Alexis Poledouris

What is a drama therapist?

A Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) is a Master’s level credential requiring coursework in psychology and drama therapy, experience in theater, and supervised internship and work experience. RDTs are board certified in the practice of drama therapy and follow the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) Code of Ethics.

What is drama therapy?

Drama therapy is the intentional use of theatrical techniques for therapeutic gains. Evidence-based and trauma-informed, drama therapy is a non-coercive practice that seeks to identify and dismantle systems of oppression, both systemic and personal/relational. No theater experience is necessary. Drama therapists often work in an active and experiential way, incorporating somatic awareness, breathing, meditation, and movement exercises into sessions alongside storytelling, improvisation, role theory and role play, metaphor, writing, drawing, design, games, and more. We are rarely without scarves, animal figurines, or a box of self-actualization cards within reach.

What does a typical drama therapy group session look like?

In a group drama therapy session, I tend to follow the traditional drama therapy structure of:

Check-in - Share a brief personal update, current mood, or recent event.

Warm-up - Engage somatically in mindful movement, vocal exercises, meditation, some reflection.

Game - Participate in a playful improvisational activity.

Central activity - Explore a theme, issue, or question through a creative intervention.

Processing, closure, and check-out - Share insights and offer feedback; set an intention.

Said another way: A drama therapist begins with a verbal check-in and guides a gentle embodiment warm-up activity and possibly a game before leading participants in a creative intervention inspired by a theme or emergent issues, and then allows time and proposes a structure for personal or group processing before offering a final closure activity or ritual.

Do you work with individuals/couples/those in relationship? How is that different than a group?

Yes! Individual, couples, and those in relationship sessions may follow the traditional drama therapy group structure or a less structured counseling session. You check-in, we talk, a plan or point of view gets explored. Repeat as necessary.

What’s it like working with a drama therapist?

Our work together may find us identifying recurring themes and metaphors in your own personal narrative and we will probably search for ways to promote perspective shifts and visualize desired outcomes. I can coach you through a major life event or help you reframe the past. We may craft a short monologue based on a significant experience you’d like to process or even assemble a puppet representing a particular fear, obstacle, or guide figure. Or, we can just talk and explore the issues of the day. It’s your session and I am here to listen while offering a creative lens with which to view your own reality. If you are the author of your own story, I can be your assistant director or script supervisor, your literary critic or your attentive audience. Themes that I am currently leaning into include: exploring the metaphor; telling and re-telling one’s life story / significant life events; managing stress and expectations; perspective shifting; and personal / identity work, especially as it interacts with gender and sexuality.

What are some possible group or individual topics we might explore in a session?

Expressive art-making - Identify a personal “as if” metaphor through creative engagement. May include collaboration on an original mini-book, an expressive drawing, movement piece, written or spoken word text.

Storytelling and monologue - Share the various stories around a personal issue or event. Create a written narrative in monologue form; includes somatic awareness development and processing.

Agency - Manage stress and expectations by exploring intentionality and self-reflection through the question, "Who is the captain of *your* ship?"