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.

• Foreword by Sylvia Wheadon. 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.

This book is full of ideas for creative drama and games for use with individuals and groups to address challenges that children present in the classroom, due to their experiences of loss, separation, abuse, trauma, anger and anxiety.