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Block 2 Unit 3 Drama and Art Therapy in Counselling

1. What is art therapy?

• Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art-making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages.
• It's based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression can help people resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behaviour, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.
• Art therapy provides an opportunity for non-verbal expression and communication, which can assist in improving functional abilities and resolving emotional issues.

2. Define drama therapy.

• Drama therapy is the systematic and intentional use of drama and theatre processes, products, and associations to achieve therapeutic goals.
• It aims at symptom relief, emotional and physical integration, and personal growth.
• It uses drama processes such as games, improvisation, storytelling, and role play, as well as products like puppets, masks and plays, to help people understand their thoughts and emotions better or to improve their behaviour.

3. Explain the steps used in art therapy.

The steps involved in art therapy include:

• Assessment: This usually happens at the beginning of therapy, often during the first session. The therapist gathers information about the client's situation to determine if art therapy is suitable.
• Beginning Phase of Treatment: During this stage, the therapist and client build rapport and the client explores their feelings and thoughts through art. Exploration tasks are often used at this stage.
• Mid-phase of Treatment: The focus shifts to goal-oriented work, and the therapist uses various techniques tailored to the client's needs. Trust is established between client and therapist.
• Termination Phase: The therapist and client prepare for the end of therapy, reviewing the client's art and progress. The client may use art to express feelings about the end of sessions.

4. What is rapport building?

• Rapport-building exercises are used in both individual and group art therapy settings to reduce isolation that clients may feel.
• These exercises aim to bridge the gap between the clients themselves and with the therapist.
• It helps the client feel comfortable, understood and respected.
• Some examples include conversational drawing and painting completion by the group.

5. Illustrate with examples the exploration technique of art therapy.

• Exploration tasks encourage clients to let go of conscious thoughts and express themselves freely and spontaneously.
• Examples of exploration techniques include:
  • Scribble Technique/Automatic Drawing: Clients are asked to relax and make free lines or scribbles on paper without removing the pen. This helps clients to lower their guard and is a good starting point for therapy.
  • Free Drawing: Clients are instructed to express themselves freely without planning their picture. The created images often provide insight into their current problems and strengths.
  • Drawing Completion: Clients are given paper with lines or shapes and incorporate them into a larger picture, allowing group discussion about individual responses.

6. Discuss Renee Emunah’s stages in drama therapy.

Renee Emunah’s five-stage theory of drama therapy outlines the process of group work:

• Stage One: Dramatic Play: This involves non-verbal activities to promote group cohesion. The clients get familiar with dramatic material.
• Stage Two: Scene Work: Clients create and perform short scenes to explore issues in an indirect way.
• Stage Three: Role Play: Issues are explored through fictional means, such as acting out generic conflicts.
• Stage Four: Culminating Enactments: Personal issues are acted out directly through psychodrama or autobiographical performance.
• Stage Five: Dramatic Ritual: The group engages in closure, possibly with a public performance or private ritual.

7. What do you mean by Dramatic projection?

• Dramatic projection involves externalising internal thoughts, feelings and experiences by expressing them through dramatic activities, including role play, improvisation, and storytelling.
• For instance, a client who struggles with asking for help (an internal problem) might act out a scene with other group members or through the use of puppets and masks, thus externalising that internal issue.
• By doing so, the problem is made visible and available for shared exploration between the therapist, the group and the client.