102: Expressive Arts – Drama Therapy

In Episode 102, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Krista Verrastro, RDT, a Maryland drama therapist. Krista is one of only six hundred-plus drama therapists in the United States. She explains what drama therapy is, how she got involved with it, and how she uses it in her practice.

Krista defines drama therapy and explains how it is active, experiential and integrative. She discusses the roles we play in our lives and how this fits closely with drama therapy. She notes some similarities between drama therapy and play therapy. She reminds us how experiential therapies like expressive and creative arts methods – including drama therapy – help us to connect with our emotions in a balanced way, so we can both feel and think at the same time.

She teaches us how creative arts therapies can help externalize the emotions we feel so that we can feel safer to explore them. She also discusses how drama therapy can help heal trauma. She explains the connection between drama therapy and social justice and its roots in efforts to overcome oppression.

Krista talks about psychodrama and drama therapy, how they’re similar and different. She gives examples of some techniques and exercises that may take place in a drama therapy session. She also relates the challenge of serving people who would benefit from drama therapy because the field is so little known.

Visit Krista’s website to learn more about her work: http://www.kristaverrastro.com/

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