Routledge International Handbook of Dramatherapy

Routledge International Handbook of Dramatherapy is the first book of its kind to bring together leading professionals and academics from around the world to discuss their practice from a truly international perspective. Dramatherapy has developed as a profession during the latter half of the twentieth century. Now, we are beginning to see its universal reach across the globe in a range of different and diverse approaches. From Australia, to Korea to the Middle East and Africa through Europe and into North & South America dramatherapists are developing a range of working practices using the curative power of drama within a therapeutic context to work with diverse and wide ranging populations.

Using traditional texts in the Indian sub-continent, healing performances in the Cameroon, supporting conflict in Israel and Palestine, through traditional Comedic theatre in Italy, to adolescents in schools and adults with mental ill health, this handbook covers a range of topics that shows the breadth, depth and strength of dramatherapy as a developing and maturing profession. It is divided into four main sections that look at the current international:

Developments in dramatherapy

Theoretical approaches

Specific practice

New and innovative approaches

Offering insights on embodiment, shamanism, anthropology and cognitive approaches coupled with a range of creative, theatrical and therapeutic methods, this ground breaking book is the first congruent analysis of the profession. It will appeal to a wide and diverse international community of educators, academics, practitioners, students, training schools and professionals within the arts, arts education and arts therapies communities. Additionally it will be of benefit to teachers and departments in charge of pastoral and social care within schools and colleges.

Sue Jennings PhD is a Play and Dramatherapist, social anthropologist and author. She has pioneered Dramatherapy in the UK, Greece, Israel, Czech Republic and Romania. She has established ’Neuro-Dramatic-Play’ and ’Embodiment-Projection-Role’ as a basis for understanding both attachment and dramatic development across cultures. She was Visiting Professor at HELP University, Kuala Lumpur, and is President of the Romanian Association for Play Therapy and Dramatherapy. Sue is a prolific author of 40 books (six by Routledge) and many chapters and is currently preparing her selected works for publication by Routledge. Her PhD thesis was published as Theatre, Ritual and Transformation: The Senoi Temiars, by Routledge, in 1995.

Clive Holmwood PhD is a Dramatherapist with 20 years’ experience working with children and adults in the public, private and voluntary sectors. He is currently Senior Lecturer in Dramatherapy and Deputy Programme Leader in Creative Expressive Therapies at the University of Derby and a Director of Creative Solutions Therapy Ltd. He gained his PhD from the University of Warwick, and his thesis was published by Routledge in 2014 as Drama Education and Dramatherapy - exploring the space between disciplines.