Navigating the Intersection of Education and Therapy in the Drama Therapy Classroom

Ever since the profession of drama therapy was established, very little has been written about education and pedagogy within the field and the existing literature has been largely from the educator’s point of view. With more drama therapy education programs being created and with recent growth in the field, a more explicit inquiry into drama therapy education is necessary. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature and to begin exploring the topic of drama therapy education and pedagogy. Drama therapy is an experiential form of therapy that utilizes a wide variety of embodied and dramatic approaches to serve various populations. As a reflection of the modality, drama therapy education is also an embodied form of learning that incorporates multiple perspectives on experiential learning. Due to its experiential nature, drama therapy education frequently evokes the personal affective material of students both intentionally and unintentionally, often causing complications for students and educators. This research was a phenomenological study that examined the lived experience of drama therapy students in experiential learning processes that evoked and utilized their personal affective material. Through the exploration of the phenomenon a model was created to describe the student experience, outlining expectations, responses, and consequences. Most notably, the study examined the intersection of education and therapy within the drama therapy classroom as well as how this intersection can be navigated. Also included in the study was a composite, fictional narrative that was used to further illustrate and give dimension to the phenomenon. Recommendations from the study aimed at encouraging better communication, a stronger focus on pedagogy, more effective means of establishing and assessing competencies, more substantial incorporation of drama and theatre skills in the classroom, requirements of personal therapy for students and a clearer articulation of ethical practice within pedagogy. The recommendations were seen as being applicable to fields beyond drama therapy including drama and theatre, counseling, psychotherapy, teacher education and human systems intervention