British Association of Dramatherapists

 

The British Association of Dramatherapists
Waverley, Battledown Approach
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 6RE
Telephone: +44 (0)1242 235 515
E-mail: enquiries@badth.org.uk
Registered Company No. 3195460
 Dramatherapy props
 

Outline of Recognised Dramatherapy Training Courses in the UK

Name of institution and qualification / Contact details / Link University / School

Duration of programme and full or part-time / Number of contact hours

Key features of the programme

Four key texts

Other comments / information

Sesame,
MA Drama and Movement Therapy


Sesame,
The Central School of Speech and Drama, Embassy Theatre, Eton Avenue, London NW3 3HY
020 7722 8183
Contact person: Richard Hougham
r.hougham@ cssd.ac.uk


Central School of Speech and Drama: Web site


Downloads:

FAQ.doc (213 KB)
MADMT(S) Prog Spec.doc (297 KB)

1½ years full time


550 hours

Teaching and training in the Sesame approach- working obliquely through symbol and metaphor. Combining the key theorists- Peter Slade, Carl Jung, Billy Lindkvist and Rudolph Laban. Working with an apprenticeship model of placements.

Acknowledgement of Jung’s theory of the self-regulation of the psyche. Focus on the language of the unconscious, both personal and collective. Work with image and symbol as a means for the unconscious to find expression and then develop a conscious reflection.

Lindkvist, M. (1998)
Bring White Beads When You Call Upon The Healer
USA: Rivendell House

Pearson, J. (1997)
Discovering the Self through drama and movement – the Sesame approach
UK: Jessica Kingsley

Slade, P. (1965)
Child Drama
UK: Hodder & Stoughton

Jung, C.G. (1993)
Memories, Dreams and Reflections
Fontana

Drawing on the heritage of the Sesame approach and a strong Jungian emphasis. Students are recommended to work with a Jungian Analyst throughout the course. Opportunities within the school to work and share modules with other postgraduate students on course such as MA Voice studies, MA Advanced Theatre Practice, MA Classical Acting.

Intensive full time training emphasises the value of the group process as a means of developing self-awareness.

Roehampton University,
MA Dramatherapy
MA (Upgrade) Dramatherapy


Roehampton University,
80 Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5SL
020 8392 3807
Contact person: Henri Seebohm
Convenor, Dramatherapy
H.Seebohm@ roehampton.ac.uk


Roehampton University: Web site

MA: 3 years part-time MA (Upgrade): 1 year to 18 months part-time


MA: 450 hours

Ritual theatre model. Placements develop from apprenticeship/ assisting to sole facilitation and research based practice. Strong emphasis on theatre skills development alongside therapeutic relationship skills.

MA (Upgrade): is designed for candidates who already have a recognised professional qualification in Dramatherapy. It provides the opportunity to continue professional development through the pursuit of further study and research.

Jones, P. (1996)
Drama as Therapy, Theatre as Living
London: Routledge

Mitchell, S. (ed) (1996)
Dramatherapy Clinical Studies

Emunah, R. (1994)
Acting for Real

Jennings, S. (1998)
Ritual, Theatre and Transformation

Strong theatre based model of dramatherapy: years one and two, there are 10 weekends and an intensive week. Year three, there are six weekends and a research based case study.

The weekend consists of tutorials, theatre skills training, lectures/seminars, experiential workshops and a processing group to facilitate integration of theory and practice. Students are in ongoing supervised clinical practice and personal therapy.

Short courses available.

University of Derby,
MA in Dramatherapy


Department of Therapeutic Arts and Complementary Medicines,
University of Derby, Western Road, Mickleover, Derby DE3 9GX
Contact person: Drew Bird
d.bird2@derby.ac.uk
01332 594056.


University of Derby: Web site

MA: 2 years, full time


610 (of which 240 represents clinical practice (150 hours) with clinical supervision (90 hours))

An integrated approach towards Dramatherapy that adopts a broad notion of drama and theatre and includes work with movement, voice, role, characterisation, story, devising and performance , and the natural environment. The aim of this approach is to allow the individual trainee Dramatherapist to develop and identify the unique combination of skills that they have to bring to the therapeutic interactions and processes of. Throughout the training there is a strong emphasis on reflective practice and group processes; and the development of practical and theoretical knowledge and understanding alongside clinical practice. Placements begin in the second term of the first year and continue to the end of the second year.

 

Bolton, G. (2005 [2001])
Reflective Practice – Writing and Professional Development
London: Sage

Langley, D. (2006)
An Introduction to Dramatherapy
London, Thousand Oaks,
New Delhi: Sage

Jones, P. (1996)
Drama as Therapy – Theatre as Living
London;
New York: Routledge 

Yalom.I.D (1989)
Theory and Practice of Group Pyschotherapy
New York: Basic Books 5th Edition

 

 

The course is run over two years. Students attend the university one day a week for a total of six terms over the two year period. Clinical placements occur for one day a week in the first year and two days a week in the second year for a total of 150 hours. It is necessary for all students to undertake individual therapy in the first year and group therapy in the second year, this is organised by the student outside of the time spent at the university. Assessment is both practical and written. The final Masters dissertation represents a synthesis of the clinical, practical and theoretical knowledge gained through the course.

The day spent at the university consists of studio practice, clinical supervision, experiential group, lectures on the theoretical underpinnings of Dramatherapy, individual and group tutorials, and preparation for Independent studies (MA dissertation).

MA in Dramatherapy


The School of Dramatherapy, The Iron Mill Institute, in association with the University of Worcester, c/o The X-Centre, Commercial Road, Exeter, EX2 4AD


Programme leader: Sarah Scoble, dramatherapy.sw@ zen.co.uk
01392 219200


Downloads:

Course leaflet (782KB MS Word file)

Application form (828KB MS Word file)

 

MA: 3 years part-time

510 hours

The Exeter Course promotes an eclectic approach to dramatherapy, encouraging each student to create their own role as dramatherapist in a way that reflects their particular background, interests and abilities.  Difference is respected and critical reflection is encouraged.  The students examine and explore key models of dramatherapy.  They are supported in developing an understanding of therapeutic process which is grounded in creative movement, play, drama and theatre.  The syllabus is carefully interwoven, giving the student a connected experience of theory and practice.

Jones, P (2007)
Drama as Therapy: Theory, Practice and Research
London, Routledge.

Lewis, P and Johnson, D (2000)
Current Approaches to Dramatherapy
Springfield, Illinois, Charles C Thomas Pub Ltd.

Boal, A (2002)
Games for Actors and Non-actors, 2nd revised edition
London, Routledge.

Benson, J.F. (2000)
Working More Creatively with Groups, 2nd revised edition
London, Routledge.

The programme is so designed to facilitate students who have to travel some distance to Exeter, where the programme is based. More importantly, it allows students time between study days for reflection, the consolidation of ideas and for the development of their own practice and research.

Attendance is on one day each week, plus two training weekends, during each of the first two academic years of study. The third year focuses on the study of research methods and the preparation and writing of an advanced dramatherapy project.

MA Dramatherapy


Anglia Ruskin University,
Music and Performing Arts Department
East Road
Cambridge CB1 1PT
Tel 08452713333


Contact person:
helen.odell-miller@ anglia.ac.uk
Professor and Deputy Head of Music and Performing Arts Department


Department website

Documents:

Course Leaflet
Application form

MA 2 years Full time

509 Teacher managed learning hours. In addition a further 1,000 hours which includes private study and  clinical placements

The MA Dramatherapy provides professional training in dramatherapy, with an emphasis on clinical placements, and an introduction to various dramatherapy approaches. The course aims to train suitably experienced theatre-makers and practitioners as professional dramatherapists at Masters level, adhering to the general clinical definition of dramatherapy within the UK. The MA Dramatherapy qualifies you to work as a dramatherapist, and successful candidates will be eligible for registration with the Health Professions Council pending successful approval.

Drama at Anglia has been recognised as excellent for learning and teaching, and the related discipline music therapy which is well established at ARU has been rated world leading for research.

Some shared learning with music therapy students will make for a multi-disciplinary approach but with dramatherapy remaining a discrete professional training.   

You will be expected to involve yourself in self-reflection in small and large group activities, lectures and seminars which involve musical activity, case discussion and theoretical analysis. A significant component of experiential learning is through tutorials and supervision groups, embracing a central teaching style. Clinical placements are key to the experience.

You will benefit from learning about the most recent effective dramatherapy approaches with adults and children.

 

The dramatherapy training is full time, and attendance at the university in the first year is on two days a week with another two spent in clinical placements in the second semester. In the second year you will attend not more than one day a week and attend placements one day a week, with the rest for private study for your Dissaertation/Major Project. Key features are:

Infact observations where you will observe a parent and baby 

Role play skills in small groups

focus on own dramatic autobiographical process

dramatherapy theory

links between theory and practice

block clinical placements in at least three fields, including in the community, schools, hospitals, and hospices

university-based small supervision groups

clinical supervision at clinical placements by qualified therapists

experience within multidisciplinary teams

weekly experiential dramatherapy groups where students reflect upon their clinical experiences and upon the process of becoming a dramatherapist

supervision and teaching by leading researchers in the field, to prepare for the Major Project/Dissertation in the second year. The dissertation may be research or more clinically oriented, depending on each student's choice.