The second aspect of drama therapy that I would like to discuss is that of drama being inherently a social act and that drama therapy thus has the power to help people socially.

Drama As a Social Act

During drama, more than one person has to be present. The person acting communicates verbally, physically, and emotionally. Even if this occurs between just two people, there is an exchange of communication made because the witness reacts to the actor, even if just to validate that the actor was heard.

Drama Involves an Actor and Spectator

During drama therapy, the drama therapist acts as a supportive witness to the client/actor. The therapist may simply validate what the client says or does, or the therapist may ask questions to have the client further explore an issue or may suggest that the client try dramatizing the issue in a different way to explore an issue.

Drama Provides New Perspectives

To have a client explore an issue through drama, the therapist may ask the client to role play in a role that is not her own (which may be a fellow human, an animal, or an inanimate object) or to role play as herself in a different context (e.g. the past, the future, or a fantasy). Such dramatic enactment allows the client to explore issues in ways that talking alone does not allow because it provides new perspectives.

Drama Builds Relationships and Community

When such dramatic enactment occurs in individual therapy, the therapist plays the role of guide and witness. When such dramatic enactment occurs in group therapy, the therapist plays those roles but there are also group members who play the roles of witnesses and supporters to each other.

People who do dramatic enactment together, whether in the therapy context or not, tend to strengthen relationships for multiple reasons. First, they tend to improve communication because they must pay attention to things like what is verbalized, body language, and social cues in order to successfully be part of the drama. Second, they must work together for the drama to succeed. Third, they have a sense of community because they are creating something together. Lastly, they tend to have fun together!

In these ways, drama therapy has the ability to give people a sense of shared experience and is a community-builder, whether done individually or in group settings.