Something Different, Something New

Reflections on a day spent in (drama) therapy

Intriguing – revealing – fun – thought-provoking – colourful – safe – evocative, physical – refreshing – emotional – supportive – absorbing – authentic – learned lots – creative – challenging.

These are summary words used by the participants to characterise the day we experienced in a recent drama therapy workshop run by Impromptu associate Eva Marie Chadwick (nee Byer). These sentiments reflect my own. It was a day for doing something different, a day that required a lot of letting go, that required a degree of courage and self-exposure. It was a day that asked questions, useful questions about the multiple roles we play, not just as role players, but in the broader sense of all those social and professional personas that we carry with us that we morph into, that reflect who we are.

It was a day that invited thoughtfulness and quiet reflection in turns. It was a day that provided an opportunity to glance at ourselves from the perspective of others, to know ourselves in new ways and a little bit more. There was music and colour and toys and safe, person centred facilitation that gently enabled us to absorb in our own and other experiences.

It was a stage in a journey, I think for all of us, based on the premise that in knowing ourselves we build the capability to benefit those we work with a little bit more. It was a day of looking through different lenses at familiar things, to physicalise our ego states, to understand how they impact us and to deepen our insights.

It was a day, for me, most of all, about remembering that there are always new ways, different ways of looking and seeing and doing and that part of our growth is about not standing still.

Thank you Eva, for a great workshop.