The Healing Drama : Psychodrama and Dramatherapy with Abused Children

This text sets out the main theoretical and practical approaches of dramatherapy. Beginning with the notion of play and its importance for children, the author discusses how children use play as a method of investigation and rehearsing for reality. Role play is then illustrated as a means of discovering a child's intellectual and emotional development. Chapters specifically on abuse and trauma throw light on how children develop particular responses and behaviour patterns as a result of being abused, with "victim" and "controlling" behaviour revealed as the most common. Therapeutic work is covered in detail including practicalities such as the place where therapy is conducted, the equipment used, and the people or person most suitable for working with a particular child or children. There are chapters on working with children of different ages, gender, race and culture, and on the need to work with the families of these children. The books ends with an evaluation of the research done around the world using methods from psychodrama and dramatherapy.