Explores therapeutic uses of drama in the development of creative imagination, self expression, and social relatedness with special populations such as clients who have developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, health issues, or are aging.
An exploratory course which focuses on drama therapy with a few select population groups. Students learn how to make accommodations for successful participation in creative drama, improvisation, puppetry, rehearsals for traditional plays, and develop new plays geared to participants' strengths.
This course will encourage the student practitioner to imagine and integrate Drama Therapy with various people groups.
This course will serve as a reminder to the student that God so loved the world (John 3:16). The world includes every race, nation, tongue, and culture. This class will encourage the student to look at Special Populations as an extension of our missional mandate to share the good news with all people.
Drama Therapy is not therapy, per se, but is defined by the NADTA as “the intentional use of theatre to bring about therapeutic results.” The therapeutic results we aim for as evangelists is the understanding that man has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but that Christ died while we were yet sinners. Drama therapy is not therapy, but drama that is therapeutic or in this case, missional.
This course will examine the use of drama therapy within the context of special populations.
Students will be expected to consider different populations, which could include (but is not limited to) various cultures.
Drama Therapy is not limited to therapists, but is used in non-clinical settings such as schools, hospitals, community centers, and churches. Students will be able to bring these skills into these settings to bring about evangelistic results. Unlike clinical therapy, certain drama therapy techniques to not require confidentiality from the participants. This makes it a very easy and practical approach even for the unlicensed practitioner.
Theatre arts, by nature and definition, is an experiential medium. Students will be equipped to take the lessons learned from the course and apply them directly in their church or missional assignments.
