Centro Artiterapie Lecco. She is a registered member of the Italian Professional Dramatherapy Society (Spid – Società Professionale Italiana di Drammaterapia). With 15 years of experience, she has developed creative performances, facilitated artistic workshops for various age groups, and collaborated on the design and management of artistic projects with educational, social, health, and well-being objectives. For more information, visit her portfolio website at www.marinanucci.wordpress.com.
Navigating Life’s Final ‘Stages’:Connecting to Human and Natural Cycles through Dramatherapy
Sally McRae
Scotland
This presentation explores a case study that uses hermeneutic phenomenology and ethnography to show how dramatherapy can support psychological processing in clients with life-limiting conditions, highlighting the connection between human experiences and the natural world. Drawing from my recent Dramatherapy MSc study, and employing thematic analysis, I will illustrate how nature-based metaphors support clients in navigating the complexities of mortality, emphasizing feelings of independence, connection, and uncertainty.
I will explore the use of natural imagery—specifically, an imaginary island and the sea—in the therapeutic journey. This case highlights the potential of nature-related symbols to foster inner reflection and emotional connection during challenging life transitions, allowing participants to feel part of something larger than themselves.
Additionally, I will reflect on the importance of relational work in therapy, emphasizing the interconnectedness between the therapist, client, and group. I will also illustrate how dramatherapists can support clients through the challenges of death and dying using Jennings’ (2005) Embodiment-Projection-Role (EPR) model, Emunah’s (2020) Integrated Five-Phase model, Jones’ (1996) Core Processes, Yalom’s (1980) theory of existential therapy, and Yalom’s (1995) therapeutic factors.
Through practical insights and real-world examples, this exploration encourages reflection on the ways dramatherapy in palliative care, combined with nature’s metaphors, can enrich therapeutic dialogue about life’s final ‘stages.’
Keywords:
Dramatherapy, Palliative Care, Nature, Interconnectedness, Existential Therapy, Creative Expression.
References:
Emunah, R. 2020. Acting for real [electronic resource] : drama therapy process, technique, and performance / Renée Emunah. 2nd edition. ed.: Routledge.
Jennings, S. (2005) ‘Embodiment-projection-role: A developmental model for the play therapy method’, International handbook of play therapy: Advances in assessment, theory, research, and practice, pp. 65-76.
Jones, P. (1996) Drama as therapy: theatre as living. London: Routledge.
Yalom, I. D. (1980) Existential psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.
Yalom, I. D. (1995) Theory and practice of group psychotherapy. 4th. edn. New York: Basic Books.
Sally McRae is a Dramatherapist working at a Scottish hospice. She began her career in theatre, honing her skills in storytelling, communication, and emotional expression. Sally then worked in television, contributing to the creation of captivating narratives that resonated with audiences deeply. This led to producing and directing live events across the globe, where she thrived in orchestrating immersive and memorable experiences.
Whilst living in the United States in the 2010’s, she undertook training as a yoga and meditation teacher. Her initial motivation was to deepen her own practice, but old roles fell away as she was invited to join the faculty and mentor students. It was during this time that an interest in palliative care developed. Her recent Dramatherapy MSc qualification has brought together her previous experiences. She works with groups and individuals both at the hospice and in the community, as well as in private practice.
PERFORMANCE
My Pink Labyrinth 
Azadeh Kangarani
United States
My Pink Labyrinth is a one-woman autobiographical play written and performed by Azadeh Kangarani.
The play delves into Azadeh’s life, an Iranian woman living in Europe.
Returning to her hometown, Tehran, to celebrate the Persian New Year, Nowruz, with her mother, Azadeh confronts a sensitive subject that has long been shrouded in silence within her family: female sexuality.
Despite the societal taboo surrounding this topic, Azadeh seizes the moment to bring up the subject with her mother. But soon she discovers her mother’s deeply entrenched adherence to traditional norms and reluctance to engage in dialogue.
As Azadeh struggles to exchange her point of views with her mother, she shares her personal and intimate journeys, ranging from her teenage experiences of menstruation to the pivotal moment of losing her virginity as a young woman. Through her performance, Azadeh uses the aesthetic distancing via storytelling technique to find a center point between her personal emotions and the content of her story to avoid boring the audience or becoming overwhelming for others. Azadeh seamlessly transitions between her own character and that of her mother, consistently weaving together a narrative that resonates with audiences.
The other drama therapy technique used in this play is Self-Revelatory, which channels Azadeh’s lingering sense of guilt from her relationship with her mother. It provides a platform for Azadeh to address unspoken thoughts and beliefs. Through this heartfelt narrative, My Pink Labyrinth explores the complexities of cultural norms, familial bonds, feeling of shame and the courage to confront all of them.
Azadeh Kangarani is a theatre director, performer, playwright, and Drama For Wellbeing Practitioner (in training). She is a graduate of Theatre Directing from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (MA), Playwriting and Dramaturgy from Sooreh University in Tehran (BA), and Acting For Film from Prague Film School (certificate). Living in California and Paris allows Azadeh to keep her practices in the US and Europe. Besides her theatre productions, she has held workshops in drama therapy and expressive art for self-awareness and empowerment. Azadeh taught at Prague City University and Charles University in Prague as a lecturer, teaching subjects such as drama, acting, and creative projects.
Since 2016, Azadeh has been writing and performing autobiographical plays and taking them to festivals in Prague and New York. Throughout those unique personal journeys in writing, rehearsing, and performing for the public, Azadeh realized the magic of self-development through autobiographical works.
Storying Our Planet:What Does the Myth of Demeter and Persephone Mean to Us Today?
Alistair Martin-Smith
Canada
“Humanity’s failure to halt the deepening planetary emergency of climate change, extinctions of species and overconsumption of resources is a failure of imagination … “(Stephen Leahy). What connection does imagination have to the environment? I believe there is a sacred bond between human beings and nature. We are intertwined with with each other, our ancestors, and nature. By sharing our stories we connect with one another beyond time and space. In this workshop, we will explore the myth of Persephone and Demeter to discover what it means to the participants today.
When her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades and taken down to the underworld in a golden chariot drawn by four immortal horses, Demeter’s grief was inconsolable. She neglected her responsibilities to nature. Nothing grew and nature began to die, symbolizing autumn and winter. Only with her overarching joy when Persephone returned did nature begin to come alive again and spring and summer returned.
Using the strategies of playback theatre, roleplay, small group and whole group tableau, participants will discover what the myth means to us today. We will begin to answer the
question of what part our imagination has to play in the renewal of the earth. And we will create our own story of how we will collectively bring the earth back to life.
The presenter will share experiences from storytelling in the Life Stories for Seniors group and what it meant to participants in a Toronto retirement residence. The benefits of storying for metacognition and meaning-making through the lens of Joseph Campbell’s hero journey will be considered, and a model for community-building will be proposed.
Alistair Martin-Smith, Ph.D., is a former Director of the Program in Educational Theatre at New York University. He is co-author of of “Re-Cognizing Richard Courtney,” who with Gertrud Schattner authored the seminal two-volume “Drama in Therapy”. Alistair was artistic director of the Looking for Shakespeare program for young people in New York and London. He began the Life Stories for Seniors program in Toronto. and is published in international journals on role theory and metacognition. Currently he is a certified Life Coach with Mindvalley and continues to write about the hero journey.
Once Upon A Time: the interconnected power of story and nature when facing death
Peter Darby-Knight
United Kingdom
The workshop offers participants the invitation to gently and creatively explore what stories have been important to them throughout their lives, and the connections these stories might offer them. Connections in the form of moments from the stories they are drawn to, memories from their own lives these stories connect them with, emotions of their own these stories connect them to. A chance to truly connect in a time of disconnect from ourselves, from others, from nature, and from our own innate creative selves.
Peter has also offered drama and eco-therapy in a variety of other settings. This has included supporting individuals and groups within the NHS adult mental health service, vulnerable children and young people in schools and care homes, and adults with complex learning disabilities. Peter also supervises counsellors and therapists who are working in a variety of clinical settings.
Emergency! Emergentcy! Emergensee! (Emergent Play for Global Emergency: Drama Therapy as a Community Organizing Tool)
Fritz Mad’Laine, Ishita Pahoja
United States, India
As climate catastrophe ravages the Earth, humanity faces a global emergency. Yet while emergencies are undeniably challenging, they also offer fertile ground for emergent forms of thinking, being, and organizing. As drama therapists in a rapidly transforming world, we recognize the need for our own therapeutic paradigm to transform—from one of individual healing, to a collective approach focused on societal change.
But how can we achieve this shift?
“Emergent Play” is an innovative practice inspired by the community organizing principles put forth in Adrienne Maree Brown’s seminal work, Emergent Strategy. By weaving together a wide array of drama therapy techniques and organizing tools, Emergent Play proposes a transformative approach to drama therapy, emphasizing collective liberation and grassroots solutions to global emergencies.
This immersive workshop invites participants to join a drama therapist task force addressing the pressing issue of climate change. Through experiential play and collaboration, we will explore our own places within the fractal nature of this global calamity, transforming feelings of powerlessness into collective agency. Workshop leaders will utilize drama therapy interventions inspired by Developmental Transformations, Narradrama, and Theatre of the Oppressed in order to guide participants through the core theoretical principles of Emergent Strategy.
We will draw upon examples from nature—mycelia, crystals, stars, and more—to explore themes of adaptation, interdependence, decentralization, resilience, creativity, and transformation. As we encounter, mirror, play with, and respond to the environment around us, we will explore how we can integrate lessons of the natural world into our work as drama therapists.
By integrating drama therapy as a form of community organizing, Emergent Play enables us to reimagine our therapeutic practices to meet large-scale societal needs. Together, we will harness our power as drama therapists to not only imagine change, but ultimately embody it in our everyday lives.
Fritz Mad’Laine, AMFT, APCC, RDT (they/them) is a community organizer, educator, and drama therapist who believes in play as a source of healing, empowerment, and transformation. They have a MA in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and received their BA from Stanford University, where they majored in History and Theatre & Performance Studies. Fritz is passionate about mutual aid and collective liberation, and sees drama therapy as a practice of shaping change (all credit to Octavia, of course). Before becoming a therapist, Fritz worked with an anarchist health collective to provide street-based harm reduction services in collaboration with unhoused communities in Berkeley and Oakland. They are a certified practitioner of Developmental Transformations (DvT) and a pioneer of Emergent Play, and work with organizations across the Bay Area to build community rooted at the intersection of theater, activism, and mental health.
Ishita Pahoja (Ishu), AMFT, RDT (Zoo/They) identifies as an alien queer octopus monkey being. Professionally and Passionately zoo engages with this world as an Emergent Player and Drama Therapist. They currently work in community mental health, serving youth and families. Previously, they’ve worked with folks experiencing housing insecurity, substance use, as well as with elders living with Dementia. Currently they reside in Ohlone land (SF). They were raised in India and their ancestors come from present day Pakistan. They graduated with a Masters in Counseling with Drama Therapy from CIIS. Zoo learns and plays intersections of art, healing, education, and organizing. Ishu has always been intrigued by the adventure lands humans collectively carry inside their hearts, brains, minds and souls. Zoo experiments and collects data about expression of emotion and how they impact us within the socio-cultural-political and universal realms that we inhabit (and that inhabit us).
Shàng Shàn Ruò Shuǐ (上善若水）: The Water Within
Lin 林 Yu-Hsuan 育萱,Chui-Shing (Benny) Mok 莫翠盛, Chiao-Chi Chen (陳巧奇)
Hong-Kong, Taiwan
In this immersive workshop, “Shàng Shàn Ruò Shuǐ (上善若水）：The Water Within” we explore the profound themes of fluidity, adaptability, and resilience through the lens of therapeutic theatre. Drawing inspiration from the Taoist philosophy of “上善若水” (The highest good is like water), participants will embark on a journey of self-discovery, reconnecting with their bodies and emotions through creative expression.
Through Ritual Theatre and body movement, we will engage in a dynamic exploration of our inner landscapes and rediscover the wisdom held within our bodies. By flowing with the rhythms of our inner waters, we open the door to self-awareness, healing, and transformation. This journey emphasises that we carry the sacredness of nature within us, highlighting the importance of self-connection as a pathway to the natural world, inspired by the Taoist Philosophy.
This workshop fosters a containing environment where individuals can explore their inner tides. Guided reflections and group discussions will encourage participants to share their insights, deepening their understanding of themselves and the nature.
By the end of the workshop, participants will not only have an immersive experience exploring self but also cultivate a sense of humanity, nature and connection. On this transformative journey, we will dive into the depths of our inner seas, embracing the therapeutic potential of dramatherapy to inspire personal growth and resilience.
Yu-Hsuan Lin 林育萱 is a dramatherapist, theatre performer, storyteller, and clown. Originally from Taiwan and holding a background in sociology, she brings a rich perspective of systemic thinking and social justice to her therapeutic practice. As a versatile performing artist, director, actress, and exhibition curator, Yu-Hsuan focuses on healing through the arts and embodiment. She currently works with children and adolescents in mental health services, specializing in neurodevelopmental and neurodiverse groups. With extensive experience in the National Health Service (NHS), including forensic/secure units, and children’s services, she has deep interests in trauma, immigration, and the complexity of identities. Yu-Hsuan is dedicated to creating transformative experiences that foster emotional exploration and healing.
Chui-Shing (Benny) Mok 莫翠盛: bio
Chui-Shing (Benny) Mok 莫翠盛 is a Hong Kong-born theatre performer, playwright, and registered dramatherapist, currently working in the NHS Crisis Team, where he supports young people experiencing suicidal ideation and/or first-episode psychosis through creative arts therapy. He holds a BA in Philosophy, with a focus on existentialism and Taoism, a BFA in Acting, where he explored the body-mind connection in performance, and an MA in Drama Therapy, with a dissertation on integrating Taoism into therapeutic practice. This unique combination of philosophy and the arts allows him to address profound and fundamental human experiences through creative expression. Benny also is a certified yoga instructor with training in Tai Chi, which he integrates into his practice, providing a holistic approach to enhance self-awareness by focusing on body movement and mindfulness.
Chiao-Chi Chen 陳巧奇: bio
Chiao-Chi Chen (陳巧奇) is an experienced occupational therapist from Taiwan, specializing in family systems and supporting children with atypical developmental conditions. In 2024, she qualified as a dramatherapist after completing her postgraduate training in the UK.
In addition to her clinical experience, Chiao-Chi is an active researcher. She has presented her work at international conferences on topics such as resilience in family systems, developmental transformation (DvT), and lifestyle interventions. Notably, her research on sibling support for children with special needs was presented at the Taiwan Occupational Therapy Association and is currently being prepared for publication.
Chiao-Chi is also a DvT Level One playor, theatre performer, and playwright, integrating creativity and therapeutic insights into her clinical and artistic endeavors. A primary focus of her work is fostering self-awareness among professional caregivers and creating a supportive environment for self-care.
Healing Beyond Boundaries: Exploring Loss and Connection in a Rapidly Changing World
Casper Maas, Yonna Postmus
Belgium
‘Connected by what we’ve lost. Connection through what’s left. Connecting through healing.’
In the unique worlds of forensic psychiatry and substance abuse settings, the experience of loss and limitation is profound and complex. As Dramatherapists, we, Casper Maas and Yonna Postmus, encounter the daily realities of grief that extend beyond the loss of loved ones. Our patients endure the loss of freedom, identity, and connections with society. They are often isolated within boundaries that are both physical and psychological, impacting their sense of Self and potential for healing.
This workshop invites participants to explore the delicate interplay between grief, connection, and restriction. We will delve into mind-body awareness, inviting an experiential journey that acknowledges loss while uncovering the resilience found in human connection. Through physical movement and improvisation, we will examine the sensations of separation and reunion—discovering ways to communicate within and beyond limitations.
Together, we will navigate exercises that invite participants to sense and respond to the boundaries between Self and other, experimenting with embodied movement, psychodrama, and guided improvisations. The focus will be on fostering a deeper awareness of physical and emotional connections that persist, even when loss or restriction seems to dominate. This exploration will offer participants a space to encounter resilience and shared understanding, illuminating paths toward healing in confined settings.
This workshop is intended for practitioners interested in using creative expression to process grief and connection amidst isolation, offering them tools to support others in similar journeys.
Casper Maas is a Dramatherapist in forensic psychiatry and a residential substance abuse program in PC Sint-Jan-Baptist in Zelzate (Belgium). He has a background in working in special education with children and young adults. He previously ran a private practice in the Netherlands and has been trained in Developmental Transformations and Psychodrama. He currently serves as chairman for Dramatherapy in Belgium (BVCT-ABAT).
Yonna Postmus is a Dramatherapist in forensic psychiatry at FPC Antwerpen (Belgium). After 10 years of working in disability care, she took on the challenge of working as a Dramatherapist at FPC Antwerpen. After some personal losses during Covid, she specialized in grief counseling, Psychodrama and Schema therapy. In the beginning of 2024 she became a board member at Dramatherapy Belgium (BVCT-ABAT).
Earth, Water, Fire, Air: Engaging the Four Elements within Us
Gital Wolf Poupko, Nurit Rones-Raushbach
Israel
Throughout history, human beings have sought to understand nature. Every culture observes and explores its habitat, telling stories and creating models, in a quest to make sense of the natural world and of people’s place within it. Drama therapy has deep roots in pre-modern dramatic rituals, such as shamanic traditions of varied cultures. As such, it channels the power of nature and universal archetypes for healing and transformation.
A vital archetype which is rooted in the wisdom of the ancient world is that of the four elements of nature: earth, water, fire, and air. These fundamental elements interact and combine to yield all natural environments, life forms, human societies, families, and individuals within them. Our matter, as well as our spirit, is comprised of a unique interplay of the four elements.
Nature is always in a state of flux, and so are we. Earth, water, fire and air may not be in equilibrium – in the world, or in ourselves. The balance between them may shift, as at any time one element may be dominant, while others may be overshadowed, or lay dormant, awaiting their time to emerge. A group or individual might need to seek or nurture specific elements, in a quest for greater balance, healing or growth.
In this workshop we will enhance our awareness of the four elements of nature in our environments, as well as in ourselves. We will create metaphors of earth, water, fire and air that hold personal meanings for us. Using movement, guided imagery, and dramatic ritual we will explore the interplay of elements within us in the present moment and attempt to reclaim or nurture elements which are necessary for our health, equilibrium and sense of wholeness. The elements will thus serve as both metaphors and catalysts for exploration, facilitating growth and self-discovery.
Gital Wolf Poupko is a drama therapist and registered supervisor in Israel, with an MA from Lesley University and a PhD from Bar Ilan University, where she researched women’s spirituality and performance ritual within the Hasidic Jewish wedding. She works with individuals and groups in the educational system as well as in private practice. Gital is a field supervisor at the University of Haifa’s School of Creative Arts Therapies. She loves to dance, dream and play, and tries to listen closely to other people’s stories.
Group Supervision and the Inner Voice
Deborah Haythorne, Lynn Cedar
United Kingdom
This workshop offers participants the opportunity to explore a group supervision model developed as part of the Creative Arts Supervision Training course based in the UK. The model focuses on the inner voice of the participants and draws on The Seven Eyed Supervision Model (Hawkins and Shohet, 2012) and Playback Theatre (Fox and Salas).
Supervision invites the supervisee to examine their relationship and practice with their client/s, with themselves and with their supervisor, within the wider context of human nature, organisational structures, ethics, regulatory bodies and beyond. The supervisor themselves enters into this process of reflection, listening to their inner voice, which informs and guides the process.
Participants will be invited to learn about this group supervision model through playful engagement with techniques and practice. The roles of storyteller, actor and witness will be offered and we will join together to encounter and explore real life supervision dilemmas and stories. We will work within a framework of Curiosity, Courage and Compassion, and we will explore and say what we see using our inner nature and externalising our inner voice. We hope to create a warm atmosphere where we can express compassion for each other and share our natural curiosity and the courage that our work evokes. This is a many eyed supervision model where all views are welcome.
Deb and Lynn have been working with this model over a number of years and are grateful to those who have helped to hone their ideas through active participation and feed-back.
Fox, J and Salas, J (2021) Personal Stories in Public Spaces Tusitala Publishing
Hawkins, P. and Shohet, R. (2012) Supervision in the Helping Professions: Supervision in Context Open University Press 4th Edition
Deborah Haythorne is the co-founder and Co-Chief Executive of Roundabout, the largest Dramatherapy charity in the UK. Deborah is an experienced supervisor was co-founder of the Creative Arts Supervision Training in the UK. Deborah has maintained a dramatherapy clinical caseload for over thirty nine years working with children, young people and adults. She has researched dramatherapy practice with children and has co-written and co-edited a number of articles and books on this area.
Lynn Cedar is the co-founder of Roundabout and a Co-Chief Executive Officer of Roundabout, the largest registered dramatherapy charity in the UK, offering a dramatherapy service London-wide. Lynn trained as a drama and movement therapist in 1985 and has extensive dramatherapy experience with varying client groups. She completed her first supervision training at the Maudsley Professional Development Centre in May 1999 and completed her Dramatherapy M.A top up at the Central School Of Speech and Drama in June 2003.
Clinic on the Ocean
Barbara Lau
France
Atlantic Ocean, 5 young persons, a sailing boat, a skipper, and a dramatherapist. 7 days on the Ocean, using writing and sailing as a therapeutic setting. When Nature, Human Nature and Arts meet.
In this presentation, I will share a case study of sailing and writing therapeutic journey, accomplished with 3 teenagers and 2 young adults last July 2024.
Each of the participants was my patient, I have been working with them for at least one year before the sailing experience. I was lucky to get founded by the French association Les Hérissons au Coeur d’Or, which selected my project and covered an important part of the fees.
How did it work?
Sailing and writing as a therapeutic setting was just an intuition. I know the power of the ocean, and how it requires us to adapt every minute. I know the power of writing, how it opens hidden doors to oneself. And I know the power of a group, in a systemic perspective.
We set goals with each participant before the trip, which I will explain during the presentation. The group met, the families met, a group dynamic started before we all got on the boat.
Patients suffered from :
obsessive-compulsive disorder,
anxiety,
depression,
social anxiety,
gender dysphoria,
disesteem,
cyclothymia
We will question, is this presentation, how the group dynamic worked, on a boat where we had to stay all the time together. We will look into the biographical and creative writing powers, and how the Ocean carried us for 7 days.
We will discover how the ocean on our planet can be the mirror, the echoing room of our profound human nature, and how creative writing can help understanding it.
Barbara Lau is a French dramatherapist, family therapist, supervisor and trainer. She works in a private practice and institutions. She co-founded, the French DvT institute where she teaches. She co-leads the Shenzhen (China) DvT institute. She is also a storyteller, comedian and apprentice sailor.
She is the French representative for the EFD.
Measuring Spontaneity in Drama-Based Therapies With the New State Spontaneity Scale
Hod Orkibi, Gianmarco Biancalani
Israel, Italy
Spontaneity is a state of readiness that propels an individual towards an adequate response to a new situation or a new response to an old situation (Moreno, 1953). Alongside creativity, spontaneity fuels transformative change, allowing individuals to access inner resources crucial for adapting to life’s challenges. However, available spontaneity scales often overlap with standard emotion measures, limiting their content validity. To address this, we developed the State Spontaneity Scale (SSS) in a 3-phase process. In Phase 1, an online open-ended survey was distributed globally to psychodrama trainers, practitioners, and researchers (n = 107), asking them what spontaneity meant for them in the context of psychodrama. The 841 responses were collected and categorized into 10 themes in an Excel file. Phase 2 involved forwarding this file to 13 psychodrama experts, who identified items reflecting the experience of spontaneity. Subsequently, 26 items were chosen based on the consensus of at least eight raters (50%), and an additional eight items, deemed suitable albeit with lower frequency, were incorporated. This process culminated in the creation of a 34-item SSS. In Phase 3, the SSS was administered online alongside the spontaneity subscale of the APTS (Shen et al., 2014), the State Anxiety Scale (Spielberger et al., 1983) and the Creative Adaptability Scale (Orkibi, 2021) to psychodrama students, trainers, practitioners, and researchers for psychometric evaluation. The findings detailing the SSS’s psychometric properties are presented herein, accompanied by recommendations for future research directions. Building on this foundational work, a significant next step has now begun: the SSS is being validated in multiple languages across different countries. This crucial expansion of the scale’s validation is key to ensuring its global applicability and for understanding spontaneity as a vital, adaptive resource in confronting the uncertainties of both personal and planetary challenges, enabling a richer connection to our human nature.
References
Moreno, J. L. (1953). Who shall survive? Foundations of sociometry, group psychotherapy and socio-drama (2nd ed.). Beacon House.
Orkibi, H. (2021). Creative adaptability: Conceptual framework, measurement, and outcomes in times of crisis. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 588172.
Shen, X. S., Chick, G., & Zinn, H. (2014). Validating the Adult Playfulness Trait Scale (APTS): An Examination of Personality, Behavior, Attitude, and Perception in the Nomological Network of Playfulness. American Journal of Play,6(3), 345-369.
Spielberger, D., Gorsuch, R., Lushene, R., Vagg, P., & Jacobs, G. (1983). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Consulting Psychologists Press.
Hod Orkibi, PhD, is a certified psychodrama therapist and an Associate Professor (tenured) at the School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Israel. As Chair of the Doctoral Program Committee and director of the Drama & Health Science Lab, he leads research on psychodrama/drama therapy, creativity, and community rehabilitation. He is an adjunct professor in NYU’s drama therapy program and has published over 80 articles and chapters, securing grants from various national and international sources. Dr. Orkibi serves as Associate Editor for Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, with additional editorial roles on journals including The Arts in Psychotherapy and Drama Therapy Review. A representative for Division 10 of the American Psychological Association, he actively contributes to advancing the fields of psychodrama and drama therapy globally. Email address: horkibi@univ.haifa.ac.il
Gianmarco Biancalani is an Italian psychologist, psychodramatist, and psychotherapist, currently a PhD candidate at the School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Israel. His doctoral research explores the life stories of older Italian gay men and examines the impact of an online intervention that combines drama therapy and psychodrama in small groups. His research interests include psychodrama, drama therapy, spontaneity, aging in gay men, and death education. Gianmarco has published over 30 research articles in international peer-reviewed journals and contributed a book chapter. Email address: gianmarco.biancalani@gmail.com
Being and Becoming: An exploration of the Lived Experiences of Black African and Caribbean Creative Arts Therapists in the UK
Oliver Andrea-May
United Kingdom
Being and Becoming: An exploration of the lived experiences of Black African and Caribbean Creative Arts Therapists in the UK
“In the context of persistent societal racism, the experiences of Black Caribbean and African creative arts therapists in the UK provide a unique lens to examine the intersection of race and mental health. This presentation explores preliminary findings from a qualitative study that delves into the lived experiences of these therapists during their training, professional practice, and career development. Through semi-structured interviews, thematic analysis, and arts-based research, the study uncovers the multifaceted challenges and opportunities faced by these professionals.
Participants report systemic barriers, including racial discrimination and underrepresentation, alongside instances of intergenerational trauma and cultural insensitivity within the therapeutic community. Despite these hurdles, they also highlight moments of resilience, community support, and the transformative power of culturally competent therapy.
By framing these experiences against the backdrop of societal racism, this presentation argues for significant changes in the creative arts therapy field. It calls for enhanced cultural fluency, increased representation, and systemic reforms to better support Black therapists and their clients. “
Oliver Andrea-May is a seasoned dramatherapist with over a decade of experience in the field of creative arts therapies. As a PhD candidate, her research focuses on the experiences of Black African and Caribbean creative arts therapists, seeking to highlight their unique perspectives within the professional landscape. Driven by a commitment to affirm and celebrate Black identities, Andrea-May’s work emphasizes the importance of culturally sensitive therapeutic practices. Her passion lies in addressing the disparities in mental health care for Black communities, advocating for approaches that are both inclusive and empowering. Through her research and practice, she aims to improve mental health outcomes by fostering environments where Black clients feel seen, heard, and understood. Andrea-May’s dedication to this cause is evident in her efforts to bridge gaps in education, training, and service provision, ensuring that therapeutic practices resonate deeply with the communities they serve.
Deus sive Natura Spinoza’s spiritual materialism and its importance for dramatherapy
Salvo Pitruzzella
Italy
The notion of Human Nature can easily become a conceptual trap. Just to make a present-day example: some people stigmatize same-gender relationships as being ‘against nature’. Albeit this statement is contradicted by numberless examples in the animal kingdom, their reply is that human nature is different from that of beasts, suggesting that there is something like a ‘right’, ‘normal’ and ‘acceptable’ Human Nature, and stigmatizing what does not fit into these biased categories. We cannot but refuse this idea of naturalness as a normative restraint, which can be used as a weapon to suppress differences and create borders, yet we are facing a fundamental ambivalence: are we part of Nature, or separated from it and above it? Western thought has been caught in a loop between these two extremes: if we are natural beings, then we must conform to what has been laid down as ‘natural’ (usually by those in power); if we are set apart from Nature, exploitation and destruction of the environment are justified.
The philosophy of Baruch Spinoza may provide an alternative view on the matter. His spiritual materialism is grounded upon a simple question: how many substances are there in the universe? Spinoza’s answer is clear: only one, which can be called either God or Nature (Deus sive Natura). We are but a tiny flake of this infinite and eternal substance, as we are made of the same particles of energy of which all other things in the universe are made, and respectful inquiries on how Nature works can offer fruitful insights on how human beings work. In this paper I will show how Spinoza’s ideas can serve as a valuable philosophical framework for dramatherapy, reconceptualizing some of its basic tenets above the functioning of this wonderful ‘tangle of matter and ghost’ that we call ourselves.
Salvo Pitruzzella was born and lives in Palermo, Italy. He has directed the Dramatherapy School of the ArtiTerapie Centre in Lecco and was Professor of Art Pedagogy and Creative Writing at the Fine Arts Academies of Bari and Palermo. He was one of the founders of the EFD (European Federation of Dramatherapy), of which he has been appointed Member of Honour in 2023. He served as the Italian representative at ECArTE and attended numerous European conferences. He collaborated with the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London as External Examiner. Honorary member of SPID (Italian Professional Society of Dramatherapy). He has published, as author and editor, several essays and handbooks, published in the UK by Routledge, and in Italy by FrancoAngeli, and has participated in many international books. He has written three novels, the last of which, Il Vento e la Giostra, was published in 2023 by GFE Editions, Rome.
Dramatherapy as a Tool for Community Resilience: The Experience of Argentina’s General Directorate for the Protection of Children and Adolescents (GDP) Growing in Arid Lands
Maria Sol Guerrero Gimenez, Elke Jorzyk Llarena
Argentina, Switzerland
In the wake of Argentina’s complex socio-political and economic landscape, which has fostered cycles of instability and trauma, this presentation explores how Dramatherapy has emerged as a powerful tool for fostering community resilience. Focusing on interventions carried out in the General Directorate for the Protection of Children and Adolescents (GDP), this paper highlights the therapeutic role of Dramatherapy in working with caregivers who provide support to children and adolescents affected by severe violations of their rights, such as abuse and neglect.
The GDP, with limited resources and untrained staff, represents an environment in which human nature—marked by vulnerability, survival, and adaptation—is continuously tested. In these contexts, Dramatherapy facilitated not only the containment of psychomotor crises among youth but also the emotional recovery of caregivers, who often faced burnout and exhaustion. Through creative expression, techniques from Playback Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, and other Dramatherapy methods, the staff began to reconnect with their own inner nature and rediscover their capacity for empathy and creativity.
At the heart of this experience lies a key question: How can we, as humans, remain connected to our natural instincts for care, support, and collaboration in challenging environments? The intervention revealed that by creating safe spaces for expression, Dramatherapy helps caregivers and youth alike navigate the tumultuous intersection of trauma and healing, fostering personal and collective transformation.
By bridging the gap between human nature and the institutional pressures of the GDP, this presentation aims to explore how Dramatherapy, even in the harshest environments, can awaken the inner resources that allow us not only to survive but to thrive. This case study contributes to the broader theme of “Human & Nature in Dramatherapy” by illustrating the resilience of both caregivers and youth as they confront and transform their individual and collective challenges through creative, therapeutic practices.
M.D. Psychiatrist and dramatherapist. Co-founder and President of the Argentinian Association of Dramatherapy (DAr) and co-director and lecturer of the Postgraduate Diploma in Dramatherapy at the National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo). Representative for Argentina in the World Alliance of Dramatherapy. Sol is the coordinator, teacher, and supervisor of the International Practicum held in Mendoza, member of the Academic and Organization Committees in several Conferences, and director of undergraduate degree final projects at UNCuyo. Co-author of the book “Adolescentes en la encrucijada”, Sol specializes in adolescents and adults. Worked for approximately three years with DGP (General Directorate for the Protection of Children and Adolescents) staff with Dramatherapy tools.
Born to Mexican and German parents, Elke completed her theatre training in Germany, France and Canada specializing in applied theatre. After working in event management and teaching German as a second language in integration contexts for several years, she is currently enrolled in her last year at the Dramatherapy Institute in Switzerland. Did her Practicum at DGP (General Directorate for the Protection of Children and Adolescents) in Mendoza, Argentina in 2022.
Therapy Fund
Merry Ross
United States
In this self revelatory piece , Merry Ross explores the transformational nature of mother-daughter relationships Using autobiographical therapeutic performance techniques including improvisation, developmental transformations and story-telling, she takes a deep dive into the trial, tribulations and triumphs of this primal and complex relationship.
Merry’s solo performance, Therapy Fund is a comic and poignant exploration of her relationships with both her two daughters, her mother and hergrandmother. It looks at how inter-generational trauma can be addressed and healed, when one is committed to doing it differently.
Merry Ross is a Marriage therapist, Drama Therapist, teacher, actor, director, supervisor and coach. She has a private practice in Oakland Ca. and has been a member of The Living Arts Playback Theatre Ensemble since 1992. Her latest teaching experiences were teaching scene study and improvisation at Laney College and group consultation at the JFK Graduate program in psychology. Merry has directed many self revs and created a one woman show called “What’s My Age Again” which she performed all over the bay area, Santa Cruz, NYC and London England. She has Presented at many Drama Therapist conferences including the international conference in the Netherlands.
Merry graduated from CIIS in. 1996. She attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic arts and The George Washington University, and she has studied Improvisation extensively. Her greatest teachers are her 2 wonderful daughters Zoe and Phoebe Zimski.
World Alliance of Dramatherapy Presentation
Nisha Sajnani
Nisha Sajnani, PhD, RDT-BCT, is the director of the NYU Program in Drama Therapy, principal editor of Drama Therapy Review, past president of the North American Drama Therapy Association, founding member of the World Alliance of Dramatherapy, and co-founding co-director of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab founded in collaboration with the WHO. She is the co-author of Intercultural Drama Therapy (2023) and co-editor of Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, Classrooms, and Communities (2014/2024). An award-winning author, educator, and advocate, her body of work explores the unique ways in which aesthetic experience can inspire care, equity, and collective human flourishing across the lifespan.
Reweaving Communities:Collective Healing with Drama’s Nature and Nature’s Drama
Barbara Kaynan
United States
There is a direct correlation between humanity’s movement away from nature and the radical social divides we are now experiencing. The quality of our relationship with our planet and each other has diminished and yet the research findings are clear: the quality of our relationships with each other and with our planet determines our lifespan and our experience of it. This workshop will address drama’s natural capacity to transcend cultural differences, emphasizing points of understanding and connection within communities through play and ritual. Nature’s dramatic seasons, events both destructive and restorative, will also be called up as both concrete elements and symbolic metaphors with whom we as humanity benefit from communing. Case examples will be shared of drama therapy’s applications across both culture-specific and multicultural group settings integrating natural surroundings and trauma-informed approaches. Participants will play with themes of relational repair & renewal within ourselves, our communities, and our natural world. Drama therapy approaches will include narradrama, role theory and method, and sociodrama / psychodrama. The session will be part presentational and part experiential so participants leave with a felt-sense of their own natural connections to drama therapy, our communities, and our planet. Theorists from drama therapy, intergenerational trauma, spiritual traditions, theatre arts and more will be interwoven in discussion and embodied practice toward bridging interpersonal gaps. We as drama therapists hold a unique skillset that can help people come together to co-create meaning and collaboration in an otherwise tense time of upheaval. This workshop aims to inspire practitioners to consider ourselves as community weavers: driving a deeply needed era of reconnection. In an era that is moving fast, separating people and parts in the name of identity – this workshop invites participants to slow down, sense into our collective heartbeat, and imagine together new possibilities.
Barbara Kaynan, MA, RDT, is on a mission to bring people into their fullest, most authentic connection and expression. She founded Reweaving Communities through which she facilitates, and trains on, creative approaches to addressing interpersonal, collective, and intergenerational trauma. Barbara’s work as a theatre artist and registered drama therapist have spanned populations & settings including clinical, retreats, online, corporate, cultural, academic, and more. People seek Barbara when they need fresh, diverse access points into shifting their pain and stuckness into opportunity and growth. She specializes in guiding transformative, embodied processes towards increased relational safety, clarity, vitality, and collaboration. She is a published research scholar and peer review editor for the Drama Therapy Review, former professor for Long Island University-CW Post. Barbara is an RDT with the NADTA, holds a MA from NYU in Drama Therapy and a certificate in advanced training from KINT Institute in the Arts and Trauma Treatment.
Keep in Touch – Listen to Soul
Raffaella Perrotta
Italy
A workshop that has the flavor of a prayer, thought and made to take our space and our time to listen to each other and to get reconnected both one another and with the world around. What do we see around us? Which kind of scenery is catching our attention? Which kind of image do we have today about the man-nature relationship ? And also, is our bond between man and nature strong or is it breaking? How do you feel: more scared or more amazed? Should we apologize or say thanks? Is there a new step waiting for us? Let’s stay tuned!
During the workshop we will listen to stories and tales about Human being and Nature coming from different traditions and images created with AI, and we will give birth to a great ritual – a collective ritual – to imagine the next steps to be taken.
Pay attention: to take part in the workshop please don’t forget to take with you an image/photo of a place/natural element that you love and another one – that you feel as suffering at the moment – you would take care of.
The workshop takes inspiration from drama therapy workshops with students, adults and group in integrated contexts given in these 4 years (environmental education and health education courses, 2030 agenda) in Italy, with more than 250 clients involved in.
Dr. RaffaellaPerrotta, Dramatherapist, Actress, Trainer, Supervisor.
Graduated with honors in “Theatre in Education” at Dams (Turin University), Dramatherapist graduated at Lecco’s School of Art- Terapies, Master in Social Theatre at Cattolica University (Milan). Vice President of S.P.I.D (president from 2014 to 2019), co-founder of the group “Dramatherapy Study and research” (www.drammaterapia.net).
Tutor, Supervisor and Theacher of “Dramatherapy and Education” (Lecco’s School Training and Master’s degree in Arts Terapy at Catholic University of Milan). Works as Dramatherapist (Self Employed) with individuals and groups (children, adults, psychiatrics, people with Down syndrome, autistic disorder andpeople with various disabilities and disempowered groups), taking part to Conference in Europe and South America.
Creative Psychotherapy for Depression (Arts for the Blues) – Our Evidence Base and an Experiential Workshop
Joanna Omylinska-Thurston, Vicky Karkou, Scott Thurston, Claire Quigley
United Kingdom
According to the World Health Organization (2021) depression affects over 280 million people worldwide and in the UK, it is one of the main mental health problems affecting 21% of adults (Office for National Statistics, 2022). Therefore, following Medical Research Council’s recommendations (Skivington et al, 2021), we have developed a manualised creative psychotherapy for depression called Arts for the Blues that capitalizes on best practice from evidence-based approaches for depression. The model (Omylinska-Thurston et al, 2020) is based on a synthesis of evidence (Parsons et al 2019), public feedback (Haslam et al 2019), contributions from National Health Service (NHS) Talking Therapies service staff and service users (Karkou et al 2022) and creative input (Thurston et al 2022). We have delivered the intervention with a group of adults at the mental health charity MIND (Omylinska-Thurston et al in preparation) who found the intervention helpful. We are currently delivering the model with adults, children and healthcare staff in the NHS and charity settings gathering evidence base for the approach.
During the conference, we would like to briefly present the model, the evidence base and facilitate experiential workshop focused on exploring our relationship to ourselves, each other and the natural world.
Dr Joanna Omylinska-Thurston is a Counselling Psychologist and a Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy. She is a co-founder of creative psychotherapy Arts for the Blues alongside Prof Vicky Karkou and Prof Scott Thurston. She has been currently awarded a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Fellowship to evaluate a feasibility RCT of Arts for the Blues in primary care services (National Health Service; Talking Therapies Service).
Vicky is the Director of the Research Centre for Arts and Wellbeing at Edge Hill University and an internationally known academic and researcher in the arts and arts psychotherapies, receiving external funding of over £10 million. She is involved in the ERA study, the largest arts therapies randomised controlled trial in the UK funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). She leads the new project Arts4Us, one of the largest research awards on the arts, arts therapies and children’s mental health (£2.5 million) funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) involving over 50 collaborators and partners. This project builds on the Arts for the Blues, an evidence-based creative group psychotherapy for people with depression, which, in collaboration with the University of Salford and funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), has been scaled up in the North West of England.
She is also a core member of the International Creative Arts Therapies Research Alliance, an affiliate researcher with the Jameel Arts and Health Lab, working on commissioned projects from the WHO Arts and Health Office. In 2014 she was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Medicine from Riga Stradins University, Latvia for her services in supporting the development of arts psychotherapies in this country.
Scott Thurston is a Professor of Poetry and Creative and Innovative Practice and Counsellor. He first began writing poetry in the vortex of the London experimental poetry scene in the late 1980s when he regularly attended the Sub-Voicive poetry reading series and Bob Cobbing’s New River Project workshops. Following his first degree in English at UEA, Scott moved to Poland to teach for a few years. On his return, Scott studied for a PhD in Poetics under the supervision of Robert Sheppard at Edge Hill. He joined Salford in 1994 to set up his degree in English and Creative Writing and later established his Masters in Creative Writing: Innovation and Experiment and our PhD pathway in Creative Writing.
Scott is passionate about poetry that dares to do different. He co-organised The Other Room – a reading series promoting experimental writing in Manchester for ten years and co-founded and co-edit the Journal of British and Irish Innovative Poetry (since 2009) – the first and only journal of its kind in the UK.
Since 2004, Scott has been developing a practice integrating dance and poetry which he calls kinepoetics. This has involved studying with dancers in Berlin and New York and collaborating with three dancers in the UK. He worked with Sarie Mairs Slee on the Arts Council funded project Vital Signs, with Julia Griffin on Dancing the Blues and Together Un/Tethered (both linked to the Arts for the Blues project — see below) and currently is collaborating with dancer and researcher Gemma Collard-Stokes.
Following this interest into a collaboration with Dance Movement Psychotherapist Vicky Karkou and Counselling Psychologist Joanna Omylinska-Thurston, led to the founding of Arts for the Blues, a new creative group psychotherapy model.
Scott also completed Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Salford.
Claire Quigley is a Dramatherapist and Neuro-Dramatic Play (NDP) Practitioner. Since qualifying in 2019 she has worked with a variety of clients but specialises in young people with trauma and attachment difficulties. Claire uses the creative arts in her clinical sessions to help support regulation, connection and self expression, over the traditional ‘talk therapy’ approaches; it offers an alternative way to explore and communicate our life experiences. Claire is also involved with Edge Hill and Salford University in their ongoing research called Arts For The Blues (www.artsfortheblues.com) to bring creative therapies into the mainstream within IAPT (improving access to psychological therapies), across all ages, to support mental health and wellbeing. She is currently supporting the training of Manchester CAMHS practitioners to integrate the AFTB model into their work.
The Myth of the Earth-Tearer: A Story of Self-Destruction or Change?
Androniki Nikolakaki
Greece
Nowadays, there is a constant need for respect and balance in our relationships with others, with ourselves and with Nature. At the same time, we live lives with ever-increasing needs and desires, that ultimately remain unfulfilled. It is this feeling of emptiness and unsatisfaction that leads us to over-consuming behaviours; to a ravenous Hunger that leads to self-destruction. Every day feels the same; sometimes it seems that we are one step away from collapse: our bodies and minds weaken; we lose control of our thoughts and actions; we end up losing ourselves. We try to fill the void and endure what is happening around us; we strive to survive but we are not truly living.
This could be a narrative of addiction; where substance abuse becomes a means of relief, temporarily sealing our inner void; a path to self-destruction; a way of life that excludes everything else; a constant quest for fulfilment through external sources that never leads to true satisfaction.
In this workshop, inspired by the myth of the Earth-tearer, we will explore how our internal conflicts are linked to the self-destructive tendencies we observe in modern society, such as addiction. What are the personal and collective “hungers” that cannot be satisfied? Can we find a way to deal with them and find our personal balance?
Androniki Nikolakaki is a Sociologist – Dramatherapist and Supervisor, trained in Drug Addiction Counselling, Clinical Psychopathology and Creative Supervision. She is the Scientific Director of “Thisseas” Drug Addiction Treatment Center of Kallithea Municipality, working with drug addicts in treatment and their families, and a Board Member of the Hellenic Association of Dramatherapists and Playtherapists. She has previous work experience with psychotic and mentally ill patients and unaccompanied minor refugees. Currently, she also leads Dramatherapy workshops and seminars. She has participated in conferences with presentations and workshops, and has published articles in Greek scientific magazines.
From Seed to Ashes
Edyta Nieduziak, Anita Stefańska
Poland
A workshop inspired by traditional Slavic rituals of life and death and customs exploiting the relationship between man and nature. The main methods of the work are based on individual or group theatrical improvisation, complemented by polymodal techniques (elements of singing, dance and movement, words). We assume the use of minimal natural props (leaf, feather, seed, earth).
Edyta M. Nieduziak PhD, certified art therapist, special educator (oligofrenopedagogue), employee of the Institute of Pedagogy at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Silesia in Katowice, where she works with students of the interuniversity art therapy programme (run by the University of Silesia in Katowice, the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, the Academy of Music in Katowice). For years, she has been involved in the work of people with disabilities and has her own artistic experience in the field of visual and performing arts, which she uses in art therapy and animation activities. She has experience of working individually and in groups with participants of different ages (both children and adults) and with a range of disabilities including intellectual disability, autism and sensory impairment.
Anita is a Professor at the Faculty of Pedagogy and Arts of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. Certified art therapist, educator and animator of the Polish and international art therapy movement – author of art therapy and theatre therapy workshops conducted in Central and Eastern Europe. She received her doctoral degree in 2005 at the University of Wrocław, on the basis of her dissertation “Therapeutic dimension of theatre activities in the process of shaping and developing the sense of self-esteem in young people with mild mental retardation”, which was approved in 2008 by Consortium for Arts Therapies in Education and signed by Dr S. Scoble, President of ECArTE, England. She deals with the effectiveness of theatre creation in the process of developing the potential of children, adolescents and adults with various types of developmental disorders, including socially excluded people, as well as research on the effectiveness of creative workshop as arttherapeutic method.
The Geography and Anthropogeography of the Heroes
Maria Schubert, Ioanna Avgerinou
Greece
“At a first glance we realize that the universe is inhabited by shapes. But in reality it is inhabited by presences.” (Cheng, 2006)
Observing the narrative model of dramatherapy as it has been developed so far, we cannot but note the focus mainly on the Hero and Heroine and their future. But all heroes somehow have their own beginning, somehow they are shaped in what they are; in order to understand the heroes, to understand their mission, the obstacles, their weak points, the help they needs, we must first understand the environment from which they were created and shaped.
Dramatherapists who have developed and worked with the narrative model also refer to their hero’s environment as the landscape in which the story unfolds (Jennings 1996:216), where the story takes us (Gersie in Langley 2012:122) what kind of hero can emerge from that environment, and how the roles developed in narratives can be influenced by their environment (Landy 2001).
But what is this environment?
We refer, of course, to both the geography of the natural landscape and its anthropogeography. Each place gives birth to its own heroes, who are shaped by its weather conditions, the customs, traditions, culture of the region, and of course the people who surround them, friends or foes.
In this workshop we will try to bring out what is not visible, but plays an essential role in shaping the heroes and their goals, desires and needs. But also, in the way the environment influences our own goals, our potential, our desires and needs. We will work towards the way we need to accept and change this environment, even if this is ultimately our Hero’s mission. Sometimes all it takes is a change of place for a change to take place within us and even an everyday event to take on a lyrical value, to be crowned with a wonderful echo, which we can call “willingness”.
Maria Schubert, Dramatherapist- Theatrologist, PhD candidate Theatre Studies Department NKUA.
She collaborates with Aeon Dramatherapy Institute and Spell Speech, Language and Learning Center working in groups and one on one sessions. She worked for the Drug Treatment Program of Kallithea Municipality for seven years and has collaborated with the German School of Athens and the National Blood Donation Center. She contributes to workshops and conferences about Dramatherapy in Greece and abroad. She is Head of the Board of the Hellenic Association of Dramatherapists and Playhterapists. Her book “Once upon a time… Dramatherapy and Storytelling” was published by Parisianou Editions (2020).
Ioanna Avgerinou, Psychologist – Dramatherapist – Supervisor & General Secretary of the Hellenic Association of Dramatherapists and Playhterapists, Actress.
She works privately with individual and group drama therapy for adolescents and adults. She is specialized in disabilities. She has worked for years with people with Autism, Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability and privately with groups and individuals for adolescents and young people with autism.
She has collaborated with the Department of Clinical Psychology & Health Psychology, University of Edinburgh, as a Research Project Facilitator to support a Research Project in quantitative analysis of the dramatherapy method.
She has worked in Psychiatric Facilities & Addiction Centers.
She coordinates Dramatherapy Training Workshops and works with Mental Health Centers and Municipalities.
She contributes to workshops and conferences about Mental Health in Greece and abroad.
The Council of the Gods in the Quest for Light
Aurelia Puschert, Erika Castelunger
Germany, Italy
It’s been a while that the council of gods, Zeus family haven’t met for a real festivity. After a warm welcoming opening, the atmsophere tils as the real topics of all the gods and goddesses start to become palpable….
Poseidon, laments all the garbage he is confronted with during his morning rounds in his shimmering underwater kingdom. Due to droughts and social misdistributions, Demeter is no longer able to provide abundant harvests. Athena clarifies that since Twitter, Tiktok and social media no one is ever interested in truth and wisdom. And Ares insists that he definetely wants clear rules for quarrels and wars otherwise he may quit…
The planet appears to be out of control and the gods want to get clear on who is in charge to get the mess fixed again…..
We will start with the body, music and movement to be well connected with ourselves, the space, the others.
We then share the basic story, its aspects and conflicts.
Subgroups will work on different scenarios according to their personal lecture and will develop theatrical scenes, which they will present. Individual playrights will accompany the processes and collect the groups attempts to find interessting and astonishing solutions.
Aurelia Puschert studied psychology at the University of Paris, France and later became a licenced dramatherapist in Berlin in 2016. Since then she has been working in a psychosomatic clinic in the north of berlin and in various projects with children. Aurelia is also a trained clinic clown.
Erika Castelunger studied Theatre studies at the university of Bologna, Italy. She became a licenced dramatherapist in Berlin in 2015. Erika has been working in various social and clinical backgrounds with chldren and adults in Nothern Italy.
Taking Dramatherapy Into the Outside Space ‒ the Benefits and Obstacles When Working with Children with SEMH Issues
Laura Hubbard
United Kingdom
This article explores the benefits and obstacles of using the outside environment for dramatherapy practice with particular reference to children with social emotional mental health (SEMH) issues. I explore the benefits and challenges that the outside environment can provide for children with SEMH issues and other client groups. Through the literature available at present, dramatherapists Steve Mitchell and Martin Cope have practised in this area, but most publications can be found in eco-psychology. The methodology for the study uses qualitative research methods, coding two interviews with dramatherapists who use the outside environment for practice and supported by the author’s own casework with children with SEMH issues. In the discussion, obstacles and benefits of outdoor dramatherapy for children with SEMH issues are considered.
Laura (Bassingthwaighte) Hubbard, is a qualified dramatherapist, forest school leader and teacher, who specialises in working in the outdoor setting. Laura established her own business nurture in nature Dramatherapy in 2016 and has been working with SEMH clients for over 10 years utilising the outside setting.
Aesthetic Distance: Exploring Natural Human Capacities in Drama Therapy
Boaz Ben Tzur
Israel
In these transformative times where humanity seeks to understand its relationship with nature – both inner and outer – drama therapy offers profound insights into our inherent capacities for authentic engagement. This research explores aesthetic distance, a core mechanism in drama therapy that embodies the natural human ability to simultaneously experience and observe.
Drama therapy is an experiential psychotherapy method utilizing theatrical elements to facilitate psychological growth and change. “Aesthetic distance,” a core concept in drama therapy, refers to the midpoint between cognitive detachment and emotional over-engagement, allowing individuals to simultaneously think about and feel their experiences. This balance enables people to experience a situation both from within and as an external observer, integrating emotional and cognitive processes.
This qualitative study explored the conceptualization and application of aesthetic distance through semi-structured interviews with 20 experienced drama therapists and psychodramatists. Deductive data analysis revealed five themes: (a) aesthetic distance is a multilayered, multidimensional term; (b) assessment can be done via various expressions; (c) different avenues exist to reach aesthetic distance; (d) being in aesthetic distance enables accessing sensitive content and experiencing transformation; and (e) the therapist’s own engagement with aesthetic distance is crucial.
The findings demonstrate how aesthetic distance reflects our innate wisdom in navigating between connection and detachment. For example, one therapist described how through aesthetic distance, a client embodied their computer to which they were addicted and engaged in human dialogue with it, enabling simultaneous observation and experience of their behavioral patterns. Another client, through embodying the nature they longed for, conducted a simple dialogue with natural healing forces, experiencing and observing their yearning simultaneously. This research offers practical insights for dramatherapists supporting clients in maintaining their authentic nature while adapting to our rapidly changing world.
Boaz Ben-Tzur is a certified Psychodrama Therapist and EMDR practitioner. He holds an M.A. in Creative Art Therapies – Psychodrama from Haifa University and is currently in his third year of psychoanalytic psychotherapy studies. His master’s thesis focused on conceptualizing and implementing aesthetic distance in therapeutic work with extreme populations.
Ben-Tzur works as a psychodrama therapist at “Beit Reim” day hospitalization department – a community mental health center, and serves at a Resilience Center in southern Israel, treating adults suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the war events in Israel. He maintains a private practice offering individual and group therapy, and previously worked with at-risk youth in various residential facilities across Israel. His background includes a B.Sc. in Biotechnology and professional acting certification from a leading Israeli performing arts studio, followed by a decade-long acting career.
Apprehending Play as Powerful Antidote A Glance of the True Nature of Developmental Transformations
Marc Willemsen, Jason Butler
The Netherlands
Developmental Transformations (DvT) is an improvisation-based practice. This method is built on the concept of the playspace (Johnson et al., 2021). The Playspace provides an interactive, playful and contained environment where a client can freely express, explore and experiment without real world consequences. It is co-created by the therapist and client. The therapist gradually endeavours to broaden the playspace, guiding the client towards possibilities and encouraging fluidity rather than rigidly maintaining the established.
Play in general, and this method in particular, has multiple benefits when we are struggling with life’s many challenges and looking for a powerful antidote. Most of these benefits cannot be linked to specific symptoms or diagnoses, but rather encompass transdiagnostic factors. These factors, which cut across various mental disorders, include for example: intolerance of uncertainty and experiential avoidance (Khakppor et al., 2019), which may be related to the DvT benefit of increased tolerance.
Although a recent scoping review identified the aforementioned multiple benefits (Sajnani et al., 2023), little is known about the in-session processes of DvT that lead to these benefits. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the importance of studying what unfolds and what is helpful in a session or across sessions has long been recognised in psychotherapy research (Kazdin, 2007; Elliott, 2010) and has influenced research within the Creative Arts Therapies (CATs). In particular, this type of research can improve the effectiveness of interventions, establish or refine a theory of change to provide a rationale and structure for evidence-based interventions, and contribute to the development of more effective training and supervision on change.
In this presentation, we will share the results of our current review, focusing on the factors and processes within DvT that may lead to its many benefits. A glance into its true nature? We will discuss the possible implications for practice and training.
Marc Willemsen (MA), is a registered dramatherapist and a senior lecturer at the CATs bachelor program HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and visiting lecturer at the master Creative Arts Therapies programs of the HAN University of Applied Sciences and Université Paris Cité. He is affiliated with the HU Youth Research Centre, the collective research center for CATs (KenVaK) and the Open University, where he is doing his doctorate. He initiated the shared practice, Het Speelvlak. He is a graduate of the Institute for DvT, a registered psychodrama therapist, supervisor, supervising supervisor, and group-therapist. He is vice-president of the European Federation of Dramatherapy (EFD) and former chair and co-training director of DvT Netherlands.
Dr. Jason D. Butler is a Registered Drama Therapist, Board Certified Trainer, and New York State Licensed Creative Arts Therapist. He is a former President of the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA). He is the editor-in-chief for The Arts in Psychotherapy and the former training director for DvT Montreal. Prior to joining and becoming a full-time professor at Lesley University, Jason was a professor in Creative Arts Therapy at Montreal’s Concordia University, serving for a portion of that time as the graduate program director for drama therapy and a member of the Arts in Health Research Collective. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University and at New York University and was one of the first recipients of the NADTA Teaching Excellence Award. His publications include articles and book chapters on drama therapy education, arts therapies pedagogy, schizophrenia, developmental transformations, and role theory.
LIVE STREAM
Human by Night, Beast by Day: the Archetype of Werewolf in Latvian Culture
Ieva Alberton
Latvia/ United Kingdom
This presentation delves into the archetype of the werewolf, or Vilkatis, in Latvian culture and examines how this figure can inform contemporary Dramatherapy practice. Inspired by an evocative poem by Latvian poet Knuts Skujenieks, which captures the image of a person “awakened by night” in pursuit of spiritual fulfilment, this paper will investigate the symbolic duality of the werewolf as both a figure of terror and an embodiment of primal instincts.
Through a Dramatherapeutic lens, this presentation will consider how the werewolf archetype can facilitate exploration of one’s complex relationship with their human and animal nature. The figure of Vilkatis can serve as a “bridge”—a powerful metaphor and projection object, enabling clients to engage with their “wild” or “shadow” side, confront their anxieties, and access hidden aspirations and emotions. In this way, Vilkatis offers a path to discovering internal landscapes, leading to potentially enriching and liberating experiences.
Historically, the werewolf was depicted as an individual torn between ordinary life and supernatural transformation, embodying the struggle between self-restraint and the pull of untamed instincts. Traditional beliefs, including records from 17th-century Livonian witch trials, reveal that the werewolf was both feared and revered, viewed as a force of rebellion and resistance. These narratives underscore societal tensions around autonomy and the acceptance of one’s inner “beast”—themes that remain relevant in contemporary therapeutic contexts.
This presentation will highlight the transformative potential of reconnecting with ancient archetypes in therapy, demonstrating how Latvian werewolf myths provide a potent framework for self-exploration and empowerment within modern Dramatherapy practice.
Ieva Alberton is a qualified Dramatherapist based in London. Originally from Riga, Latvia, she began her artistic journey at the Janis Rozentals Art School, studying fine arts. Inspired by Antonin Artaud’s radical approach to theatre, she pursued theatre studies at Aix-Marseille University in France, where she deepened her understanding of performance as a transformative art form. She advanced her practice in Performance Design and Practice at Central Saint Martins in London, creating an original piece that merged St. Augustine’s philosophy with Guy Debord’s critique of society. During her MA in Dramatherapy at the University of Roehampton, Ieva explored how her Latvian heritage could enrich her therapeutic approach, focusing on identity and trauma. Her final project, ‘How to be a Latvian’, was a profound exploration of cultural stereotypes and intergenerational trauma. In her therapeutic work, Ieva is dedicated to helping clients draw on their heritage to rediscover resilience and a deeper sense of identity.
The Use of Myths in Dramatherapy
Anita Bernāne
Latvia
Arts therapies integrate creative process, psychological theories and human experience (American Art Therapy Association, 2022; Mārtinsone and Duhovska, 2023). Myths also help to form connection with past experiences (Powell, 2012). Thus, the symbolic language of myth can help to understand difficulties and see solutions (Podina, 2023). Also the development trends of arts therapies are important, as increasingly more emphasis is placed on culturally attuned therapy (Corin, 2023). From this perspective, myths are often used to discover and change the personal myth (Smartt, 2022).
The research performed on the use of myths in arts therapies confirms that myths are an important therapeutic source. During the first stage of the research articles in arts therapies journals for professionals (n=31) were collected, including an analysis of theoretical approaches, that can help to understand how myths can promote therapeutic change. Considering the results of the first stage of the study and the recommendations of the art therapists – experts (n=3), semi-structured interviews with Latvian art therapists (n=11) were conducted, creating three thematic parts – Experience, Therapeutic process and Methods/Techniques.
In describing their experience of working with myths in the thematic part “Experiences”, art therapists have often emphasized that mythological characters embody both good and evil, that helps to understand human nature. Whereas in the thematic part “Therapeutic process”, art therapists note that the use of myths facilitates a deep therapeutic process. In order to understand how myths can be used in arts therapies, the applied methods/techniques are also important. A broader introduction to drama therapy methods/techniques will be provided. The results thus reflect the art therapists’ experience of working with myths, bringing to the forefront cultural identity, which influences how a person sees the world (Koç & Kafa, 2019) and can serve as a resource for overcoming individual difficulties.
Anita Bernāne is a Art therapist with specialisation in drama therapy – Adolescent Resource Centre [18/03/2024 – Current ] Country: Latvia
Professional Master’s degree in Healthcare and qualification of an art therapist (with
specialisation in drama therapy) – Rīga Stradiņš University, Faculty of Rehabilitation
The pigeon knows”: Bridging Worlds: Shamanism and Drama Therapy in Zanzibar
Dimitra Stavrou
Greece
This research explores the intersections between shamanism and drama therapy, focusing on the practices of a traditional healer-shaman in Tanzania. Building on previous research (McNeef, Jennings, Pendzik, Johnson, Glaser) that highlights the connections between the two fields, this study employs methodological tools from both drama therapy and social anthropology.
The aim is to illuminate the potential for learning from traditional healing practices and to reflect upon contemporary drama therapy, with the goal of adapting it to address modern challenges such as climate change, democracy crisis and population displacement. Furthermore, the research highlights the penetration of modern thought into traditional cosmologies, weakening them, while simultaneously emphasizing their necessity, particularly in the West.
The research, initiated in 2023 and is ongoing.
Dimitra Stavrou is a multidisciplinary practitioner and author, specializing in Psychology, Drama-Therapy, and Anthropology. As a licensed Psychologist and Drama-Therapist, she has extensive experience in diverse therapeutic settings, from private practice to institutions such as prisons, schools, and addiction programs.
Stavrou’s work integrates theory and practice, as evidenced by her teaching roles at academic institutions and her contributions to the field through publications and presentations. Her research focuses on the therapeutic potential of creative expression, particularly through ethnodrama and symbolic healing of the communities in crisis. With a strong commitment to intercultural understanding, she has collaborated on projects both nationally and internationally. Her affiliations with professional organizations in Greece and France further underscore her dedication to the field of Drama-Therapy.
37. The Nature of Recovery: The CoActive Therapeutic Theater Model
Laura Wood, Dave Mowers
United States
The CoActive Therapeutic Theater (CoATT) model is a manualized therapeutic theater approach designed for groups in recovery. Participants define their recovery and identify themes they want to explore through metaphor and public performance, fostering reconnection with their communities. In this 2-hour workshop, participants will be introduced to the six principles and seven movements of the CoATT model and explore how recovery is a dynamic, human process shaped by embodied experience and community reconnection. Participants will reflect on the “nature of recovery” as an evolving journey, exploring the themes of transformation, connection, and creativity through aesthetic engagement.
Dr. Laura L. Wood is an Associate Professor of Mental Health Counseling and Drama Therapy at Lesley University, a Registered Drama Therapist, and a Board Certified Trainer. A Past President of the North American Drama Therapy Association, she co-created the CoActive Therapeutic Theater (CoATT) Model, a pioneering manualized therapeutic theater approach. Laura’s research emphasizes trauma, dissociation, eating disorders, and recovery. She is the author of Recovery and Drama Therapy: The CoActive Therapeutic Theater Model (2024).
Dave Mowers is a drama therapist and co-creator of the CoActive Therapeutic Theater (CoATT) Model. Known for his expertise in therapeutic theater, he collaborates internationally to support recovery through creative arts. Dave’s work emphasizes resilience, storytelling, and community healing, helping individuals transform personal challenges into empowerment. He works in private practice and consulting.
The Couple’s Drama: Dancing with Danger
Elsa van den Broek, Anne Tilroe
The Netherlands
In this workshop Anne & Elsa will demonstrate how they work with couples with aggression issues in a forensic outpatient setting. The couples in their dramatherapy sessions have issues with stalking or domestic violence. Participants of this workshop get the chance to practice in groups.
In history, in the primeval time, relationships were dominated by male and female roles, where men were allowed to use violence in order to provide for their wives and children, and women were supposed to nurture and care. Is this human nature….?
The traditional way of looking at aggression in relationships between men and women was to portray the male as the perpetrator and the female the victim. While power in a patriarchal society was in the hands of men, this slowly shifted to more equality and freedom. Increased freedom meant more choices. This shift of power is also visible in the change of relational dynamics. There is no longer one perpetrator or one victim, aggression can be a result of the dynamic of every specific couple.
Increasing stress in society, due to poverty, war, racism and the use of social media and availability of internet porn also has a stressful influence on couples relationships dynamics.
The couples in our dramatherapy sessions have different attachment styles and thus coping with emotions. They tend to be really clinging, withdrawing or repelling to their partners. Oftentimes partners are subconsciously chosen to confirm the earlier attachment experiences. Increasing insight in these dynamics can help couples get a grip on escalating domestic violence.
Dramatherapy (integrating elements of emotionally focused therapy: EFT) can help clients to gain insight on their escalation of aggression in order to prevent it and cause growing understanding of their partner and their own attachment need or attachment anxiety.
Elsa van den Broek (MA) is a registered dramatherapist with 25 years of experience in forensic psychiatry.
She has a special interest in integrating Schematherapy and Dramatherapy. Her research in this particular field resulted in various international publications. Her experience is mainly focused on working with patients with personality disorders, low IQ, addiction and motivational issues in treatment. She currently works at the forensic outpatient centre Kairos/Pompestichting Nijmegen in group therapy, individual therapy, couples and youth (16-23).
She teaches master students of the Arts Therapies program at Han University of Applied Sciences in Nijmegen, as well as at the RINO groep Amsterdam.
Anne Tilroe, registered dramatherapist with two years’ experience in forensic psychiatry, working with anger issues, personality disorders, low IQ, addiction and people with psychoses. Working with groups, individuals and couples. She wrote her bachelor thesis on the working mechanisms of arts therapies in a forensic setting.
From Seed to Forest: From I” to “We” – Dramatherapy in the “Blue Box”
Arianna Bertoldi
Italia
From seed to forest: from “I” to “WE”
Dramatherapy in the “Blue box”
The “Blue Box” is a project conceived by Paola Tonelli, a kindergarten teacher, who has identified the need for children to have greater contact with nature. She developed her project starting from the theories of Dora Kalff, a Swiss psychoanalyst who discovered the therapeutic power of sand. Thanks to his intuition sand boxes have become widely used in various institutions. Widely spread in Italy, the “Blue Box” project involves the manipulation of different natural materials, the project provides for a progression of activities: starting from the manipulation of sand, passing through the introduction of different materials and projective objects, the children arrive at the creation of micro-worlds that interact. In this workshop proposal, Dramatherapy enters the “Blue Box” by mixing with the original idea, reinforcing projective techniques and proposing small stagings set in the microworlds built by the participants; Dramatherapy brings its rituality, theatre (through the use of the body) into the “Blue Box” and enhances the play already present in Paola Tonelli’s project. The teacher’s project is aimed at children but the workshop proposed here can be declined for the most diverse needs: it was recently used for a path of awareness that involved adults with relational difficulties.
Arianna Bertoldi:
Dramatherapist
Kindergarten teacher
Social Clowning Expert
-Graduated from the School of Dramatherapy in Lecco in the academic year 2020-2021;
– Graduated in Educational Sciences at the University of Verona in the academic year 2011-2012;
-Social Clowning Training with Patch Adams;
Dramatherapy: school projects for kindergartens and primary schools, lesson in the university master’s degree in Dramatherapy at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan;
Clowning: field interventions in hospitals, retirement homes, prisons, areas affected by seismic events, clown training;
Education: educator in nurseries, kindergartens, day centers for the elderly, school support experiences in kindergartens;
Theatrical activity: actress in various performances, writing short theatrical texts, animated readings for children.
Gears of Connection:A Steampunk Exploration of Human Nature, Technology, and the Wild
Özlem Turhal de Chiara, Ekrem Düzen
Italy, The Netherlands
In a world dominated by technology, the boundaries between humanity, nature, and machines blur, urging us to question the essence of our existence and the depth of our connections. Gears of Connection, a 90-minute experiential workshop, invites participants to explore an evolving paradox: as creators of technology, have we lost touch with the wild—untamed, free, and untouched by human influence? Are our tools liberating us, or do they domesticate us, severing our connection to the inherent chaos and freedom of our nature—all through the lens of steampunk.
Drawing on Descartes’ animal-machine concept, we’ll examine whether we are complex machines designed merely for self-preservation, or if we hold a deeper connection to an untamed, wild nature. Participants will reflect on the domesticated world they inhabit, questioning if this is the only “nature” left in human experience, or if wildness—within and around us—still holds relevance in our modern lives.
Using immersive drama therapy techniques, participants will engage with critical questions, including:
What defines human existence in a technological world?
How can we engage with technology without losing our connection to the wild?
Is domesticated nature all we have left, or is there a wilderness within and around us waiting to be rediscovered?
Through movement, role-play, and reflective dialogue, participants will explore how technology both connects and disconnects us. Gears of Connection offers a steampunk-inspired journey of self-discovery, challenging attendees to reassess their relationships with technology and nature. By embracing the chaotic, raw elements of life, participants may reclaim deeper aspects of their humanity, fostering a richer understanding of self in an increasingly mechanized age.
Özlem Turhal De Chiara
Theater lecturer, actress, and independent researcher focused on theater, criminology, and drama therapy. She holds an MFA from The Actors Studio Drama School at New School University, NY, and has taught at Boğaziçi University and the University of Milan-Bicocca. Her work examines the use of theater techniques in criminological research and education, as in her recent publication, Acting out Justice: Harnessing Role-Playing for Criminological Education. Özlem presented at the BADth 2024 Creativity in Conflict conference and is currently engaged in television acting roles in complex narratives.
N. Ekrem Düzen, PhD
Independent researcher and consultant formerly associated to Bielefeld University, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence. MS in Clinical Psychology, MS in Philosophy of Science, PhD in Applied Psychology. Psychotherapist. Trainer and consultant to civil society organizations. Main works include: Program and material production and improvement for adult training in child and adolescent development. Adaptation-standardization of intelligence tests, developmental scales, and aptitude measurement tools. Youth work, youth activity, and youth mobility. Home and diaspora. Everyday reproduction of discrimination, othering, and exclusion. Academic freedom.
Mental Health Monologues and Dramatherapy: How We Can Utilise Our Human Nature and Abilities as Resources to Heal
Sarinrat Thomas, Chanaphan Thammarut
Thailand
This experiential workshop developed from a successful Arts and Mental Health project, “Mental Health Monologues”, held at the 2023 Bangkok Theatre Festival (BTF). The performance used theatrical and personal monologues to explore mental health topics in a safe and non-confronting way. Performers and audiences learnt the importance of mental health awareness and the benefits of inner monologue, including emotional regulation, self-reflection, positive self-reinforcement, and perspective-taking.
We will explore the nature of self-healing, its characteristics, and different processes used to promote physical and psychological well-being based on the participants’ diverse backgrounds, including culture and beliefs. The participants will be invited to examine their human instincts, drive to survive, and how they instinctively connect with the self-healing process.
To examine how to utilise our human nature and abilities as resources for self-healing, we will invite the participants to explore the use of various dramatherapy techniques (such as storytelling, creative writing, role-playing, movement and Autobiographical Therapeutic Performance (ATP) etc.) to create their own mental health monologues. The process allows the reconnection with an “Inner Voice” and provides an experience of creative expression. Lastly, we will explore how dramatherapists can help clients express personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to mental health and promote their well-being and resilience. The discussion will lead to the practical implementations of self-healing monologue with clients in dramatherapy practice.
Sarinrat Thomas’s career spans over three decades as a Dramatherapist, Integrative Psychotherapist and Actress. Her experience includes working in a psychiatric clinic, co-founding a Mental Health Training Company, running her own private practice, guest lecturing in universities and producing many arts and mental health projects.
She has developed her own technique, “Life parts”, which she has been practising with diverse individuals and groups Dramatherapy, and have adapted this work to be effective for online therapy.
She is currently writing a book on Dramatherapy and Self-healing. She’s particularly interested in studying books and research on brains, including Neuroscience and Mental Health and Neurodiversity.
Chanaphan Thammarut is a registered dramatherapist, clinical supervisor, and Dramatherapy Thailand Association (DTTH) founder. She has been working as a dramatherapist in hospitals and mental health organisations in Thailand since 2010. She is also a lecturer and clinical supervisor for dramatherapy training at universities in Thailand and the UK. Regarding her speciality in working with clients who experience traumas and her interest in intercultural awareness, she researched the specific cultural issues that affect dramatherapy outcomes in the treatment of PTSD for Thai adult patients and has recently completed her doctorate from Anglia Ruskin University (Cambridge, UK) in 2024.
Imagination: the new form of (artistic) revolution
Vassia Veltsista
Greece
A student in the Drama Acting school of Athens told me once: “I am afraid that in the following years, the word “imagination” will be forbidden. People will not be allowed even to pronounce it. People that they are going to look for places to grow their imagination, they will be arrested”.
In our era, when more and more the media shows “perfect utopian relationships” and confuse the human fantasy, activating the imagination with dramatherapy tools, can organically restore balance to the reality of a person. Imagination has rarely been the center of attention within therapeutic study in general, or trauma-focused therapy, in particular”. (Lahad M., 2022)
“If we can activate imagination with the magic “as if”, can we activate the fantasy with the magic “as if not”, and therefore to have access to the shadow of the client?
The author of this proposal suggested the term “anti-event” (Veltsista, 2019), in her PhD in Russia. “Anti-event” is the opposite event of the main stage event of the play and can activate a person’s fantasy. The following square is the basic tool of this workshop.
1) Main event of the story.
Activated by the question: “As if”.
Activation of the aesthetic distance.
2) The anti-event of the story.
Activated by the question: “As if Not”.
Activation of the aesthetic distance.
3) The new situation.
Something that will happen after the event and the anti-event.
Activation of the aesthetic distance.
4) The episodic memory.
Something that the character/client will remember.
Result of the aesthetic distance.
The text of the last scene from “The Seagull” by A.P. Chekhov, the scene of the last meeting of Trepliev and Nina, will be used to explore the bridge between fantasy and imagination and therefore a person’s reality.
Vasia Veltsista is a Doctor of philosophy of the Moscow State University of Theater (GITIS) specializing in the A.P. Chekhov’s plays, a professional acting trainer and a drama therapist, a full member of the PEEDP association. As a Drama Therapist, she has worked with clients in the PEPSAEE day center and currently at KETHEA as well as at the Athens Children’s Psychiatric Clinic. She has also founded the “NtoM” Research Center, in Athens.
She is an official member of the M. Chekhov Center in New York and a certified researcher from the State Theater University of St. Petersburg.
She systematically engages in research and has published a series of articles, with a key research focus on imagination, attention and perception. She strongly believes that in our era, the cultivation of creative imagination is a form of artistic revolution against the passivation of perception.
Earth Toys & Games Method for Recovering from Trauma and Resiliency at War Situations
Eitan Shaked, Tamar Shaked
Israel
The Earth Toys & Games Method
In many cultures across the world, the earth is a symbol of motherhood and confidence, of connection to the desire for life. The Earth Toys & Games method is a way of working with children and adults, based on the earth as a grounding space as well as a source for creating images and games. The approach offers an opportunity for processes to evolve as a developmental continuum: Beginning with sensory-motor regulation play, followed by the creation of an image, and finally developing into projective-play and role-playing – essentially, the EPR paradigm discussed by Sue Jennings. Engaging with this continuum enables a renewed connection to the body, to nature, to actual-reality and to dramatic-reality at the same time.
The Earth Toys & Games Method is implemented in Israel as a clinical tool by professionals from various therapeutic disciplines, including psychology, art therapy, dramatherapy, and more. It also serves as a coping resource for communities during crisis situations.
As I write these lines, more than a year has passed since the war in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon began. Starting from the first week of the conflict, I set up a support team using the Earth Toys & Games method to provide assistance to affected communities. The support was offered on behalf of resilience-oriented community centers across the country. We met survivors of massacres, children from communities that were evacuated from their homes for extended periods, as well as communities that still live in conflict zones. We also met elderly evacuees and seniors who still live in war-torn areas. The earth became a containing space that provides basic regulation and expressions of the psyche vis-a-vis the state of the war. The earth turned to be a processing space, acting as a full partner in the emotional journey of people and communities.
Eitan Shaked, MA, is a graduate of education studies and holds an MA in Dramatherapy from Tel-Hai College. He developed the Earth Toys & Games Method over the past twenty years. Eitan works at the Ministry of Education in Israel as a dramatherapist and also in the clinical unit of MASHABIM – the Community Stress Prevention Center, where he also leads support teams for communities using the Earth Toys & Games Method. In his clinical work, Eitan incorporates nature as a partner in the therapeutic journey of his clients.
Drama Therapy Across Worlds: Exploring Human Nature and Playfulness in Post-Genocide Rwanda
Rinat Feniger-Schaal
Israel
How does human nature express itself through play when basic survival needs are uncertain? This presentation explores this fundamental question through a drama therapist’s journey working with street children in Rwanda in July 2023. Drawing from multiple professional perspectives – as a researcher, drama therapist, developmental psychologist, and clown – this work examines how our innate human capacity for play manifests in a context shaped by genocide, poverty, and trauma. Through my visit to a project created by two Rwandan brothers who, after raising themselves on the streets, now provide shelter for homeless children, we explore how the natural human drive for connection and care persists even in the aftermath of profound social rupture.
The experience raises crucial questions about the nature of therapeutic play in extreme circumstances: Is it even possible to play when there is nothing to eat, wear, a safe place to sleep? What is the place of cultural differences in the dramatic play encounter? How can we bridge the power relations (I come from a reality where I have something to eat, wear, I have a house – while for them none of this is certain)?
These questions challenge our understanding of drama therapy’s role in contexts of severe trauma and cultural difference. By examining how human nature expresses itself through play in circumstances of extreme adversity, we deepen our understanding of both drama therapy’s potential and the resilient nature of human playfulness.
Rinat Feniger-Schaal, PhD, is a senior lecturer (tenured) at the School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Israel, where she established the MA program in Drama Therapy and Psychodrama. She brings together multiple professional identities as a certified drama therapist (registered supervisor), medical clown, and developmental psychologist. Her research focuses on the intersection of clinical practice and empirical investigation, particularly exploring the relationships between play, playfulness, drama, movement, and attachment theory. With extensive clinical experience in both public and private settings, she specializes in working with individuals with cognitive impairment and mental health challenges. Dr. Feniger-Schaal has secured significant research grants, presented internationally, and published widely in peer-reviewed journals
Vicarious Trauma, Self-Care and Duty of Care: Protecting the Human and the Healer
Jamie Kelly
United Kingdom
In today’s world, we are all exposed to more trauma than ever – whether it’s distressing news events on our screens or the personal stories shared by those around us. For most people, exposure to these experiences can be challenging. However, for us healers working in the helping profession, this exposure is amplified by our roles, making us especially vulnerable to vicarious trauma.
We encounter trauma on multiple levels: first, like everyone else, we feel the collective weight of world issues. Then, in our roles as therapists, we closely engage with our clients’ traumatic material. Additionally, as Dramatherapists, our work requires a level of immersion, empathetic engagement, and sometimes even embodying the emotions and stories of others. This experiential aspect of Dramatherapy brings us even closer to our clients’ trauma where we may absorb their pain and struggles in profound ways.
This multi-layered exposure carries significant risks. Vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout are real threats, especially for Dramatherapists. Given these challenges, we must prioritise self-care and take responsibility for our own safety and well-being at work. At the same time, our employers also have a duty of care to foster environments that genuinely support our mental well-being.
In this presentation, we will explore the impacts of trauma and what they mean for us as both individuals and professionals. We’ll examine trends in workplace mental health, the initiatives organisations are taking to promote sustainable practices, and what additional support we may need as Dramatherapists. We will consider how we may evolve and reimagine the support necessary for us to remain safe, connected, and effective in our work. By approaching self-care with a shared sense of responsibility, we can protect our human and healer selves, allowing us to support others whilst safeguarding our own well-being.
Jamie Kelly is a Dramatherapist and the Director of YTherapy, a mental health service dedicated to providing workplace wellness support for helping professionals. With a strong focus on burnout and vicarious trauma, Jamie and her team provide trauma-informed and resilience-based mental health services to first responders, digital safety teams, and law enforcement both in the UK and internationally.
At YTherapy, the mission centers on “helping the helpers” take better care of their mental health. Jamie leads a team of creative arts therapists in supporting organisations committed to addressing critical issues like employee burnout and vicarious trauma. This is especially vital for those on the front lines of distressing world events and news.
Additionally, Jamie advocates for systemic change in mental health support, understanding that lasting wellness requires not just individual care but also supportive organisational structures that prioritise mental health for all.
Embedded in the Nature of the Human Mind: The Poetic Evidence
Anke Schäfer
The Netherlands/ Germany
Drawing on Édouard Glissant’s “Philosophy of Relation”, I will introduce the notion of “Poetic Evidence” as a useful paradigm embedded in drama therapy and valuable in its artistic-poetic quality for fostering a worldview and personal understanding defined and nurtured by interconnectedness and interdependence.
In the spirit of polyphony, I will interweave theoretical and poetic languages.
Anke Schäfer, MA, RDT is director of the Research Institute for Theatre Therapy, drama therapist, trauma prevention trainer ARQ (NL), coach for the German Civil Peace Service, artist, filmmaker, guest lecturer at Alanus University and the ITT Institut für Theater Therapie. She works in private practice and as a freelancer.
ONLINE STREAM MASTERCLASS
The Landscapes of the Emotions. Working with Rothko’s Paintings
Stelios Krasanakis
Greece
Working with Rothko’s paintings
This master class – workshop is inspired by one of the most important abstract expressionists of the 20th century, Marc Rothko, an artist synonymous with his “color field” paintings arrangements of rectangular panes in vivid hues.
Markus Rokovich was born in Dvinsk (now Latvia) in 1903. His family moved to Portland Oregon when he was ten years old. This sudden and jarring relocation followed by the death of his father less than a year after arriving, left him scared for the rest of his life. After a long career he sadly committed suicide in his studio in 1970. His work was known for his highly considered colors choices but also an emotional and mythic content.
His phrase “I am interested only in expressing basic human emotions” will be the guide line of our workshop.
We will explore with all our senses the specific iconic Rothko’ s paintings.
In this Dramatherapy procedure we will work through the EPR approach of Sue Jennings, and the narrative approach, evoking personal stories in order to form a landscape of emotions. The whole process will based on abstraction and focusing on the basic emotions such as the basic colors that appear in nature and Rothko’s color fields. Because in therapy what we are asked to do is focus on what really matters, deducting all unnecessary information and noises. At the end we will recreate new paintings inspired by our new stories, creating a new environment where these paintings will interact with Rothko’s universe.
The aim of the masterclass will be to highlight the naturalism of the body and art materials (creative Axis Avi Goren-Bar) as well as the restorative and sublimated function of art.
Stelios Krasanakis is Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist-Dramatherapist, Lecturer in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Theatre Director.
Founder of the “Institute of Dramatherapy AEON” (aeongr@otenet.gr) , in 1994, offering educational training, treatment and research in dramatherapy and in Expressive Arts Therapy up today.
Founding member and first president of Hellenic Association of Dramatherapists and Playtherapists (HADP 1989).
President of the section “Art and Psychiatry” of the Greek Psychiatric Association
Founding member of the European Federation of Dramatherapy (EFD) and member of the board of directors.
Founding member of the World Alliance of Dramatherapy (WADth).
International member of the British Association of Dramatherapists (Badth).
Honored by EATI with the International prize “Participant of the year” (2001).
Founder and artistic director of Naxos Festival.
He has directed 23 theatre performances.
He has been published many articles in books and journals. He is the editor of Dramatherapy books series.
LIVE STREAM