Drama as a therapeutic medium in an educational context, the double mirror

grantor: University of TorontoThis thesis analytically investigates Drama as a therapeutic medium in an educational context. It emphasizes the inter-relationship between Drama and Therapy implying the connection of Drama as a helping medium to Drama Education. By interviewing each of eight practitioners, representing categorical archetypes in the field, the researcher transcribes their data into narratives. These experts from the field include a former Drama student, an author/researcher, secondary and elementary Drama teachers, a university Drama instructor, and artist/educators. A follow-up session with this group produces a schema of themes that recur in all narrative data. The analysis integrates these themes providing thirty-four points in support of the thesis. The study concludes that Drama represents a "double mirror" for Drama Education. It shows that Drama as a therapeutic medium has meaning, both personal and shared, that affects the interpretation of the role and function of the Drama teacher in the whole educational system.Ed.D