Case studies : Self-employed dramatherapist: Rachel

Rachel has a degree in drama and English, and a Masters in drama and movement therapy. She is now a self-employed dramatherapist.

Rachel graduated in February 2008 with an MA in Drama and Movement Therapy (Sesame) from the Central School of Speech and Drama, having studied drama and English for her undergraduate degree at the University of Kent. It was while she was researching at her undergraduate university careers centre that she came across dramatherapy as a career. ‘Whilst studying for my undergraduate degree I was involved in lots of productions and I found playing different characters in various plays and drama projects helped me to understand myself more and dramatherapy made sense as a career.’ The full-time, 18-month MA in Drama and Movement therapy was a very intensive and emotionally demanding course, and all students are required to undergo therapy themselves.

When Rachel relocated part way through her course, she made contact with other dramatherapists in her area and set up a peer supervision group. It was through these contacts that she was able to secure her current position as a dramatherapist at a local school. Getting your first job in dramatherapy can be challenging. ‘Find other dramatherapists in your local area to meet up with regularly, link in with others who can help and be persistent. Go and talk to people and institutions who might be interested in employing you.’ Rachel worked as a mental health support worker whilst trying to secure her first dramatherapy position, and she has continued with this alongside her current dramatherapy role. ‘I wanted to work in a role that was relevant to dramatherapy, in order to build up my experience.’

Rachel currently works in a girls' secondary school one day a week providing one-to-one dramatherapy sessions to five teenage girls. ‘Clients are referred to me by the head of inclusion. There is an initial assessment period to allow me to see if dramatherapy is appropriate for the clients and I work with them on a weekly basis.’ Although planning is involved before the sessions, they are very client led, so there is a need to be flexible and adaptable whilst following a psychological structure. The structure includes a focus for the session, a warm up, the main event and then the end of the session, when the client is grounded ready to leave the session. Client notes are written up weekly, and termly reports are required by the school. Rachel also meets with parents, teachers, and social workers where appropriate.

What Rachel enjoys most about working in dramatherapy is the opportunity to make a difference and the chance to work creatively, while having the challenge of continual academic learning linked with working with people who have emotional or behavioural difficulties.