From the playground to the stage

Kowalsky, Ronen; Raz, Nir; Keisari, Shoshi

doi:10.4324/9781003167822-7

Cited by 3 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Psychodramatists and drama therapists also employ concretization , the process of shaping abstract content or experiences into a tangible and visible dramatic form, which enhances understanding by externalizing the client's problem (Johnson, 1985; Kushnir & Orkibi, 2021). Dramatic reality in drama-based therapies enables fluidity (i.e., a flowing movement) between roles, times, and locations as well as condensation which, according to Freud's dream theory (1997), broadly refers to the fusion of different elements into one, such as simultaneously including both the past and the future in the here-and-now or the fusion of two places or people into one scene or character (see Kowalsky et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of drama-based therapies on mental health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies.

Orkibi¹,

Keisari²,

Sajnani³

et al. 2023

Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of drama-based therapies on mental health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies.

Orkibi¹,

Keisari²,

Sajnani³

et al. 2023

Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…The spontaneous nature of the dramatic improvisation enabled the participants to immerse themselves in the flow of give-and-take between the teller, the therapists, the acting members, and the spectators. This exchange promoted a creative exploratory atmosphere in the group, where adjustments to the death story emerged and a more dynamic story was created (Gonzalez et al, 2022; Kowalsky et al, 2022). In this way, the Playback Theater group promoted a restorative retelling and a reconstruction of the tellers’ worlds and bonds (Coleman & Neimeyer, 2010; Neimeyer, 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was also shown in Rina’s quote: “In the acting, you bring up what happened to you … it really moved me and inspired me.” The creative process involved a profound encounter between the acting members and the contents of the story, with members presenting their own personal interpretations of the story through dramatic means. Once presented to the group, the personal story of loss is “lent out” to serve the other group members’ realizations of their own experiences of loss and grief (Kowalsky et al, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the main approaches to processing life stories in a drama therapy group is known as Playback Theater (Kowalsky et al, 2022). In Playback, an improvisation is created in response to a personal story (Fox, 1999; Salas, 1993) and can incorporate quite complex stories of tragic bereavement (Murphy & Neimeyer, 2014).…”

Section: Ub In Bereavementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This allows participants to project their inner experiences onto the drama work. Individuals can succinctly craft their inner experiences, often bypassing communication barriers and defense mechanisms, and help bring the subconscious to overt expression and from there to conscious awareness (Kowalsky et al, 2022).…”

Section: Ub In Bereavementmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Meaning reconstruction 70 years later: Processing older adults’ unfinished business in a drama therapy group.

Keisari,

Yaniv,

Gesser-Edelsburg

et al. 2023

Psychotherapy

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Unfinished business (UB), when individuals appraise their relationship with others or themselves as incomplete or unresolved, entails difficult emotions such as regret, remorse, and guilt. UB is often associated with bereavement and is considered to be a predictor of complicated grief. Here we report two case studies describing the processing of the sudden death of a significant other in the context of a randomized controlled study of 12-week drama therapy groups for older adults. The intervention followed the format of Playback Theater, an improvised form of theater based on personal stories, and a life review paradigm. A mixed-methods approach explored the course of individual therapy within the group and potential mechanisms of change. The participants completed mental health questionnaires in a pre-post-follow-up design. The qualitative data included video recordings and postintervention interviews. One participant reported a clinically significant (CS) change in depressive symptoms and psychological well-being on the post and follow-up measurement indices. The second reported a CS change in self-esteem and relationship satisfaction at the end of the intervention, but not at followup. The findings suggest that the drama therapy contributed to the resolution of UB through restorative work in the three domains defined in meaning reconstruction theory: the "event story" of the loss, the "back story" of the relationship with the deceased, and the "personal story" of self. The results point to the need for additional research on meaning reconstruction in the context of drama therapy and encourage the broader application of performative techniques to treat complicated bereavement. Clinical Impact StatementQuestion: We report the analysis of two cases to shed light on the ways in which group drama therapy can contribute to the processing of unfinished business (UB) related to the sudden death of a significant other in the distant past. Findings: Two case studies describing how potential change factors in drama therapy contributed to the resolution of UB related to sudden death, through restorative work in the three domains defined in meaning reconstruction theory. Meaning: The results encourage the broader application of drama-based techniques to treat complicated bereavement. Next Steps: The changes illustrated in the current cases argue for additional research on meaning reconstruction in drama therapy.

show abstract

The Life Stories of Older Gay Men in Italy and Their Response to a Tele-Drama-Based Intervention: A Qualitative Study Protocol

Biancalani,

Orkibi,

Keisari

2023

International Journal of Qualitative Methods

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The global rise in the older adults’ population underscores the urgency of addressing mental health issues among older LGBT adults. Older gay men, navigating the intersection of ageism and homophobia, often confront complex stigma affecting their well-being. In Italy, where research on older LGBT adults is very limited, investigation of this issue is crucial. The overarching purpose of this qualitative research project is to explore the life experiences of older gay men in Italy and examine their response to a group tele-drama intervention tailored to their unique psychosocial needs. Narrative interviews will be conducted with older gay men in Italy, and the resulting data will be subjected to narrative analysis principles. Volunteers or social workers who work with older gay men will also be interviewed and the data will be analyzed according to thematic analysis, followed by a triangulation of the two datasets. Building on these findings and relevant literature, a group tele-drama intervention will be adapted for older gay men. Video-recorded intervention sessions will be analyzed using the 6-Key model of drama therapy assessment. Post-intervention, participants will undergo Client Change Interviews, with the data thematically analyzed. Ensuring the qualitative rigor of the study will involve triangulation, reflexive journaling, and member checking. The three-year data collection period will span from 2023 to 2025. The findings of this study will the design of a tele-drama-based therapy program that addresses the psychosocial needs of older gay men and help them cope with challenges associated with the intersectionality of ageism and homophobia.

show abstract

From the playground to the stage

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Effectiveness of drama-based therapies on mental health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies.

Effectiveness of drama-based therapies on mental health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies.

Meaning reconstruction 70 years later: Processing older adults’ unfinished business in a drama therapy group.

The Life Stories of Older Gay Men in Italy and Their Response to a Tele-Drama-Based Intervention: A Qualitative Study Protocol

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About