Waiting List – Express Yourself – Therapeutic Drama and Social Skills Group

The structure of the Therapeutic Drama and Social Skills Group incorporates physical, postural, vocal and breathing warm-ups, group team building and trust enhancing activities, scene work, improvisation (solo and group), scriptwriting, movement, mime, directing skills, self scripted pieces, relaxation and concentration exercises.

Through these experiences participants will have opportunities to get to know themselves better, improve confidence and self expression and gain valuable skills in the following key areas:

• Developing cognitive flexibility, resiliency, imagination and creative problem solving skills;
• Building confidence, self esteem and communication skills;
• Increasing understanding and expression of emotions and strengthening emotional intelligence skills;
• Supporting multiple intelligences –including spatial, bodily/kinaesthetic, interpersonal, linguistic, and interpersonal;
• Allowing multi sensory exploration that engages mind, body, voice and emotions to explore and convey thoughts and information;
• Providing a method of social learning through non-competitive play encouraging cooperation, teamwork, pro social skill development, turn taking, and collaboration in creativity.

Therapeutic dimensions:
Physical – the students will learn to use their bodies and voices as instruments with which to creatively create and communicate. They will learn and practice correct breathing techniques, improve posture, learn vocal control and a selection of exercises to appropriately maintain and enhance the voice. Exercises will also focus on improving speech – diction and projection and the kinesthetic nature of the activities and games will help to improve physical coordination and motor skills.

Social – the students will enhance and cultivate moral values among their peers and their surroundings, improve team work, gain skills in cooperation, patience, and leadership, confidence building, and team problem solving. They will also learn and practice respect, supportiveness and positive regard/feedback for other members of the class while forging new friendships and social networks.

Cognitive – Through the drama exercises and experiences students will learn to become better problem solvers through creative and fast thinking strategies and improve concentration and listening skills. They will also learn tools to shape and control what is happening by using their minds and bodies to give form to the art and enhance their creative thinking abilities.

Emotional – Throughout the exercises, group and individual work and the reflective nature of their drama journals students will learn better ways of responding thoughtfully to their surroundings and learn tools to develop an outlet for their emotions and release of stress e.g. scriptwriting, journaling, vocalizing, physical movement, relaxation. They will increase self esteem and confidence in their own expressive abilities aiding better communication in the outside world with family and friends and increased self awareness. They will have many opportunities to enhance their empathic understanding by relating to a range of characters, situations and emotions and sharing of stories.

Sensory – Students will enhance creative expression and experience through exercises exploring the senses, plus concentration, focus, sensitisation and the physical exploration of one’s environment. Drama provides hands on learning by doing, feeling and experiencing.

Ages: 5-9 years, 9-12 years