Therapeutic Work with Creative Arts
Using the dr
amatic arts as a tool for healing has existed for centuries. It is increasingly accepted as an alternative method of healing, addressing areas of pain by enabling people to find ways of expressing themselves, working through difficult life situations or coping with trauma or disorders.
The idea of what is presented on stage as more than mere entertainment is a notion that began around 440 B.C, in the era of Greek Theatre and the festival of Dionysus, where it was recognized and expected that in performances, real issues were reflected and uncomfortable and deep human questions asked.
Drama was an experience not just to be viewed, but to be lived through. Issues were addressed, contemplated and recognised. The voice of the Chorus, always speaking in the first person is not only an illustration of the audience as a group, but also of the individuals within it. The audience used the drama represented on stage as the emotional liberation of the action happening in their own lives.
Since this time, this use of the drama to not only entertain continues throughout the ages.
It is used to explore and portray social, moral and global issues, provoke change, shift perceptions and speak in a language which truly expresses the struggles, joys and challenges of living.
Drama recognizes that verbal language is not always enough to express the complex nature of life and therefore the physical and emotional processes explored through drama can go beyond the rational means of the mind and instead begin to engage the soul.
