Creative Drama for Emotional Support

Penny McFarlane worked as a teacher in primary and secondary education for over fifteen years before obtaining her Diploma in Drama Therapy from Exeter University. She founded a creative arts in therapy project in inner city schools and has subsequently worked as a drama therapist and supervisor on a multi-agency support team. She co-founded a children's bereavement charity and has worked extensively in the field of divorce and separation and its effect on children. Penny is also co-author of Dramatherapy and Family Therapy in Education: Essential Pieces of the Multi-Agency Jigsaw. She lives in Devon where she is a practising drama therapist in primary and secondary schools.

Preface.; Why Drama?; How to Use this Book.; What this Book Covers.; What this Book Does Not Cover.; 1. Introduction.; 1.1. What are the Issues?; 1.2. How Can we Recognize the Issues?; 1.3. What Can we do About the Issues?; 2. The Activities.; 2.1. What to do at the Beginning of a Session.; 2.2. The Issues, Behaviours and Supporting Activities.; 2.2.1. Abuse.; 2.2.2. Anger.; 2.2.3. Anxiety.; 2.2.4. Attachment.; 2.2.5. Bereavement.; 2.2.6. Bullying.; 2.2.7. Change or Transition.; 2.2.8. Compulsive Lying.; 2.2.9. Depression.; 2.2.10. Lack of Self-Esteem/Confidence.; 2.2.11. Learnt Behaviour.; 2.2.12. Neglect.; 2.2.13. Nightmares.; 2.2.14. Parental Separation.; 2.2.15. Sibling Rivalry.; 2.2.16. Socially Inappropriate Behaviour.; 2.2.17. Speech Problems.; 2.2.18. Trauma and Shock.; 2.3. What to do at the End of a Session.; Appendices.; Group Bonding Games.; Index of Issues and Supporting Activities.; References.; Useful Resources and Further Reading.

Using drama in the classroom is an effective way of supporting a child's social and emotional development. This book offers a wide variety of drama activities designed to provide children with a creative outlet to overcome emotional and behavioural problems.

Exploring the various challenges children can face at home such as parental separation, divorce and bereavement, this book explains how they can manifest in a child's behaviour at school. It describes how drama can provide appropriate avenues for confronting and dealing with these issues and suggests a wealth of captivating and practical drama-based games and exercises that will support the child's needs and promote growth.

This clear and accessible book will be an invaluable resource for teachers, teaching assistants, youth and social workers, counsellors, arts therapists and educational psychologists.