Dramatherapy and Destructiveness: Creating the Evidence Base, Playing with Thanatos

Dramatherapy uses the healing aspects of drama and theatre as part of the therapeutic process and is increasingly required to supply evidence of its effectiveness. This book aims to provide an evidence base for practice with destructive clients, and raise the profile of dramatherapy as a distinct therapeutic intervention in this field.

Dramatherapy and Destructiveness discusses working with those suffering from conduct disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia and personality disorders. Divided into three parts, topics of discussion include:

• theory and research underpinning the understanding of working with destructiveness
• in-depth case studies of dramatherapy with a wide range of clients
• analysis and evaluation of the evidence base for dramatherapy with these clients
• guidelines for best practice

Dramatherapy and Destructiveness covers a wide range of client groups, settings, methods and therapeutic approaches. As well as being an invaluable resource for dramatherapists, this book will be of interest to other therapists, health professionals, social workers, teachers and artists.

Ditty Dokter is professional lead and head of arts therapies at an NHS foundation trust in adult and older people’s psychiatry. She works as Pathway Leader on the MA Dramatherapy at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK, and lectures widely, both nationally and internationally

Pete Holloway is a consultant dramatherapist and area lead for a psychological services team within an NHS community mental health setting. He is also a Senior Lecturer on the MA Dramatherapy programme at Roehampton University, London, UK

Henri Seebohm is Programme Convenor of the MA in Dramatherapy at Roehampton University and Senior Dramatherapist and Supervisor in adult forensic psychiatry for an NHS mental health trust