Dramatherapist : Job description

Dramatherapy is a creative arts therapy, which uses the performance arts to promote psychological, emotional and social change. Dramatherapists offer a safe environment for an individual or group to explore, address and deal with personal and social difficulties e.g. grief, anxiety, and personal growth. Dramatherapists use a variety of interventions with clients, including stories, puppetry, improvisation, drama and movement to allow clients to explore their past experiences and express themselves in a way that might be easier than directly talking about it.

Clients may be of any age and may include people with psychological and/or mental health issues, physical or mental disabilities or behavioural difficulties. Other clients may be people on probation or in secure settings, or people overcoming an addiction.

Dramatherapists work with a range of other professionals such as psychologists, social workers and nurses, teachers and other therapist staff.

Typical work activities

Dramatherapists contribute to therapeutic programmes in clinical, educational and community settings.

Typical activities include:

• encouraging and supporting clients in creative drama and theatre work, involving the expressive use of movement and objects, using techniques such as improvisation, storytelling, play, role-play, myth, ritual, script work, and devising and presenting performances;
• encouraging self-awareness, exploration and reflection on feelings and relationships;
• providing opportunities for clients to learn new skills;
• initiating spontaneous exploration of personal issues;
• enabling clients to experiment with new ways of thinking and behaving;
• using appropriate equipment, materials and therapeutic 'props', such as puppets and other objects;
• organising a performance resulting from working with a group (although this is not essential);
• undertaking assessment visits or appointments;
• taking referrals from other professional staff;
• maintaining records of clients and activities;
• writing reports for your employer on activities undertaken and clients seen;
• managing marketing and finances, when working on a self-employed basis;
• attending regular supervision sessions.