In line with its extended programme to explore the various aspects of the theatre, the Malta Drama Centre welcomed an intensive course in drama therapy, conducted by
Fiona Hornstein, who evaluates her experience with groups of highly motivated participants
Last May, while looking for a shop in the Hamrun area, I stumbled across the Malta Drama Centre. I decided to enquire inside about what sort of courses they ran.
It was then that I met Mario Azzopardi, the principal. I told him that I was a drama therapist and explained the type of work that I had done in the UK and the Bahamas.
He expressed a keen interest in my work and proposed that I ran some summer introduction courses with the Drama Centre to introduce people to the Sesame Approach to Drama Therapy in Malta.
I happily agreed and felt welcomed and supported as Mario organised newspaper articles and a TV appearance to promote the course. Neither of us could have anticipated the wonderful response that we received.
Due to the personal nature of drama therapy, I asked to have a maximum of 14 people in each group. Within a matter of days of the articles going out, we had a long waiting list and thus proceeded to organise two groups which later turned into three. The first two courses began in early July. There is still a waiting list.
I believe that at this point it is important to explain a little more about drama therapy, especially the Sesame Approach. Marian Lindquist, who had a background in theatre and worked in the care profession, founded the Sesame Approach in 1964.
She had an autistic child and felt very frustrated by the lack of creativity and sensitivity used in the treatment of autism. She thus brought together a team of actors and care workers and began taking theatre workshops around institutions and hospitals.
She instantly saw a change in the patients that she worked with when they were given a platform to express themselves creatively. She realised that so much time was spent in the institutions focussing on illness and a person's condition that the healthy part of the person was ignored.
When people were allowed to play, laugh and work through difficult feelings in a creative and non-confrontational way, she discovered that the healing of their physical ailments and mental conditions speeded up. Lindkvist realised the huge potential for this work and in the late 1960s developed training for occupational therapists to help them use creativity in their work.
As drama therapy began to develop around the world, she became a leading voice in the field and now the Sesame Institute is seen as one of the leading authorities in the world of drama therapy. Sesame practitioners work all over the world with a variety of client groups who include:
¤ people living with schizophrenia, depression or other mental illness;
¤ people with emotional behavioural problems, learning difficulties, autism, substance abuse or drug-related problems;
¤ people with sensory disabilities and eating disorders;
¤ people in prison;
¤ children in an educational or care context; and
¤ people in pursuit of professional or personal development.
Drama therapy uses a range or creative tools - from drama, movement, voice, dance, art, story and myth - to promote healing and growth. The Sesame Approach is non-confrontational and helps people learn to understand and express their feelings without feeling judged.
Each person works at his or her own pace. Personal material can be explored through metaphor and character, so the person does not feel exposed in any way. These metaphors can be seen as parts of themselves that need to be explored and expressed.
As people become open to play, move, enact and learn to trust whatever emerges spontaneously, new parts of themselves come to the surface. This emerging of personal material within a safe and nurturing environment is a key to the process of self-discovery.
Although the Sesame Approach seems very fluid and fun, it is under-pinned by a strong structure and belief system. The Sesame Approach is based on Carl Jung's philosophy of the unconscious and the movement observation of Rudolf Laban.
Marian Lindkvist's and Veronica Sherbourne's theories of Movement with Touch are a key component of the method, as is Peter Slade's theories of play and Erik Erikson's and D.W. Winnicott's understanding of Human Development.
This introductory course was spread over four once-weekly three-hour sessions. Each session covered a component of the Sesame Approach. There was a 15-minute introduction to the day, followed by a one-hour session. There was a break of 10-15 minutes, followed by another one-hour session. This was then backed up with theory and questions in the last half an hour.
In the first week there was an introductory session helping the group to get to know one another, followed by a session that focused on improvisation techniques and how to address themes that occur during a group process.
In the second week the first session was Laban, movement therapy. This session focused on helping individuals reconnect with their bodies and discover their natural rhythms and physical potential. The exercises were gentle and fun, and allowed people to feel open and grounded.
Laban is used a lot with people with physical disabilities and mental disorders who feel disconnected from their bodies. The second session focused on drama and how to work with character development to help people explore parts of themselves.
In the third week the focus was on movement with touch, which helps people understand how to attune to a person who is closed down or unable to communicate verbally. It gave a brief introduction to some tools that can be used to help a person feel safe, listened to and accepted.
The second session was a look at the power of using story and myth to help people work through difficult emotions by allowing them to be drawn to the characters they relate to. By working with these characters they are able to release the feelings that they need to explore in a safe way.
By enacting thoughts, feelings and ideas, a person is able to communicate those things about themselves that may be too difficult to verbalise. In turn, the person gains a deeper understanding of themselves.
The final week looked at using active imagination and guided visualisation to help people create their personal sanctuary to help them find a sense of serenity in their everyday lives. This was followed by the group being given the opportunity to facilitate an exercise, which they had enjoyed in the process and may like to use in their work.
The feeling from the feedback was that people thoroughly enjoyed the course - yet found it perhaps too short as there was so much more that they wanted to explore. It was wonderful for me to experience the level of enthusiasm for new therapies in Malta and to meet so many wonderful people.
Drama therapy is such a powerful tool and I feel very privileged to have been trained as a drama and movement therapist. I am hugely grateful to the Drama Centre, whom I am currently setting up further short courses with - we are also in the process of developing training in Malta that will be affiliated with the Sesame Institute in the UK.
It is difficult to explain exactly how drama therapy works or how deeply it affects people, so I thought that I would let some of the people who attended the course speak for themselves:
"I did not have any expectations of the course, yet I gained more than I ever thought I would. It was insightful and liberating in a safe and nurturing way. Thanks so much for such a wonderful experience." - Bridget Pavia
"It was a fascinating journey that combines a good balance of fun and deep work in understanding more of the psyche in a safe environment." Josette Attard
"In such a short time I feel such a difference in my persona - my communication with different relationships has improved immensely - maybe without realising I have released many emotions and I feel so serene." - Nadya Vella
"I didn't think that it would be so much fun and it was way beyond my expectations - one of the best workshops ever. I would recommend it to anyone" - Maris Bonello
"I especially liked the fact that we were free and I didn't feel I was being judged at any time. I felt I was really able to express myself and went home feeling very calm. I am going to miss it." - Janice Attard
Thank you to all those who attended the course - it was a privilege to work with you.
Courses which will be run in conjunction with the Drama Centre will include: A short course in Creative Movement using the techniques of Gabrielle Roth, Veronica Sherbourne, Marian Lindkvist and Rudolf Laban; The Heroine's Journey - a personal journey for women to reconnect with their feminine strengths and discover themselves through creativity; and Presentation Skills for people interested in improving their public speaking skills and interview techniques. Longer courses are being developed at the moment and information will be released when it is available.
The Drama Centre can be contacted on 2122-0665 or by e-mailing: malta.drama.centre@gov.mt.
Fiona Hornstein is a qualified drama therapist who has vast experience in the Bahamas and the UK. She has worked with a variety of client groups, including adults with learning difficulties, people in recovery from addiction, women suffering from eating disorders, bullied children, business people interested in improving communication skills and people interested in personal development. She works with both individuals and groups.
For more information contact her on 2132-0034 or by e-mail: info@fionahornstein.com.