Drama and Drama Therapy: A Novel Aphasia Group Experience Ann Oehring1,2, Keith Whipple3, Ted Rubenstein3,4, Leora R. Cherney1,2,5 1Rehabilitation

Institute of Chicago, Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment University, Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders for Therapy through the Arts; 4Chicago School of Professional Psychology; 5Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine 2Northwestern 3Institute

RIC Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment „

Mission Statement … Promote

the development and implementation of rehabilitation practices that enhance the communication skills of individuals with aphasia and facilitate their engagement in life activities

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Aphasia Community Groups … To

respond to the challenge of “living with aphasia.” with the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA)

… Consistent

Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA) „ „

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General philosophy and model of service-delivery Consumer-Driven: empowers the consumer to select and participate in the recovery process and to collaborate on the design of interventions that aim for a more rapid return to active life. Explicit goal is enhancement of life participation strengthening daily participation in activities of choice The LPAA Project Group - Roberta Chapey, Judith F. Duchan, Roberta J. Elman, Linda J. Garcia, Aura Kagan, Jon Lyon, and Nina Simmons-Mackie

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/LPAA.htm

Social Practice Principles and Aphasia

Equalizing social relations Creating authentic involvement „ Creating engaging experiences „ Establishing user control „ „

Byng, S., Duchan, J.F. (2005) Social model philosophies and principles: Their applications to therapies for aphasia Aphasiology, 19,906-922

Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment: Class Examples Conversation Group Book Club „ Topic Specific Groups „ „

… Examples:

Humor Music „ Travel „ What’s in the News / Controversies „ Biographical Writing „ Movies „ The 50’s: A decade in depth „ „

Definition of Drama Therapy The systematic and intentional use of drama/theater processes, products, and associations to achieve the therapeutic goals of symptom relief, emotional and physical integration and personal growth. Drama therapy is an active, experiential approach that facilitates the client's ability to tell his/her story, solve problems, set goals, express feelings appropriately, achieve catharsis, extend the depth and breadth of inner experience, improve interpersonal skills and relationships, and strengthen the ability to perform personal life roles while increasing flexibility between roles.

Drama Therapy is not… The same as creative drama Drama for therapists „ Therapy for dramatists „ Doing a play for or with individuals with special needs „ „

Drama Therapy is… „ „ „ „ „ „

An interactive experience Focused on solving problems A way to include all people in all aspects of life About individual change, group change and social change All about change Informed by and mediated by scientific and scholarly research.

Overall Approaches

Therapeutic work Adaptive Art

The Umbrella of Drama Therapy

Role play Revelatory Storytelling Performances Sociodrama

Developmental Transformation

Theatre as Therapy

Psychodrama

Playback

Process Start of session Central Concern

Individual Concern

Working from the outside in.

Distance

Distance helps the protagonist see and reflect behaviors, feelings and beliefs while preserving needed defenses

Prevailing models of Drama Therapy Role Theory (Landy, Emunah, Sarbin) „ Developmental Method (Johnson) „ Psychodrama (Moreno, Blatner) „ Constructivist Cognitive Approach „ Direct Problem Solving