Dramatherapy: A Culturally Responsive Practice

Abstract

Dramatherapy is a recognized profession in over 30 countries. This is not the reality in Sri Lanka, for two reasons: nonavailability of a governmental healthcare monitoring body, to issue practitioner license, recognizing the practice, and the dominant psychiatric culture resisting psychotherapy, as “incompetent” for psychiatric rehabilitation. Despite these challenges, networking with churches, temples, schools, and corporate sector has enabled the dramatherapist to reach outpatients with diverse psychological issues. In this traditional society, a culturally responsive dramatherapy practice is of significance for psychiatric rehabilitation. Integration of spiritual teachings, and utilization of a wide variety of signs, symbols, and concepts pertaining to the belief systems, support the therapy, enabling the client towards exploring repressed subjective material. After the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, outpatients with trauma were supported through dramatherapy, utilizing hymns, prayers, parables, metaphors, symbols, and archetypes related to Catholic faith. They were integrated with role-play, improvisation, storytelling, and performance. Even though dramatherapy is a non-recognized profession, in this country, its practice has advanced to support diverse client populations, with a greater demand, as it is a mild and safe treatment modality. Networking with the corporate sector has enhanced its vitality as a psychological intervention, strategically building its recognition, in Sri Lanka.