Intercultural Dramatherapy: Imagination and Action at the Intersections of Difference

Description

The first overarching work on dramatherapy intercultural practice and research, this book explores the therapeutic encounter between therapists and participants as an intercultural space, highlighting how attending to cultural differences informs care. Drawing on international voices of practitioners and participants, each chapter seeks to explore how social and political struggles, such as rising global conservatism, nationalism, climate crisis, increasing displacement and the coronavirus pandemic, are experienced in dramatherapy. Main themes covered include the development of intercultural good practice guidelines, therapist transparency – especially through self-disclosure and transference issues for the therapist – and the negotiation of power relationships across identity differences. The book concludes with a section on recommendations for training, supervision and practice. A resource from which new practice and research can emerge, this book will be valuable to dramatherapy educators, practitioners and students, specifically those interested in intercultural practice. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Endorsements Page Foreword by Phil Jones References Acknowledgements Notes to Reader Part I: Framework Chapter 1: Introduction The inspiration for this book Methodology and selected findings Organisation of the book Conclusion Notes Chapter 2: Dramatherapy through an intercultural and intersectional kaleidoscope An intercultural profession Situating ourselves in our profession Nisha: At the gates of the empire Ditty: On being white in countries with colonial heritage Interculturalism and applied/theatre Interculturalism in social and anthropological theory Interculturalism in relation to intersectionality and critical race theory Interculturalism in psychological therapy Conclusion Chapter 3: Developing intercultural good practice and cultural response/ability guidelines for dramatherapists in North America and the United Kingdom Developing guidelines in support of intercultural good practice Historical development of cultural response/ability guidelines in North America Historical development of intercultural good practice guidelines in the UK Points of comparison NADTA BADth Similarities Variations across the Atlantic Membership involvement and response to the guidelines Scenario guideline 1 cultural awareness and knowledge of self and others Scenario guideline 2 dramatherapy practice and supervision Scenario guideline 3 dramatherapy training and continuing professional development Scenario guideline 4 research Scenario guideline 5 advocacy, professional relationships and systemic change Conclusion Part II: Research on culture, identity and equity issues in dramatherapy Chapter 4: Race and racism in the clinical space On race, racism and ethnicity Racialisation as a social process Dramatherapist perspectives Demographics: Racial and ethnic identity Competence Lack of representation Racial bias in healthcare and the need for advocacy The ‘good white person’ Grappling with privilege Dramatherapist reflections on practice Vignette 1 Vignette 2 Conclusion Note Chapter 5: Troubling gender in dramatherapy Sex, gender and mental health Dramatherapist perspectives Demographics: Gender identity Sex and gender preference in dramatherapy Gender privilege and equity Gender bias in professional advancement Ongoing education and awareness Gender norms within and outside of one’s cultural context Gender stereotypes and challenging assumptions Dramatherapist reflections on practice Vignette 1 Vignette 2 Conclusion Chapter 6: Stigma and desire: Sexual orientation in dramatherapy The diversity of desire: Sexual orientation, stigma and mental health Dramatherapist perspectives Demographics: Sexual identity Judgement Self-disclosure Client-therapist match Internalised biases and the need for continuing professional development Dramatherapy as a queer practice Dramatherapist reflections on practice Vignette 1 Vignette 2 Conclusion Chapter 7: Co-creating our future selves: Age and ageism Ageing, ageism and mental health Dramatherapists perspectives Demographics: Age A changing relationship to play Client perspectives of their therapist’s age Projections about competency experienced by dramatherapists who identify as being young Projections about competency experienced by dramatherapists who identify as being older Generational differences as potential sources of tension in sites of training and practice Adapting the physical demands of practice Experiences of ageing and ageism within the professional community of dramatherapy Cultural expectations related to age Dramatherapist reflections on practice Vignette 1 Vignette 2 Conclusion Chapter 8: Seeking a higher power: Religion and spirituality in dramatherapy Religion, spiritual beliefs and mental health Religious and spiritual experience in dramatherapy Dramatherapist perspectives Demographics: Religious and spiritual identities Considerations regarding self-disclosure of religious or spiritual identity Worries about rigid belief systems Worries about being judged because of one’s beliefs Spiritual beliefs as a source of comfort Dramatherapist reflections on practice Conclusion Chapter 9: Found in translation: The role of language in dramatherapy Dramatherapy and language Dramatherapist perspectives Demographics: language Language preference Appreciation for a means of non-verbal communication The importance of shared meanings Working with interpreters Dramatherapist reflections on practice Vignette 1 Vignette 2 Conclusion Chapter 10: Money matters: The influence of social class in dramatherapy Situating ourselves in our lived experience Social class, classism and mental health Dramatherapist perspectives The impact on the provision of care and access to dramatherapy The setting impacts access for clients of dramatherapy Social class informs help-seeking behaviour Access to training in dramatherapy and accessing therapy during training Identification with social class of family of origin The impact of social class on employment Dramatherapist reflections on practice Conclusion Chapter 11: Borders in the therapy room? Nationality, migration and refugee experiences Migration: Rights, trauma and opportunity Dramatherapy and migration Dramatherapist perspectives Concerns related to national identity in relation to professional life Pressure to comply with policies that criminalise nationality Dramatherapist reflections on practice Conclusion Chapter 12: Beyond inclusion: Dramatherapy and dis/ability Dis/ability, ableism and mental health Dramatherapy and dis/ability Dramatherapist perspectives Demographics: Disability Hidden dis/abilities Professional stigmatisation The role of relatives with dis/abilities Adapting to varied abilities Preferences The need for greater accessibility Dramatherapist reflections on practice Conclusion Note Part III: Implications for training, supervision and practice Chapter 13: Decolonising dramatherapy training within and across borders What does it mean to decolonise pedagogy? A framework for training Experiential learning A conceptual framework Cultural awareness Client worldview Therapeutic relationship Advocacy Conclusion Note Chapter 14: Illuminating intercultural considerations through supervision Intercultural supervision in dramatherapy Intercultural supervision in dramatherapy: A case study An excerpt of dialogue from supervision Dramatherapist perspectives on clinical supervision Therapist self-disclosure Client-therapist experiences of discrimination Client-therapist experiences of privilege Client-therapist match Broaching conversations about intercultural dynamics in supervision Prompts to practice the art of broaching in supervision Relational Roles Assessment Protocol (R-RAP) Conclusion Notes Chapter 15: Supporting intercultural practice Cultural inheritance: revisiting one’s own cultural influences Mapping landscapes Painting ‘memoryscapes’ The story of your name Defining culture Multiple, changing and contested identities Continuum Acculturation gradient Exploring gender identity and sexuality through mixed media and portraiture Performance Supervision and intervention Broaching Boalian techniques DvT Techniques in practice Witnessing Good enough storying Working alongside one another in therapeutic solidarity On materials, metaphors and language Transference, countertransference and self-disclosure Making the invisible visible Notes Chapter 16: Conclusion Note References Index