Drama-based therapies for spiritual well-being: Three cases in an oncological palliative care setting

Abstract

Over the last ten years, a growing body of literature has centred on the contributions of arts therapies to patients in palliative care. However, there is scant literature on the role of psychodrama and drama therapy in palliative care. This article presents three cases illustrating psychodrama and drama therapy techniques with oncological palliative patients. The three cases suggest how somatic experiences, dramatic projection, role reversal and imagination-based techniques can enable a restorative process to emerge in which the patients may reconnect to the personal, communal and environmental domains of spirituality. The creative and spontaneous space of the therapeutic process helps maintain a sense of self-continuity, generates a path to greater awareness of fear of death, reinforces coping strategies and promotes the resolution of unfinished business with significant others. Future studies could provide a broader perspective on drama-based therapies in palliative care through larger more diverse samples.