It probably comes as no surprise that Halloween is this drama therapist’s favorite holiday. After all, it’s a holiday that is all about role play!
Why Dressing as Halloween Characters Is Often Healing
There’s something very healing about pretending to be someone else once in a while. We get to escape ourselves for a bit in doing so.
At the same time, pretending to be someone else also sometimes brings us closer to our true selves. In taking on other roles, we may tap into aspects of ourselves that we didn’t know existed or don’t pay enough attention to.
For example, role playing as a superhero or a fearless animal may help us tap into our courage. Role playing as a famous person who has achieved something admirable may help us tap into determination and nurturance of our talents. Role playing as someone light-hearted, such as a movie or cartoon character, may help us tap into fun, joy, and self-care.
Even seemingly dark or spooky roles may have things to teach us about ourselves, as every role has some positive traits, and as mentioned in this article it is important that we are able to accept seemingly contradictory roles in our life in order to be flexible and healthy.
Even if you choose not to dress up in costume on Halloween, it may still be beneficial for you to explore the parts of yourself that relate to Halloween characters. How are you like a witch, ghost, skeleton, vampire, devil, pirate, cat, superhero, etc.? What advice would those characters give you to be your best self?
The Advice Some of My Favorite Halloween Characters Say to Help Me
Here are the things that I imagine some of my favorite Halloween characters would say to me to help me be my best self:
- A witch says, “Bring some magic into your life. Do something out of the ordinary.”
- A ghost says, “Let go of what’s haunting you.”
- A skeleton says, “Life is too short to not follow your dreams. Make the most of life while you can.”
- A vampire says, “Don’t let others suck your energy.”
- A devil says, “Be playful. It’s okay to be a bit indulgent sometimes. Eat that piece of candy that you are trying to talk yourself out of because it’s not healthy!”
- A pirate says, “Look for treasure in unexpected places. Focus on the treasure you’ve discovered instead of the bumpy waves you had to ride while trying to find it.”
- A cat says, “Cuddle someone you love. Be happy to spend time with them.”
- A superhero says, “Be brave! You’ve faced lots of scary things before and survived, and you can face much more!”
Give It a Try
Which Halloween character is your favorite? What advice would they give you? Feel free to share below.
If you find exploring different roles healing and would like some help being your best self, contact me to see if we’d be a good fit to work together.