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Literature Review: Drama Therapy as a School-Based Intervention for Military-Connected Adolescents
Full text linkThe following literature review will review current research surrounding military-connected adolescents mental health and the viability of utilizing drama therapy as a school-based intervention to improve their mental health. Military-connected adolescents are an invisible minority who experience a unique set of stressors. This population experiences frequent relocation, parental deployment, and the impact living this way can have on the entire family. The current research shows that military-connected adolescents are more likely than their civilian peers to experience mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety. School-based therapeutic interventions have been shown to help decrease symptoms. School-based interventions allow for the therapist to meet with adolescents where they spend the majority of their week and decrease potential concerns with outside therapy. Research in drama therapy has shown that it can be positively impactful for adolescents in a school setting. The impact of drama therapy on military-connected adolescents has not been researched, but there has been success with related populations. Both individual contract drama therapists and different drama therapy programs have been used in school settings to support adolescents. The current research on school-based drama therapy can be adapted to be used with a military-connected adolescent population; however, research implementing drama therapy as a school-based intervention is needed to understand how can be used as an effective intervention for military-connected adolescents
Practical Jokes: A Drama Therapy Process between Comedians, Therapists, and Those Affected by Grief/Loss on the Ongoing Development of Therapeutic Humor
Full text linkPrevious studies on humor in therapy suggest that some types of humor are more beneficial than others. This author found humor to be an essential part of coping with the loss of her mother and wondered why humor is broken down into good and bad parts, when humor can be subjective and dependent on culture and context. Using Robert Landy’s Role Theory and Dintino’s theory of Playing with the Unplayable, the author aimed to neutralize humor by exploring the roles that humor plays in therapy and hoped to find a practical definition of humor that could be appropriate in a therapeutic setting. This master’s thesis played the role of a community arts engagement project gathering comedians, therapists, and those affected by grief/loss to come together for three drama therapy workshops exploring what makes humor therapeutic and if/when there would ever be a time to hold in the joke. This arts-based project included the perspectives of 5 participants, many of whom identified with all three roles of comedian, therapist, and griever. The author found that humor served the group as a tool for processing grief, empowerment over one’s personal narratives, and a catalyst for connection both in the group and in the participants personal lives
Altered Bookmaking as a Means of Self-Exploration and Processing of Life Transitions in Adulthood
Full text linkLife transitions carry with them a wave of emotions that individuals need to sort through to continue leading healthy lives. A way to process these strong emotions while keeping them contained is through the use of altered bookmaking. This qualitative study investigated how adults can explore self and process life transitions through the art therapy technique of altered bookmaking. The group was grounded in client-centered therapy to promote safety and trust within the therapeutic space. The data collection consisted of written observations, written reflections, and artistic responses through the creation of poetry. The main themes that arose were: 1) altered bookmaking lends itself to rewriting client’s life transitions; 2) individuals thrive within structure and consistency; 3) acceptance and flexibility leads to optimism and empowerment; 4) identifying and utilizing a support system decreases anxiety; and 5) unconditional positive regard leads to safety, self-exploration, and self-discovery. Outcomes suggest that adults who explore self and life transitions through altered bookmaking directives gain a more positive and empowering view on their lives
Who Cares for the Caregivers? How Dance and Movement Can Benefit Caregiving Parents of Children with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities: A Literature Review
Full text linkCaregiver parents of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) are not able to care for themselves as often as they should be able to for their own mental and physical wellness due to their caregiving responsibilities that often carry into adulthood. These can lead to anxiety, depression, grief, and dysregulation for the parent. Dance and movement practices have been found to relieve the symptoms of these experiences while helping the child with IDD and the parent connect more, building stronger relationships. This thesis will include a comprehensive literature review of body-based theories such as the Polyvagal Theory (Polyvagal Institute, 2025), Bowlby’s Attachment Theory (Bowlby, 1969), and Kestenberg’s Movement Profile (Kestenberg Amighi, et al., 2018) to show evidence that the body’s response to outside stimuli can impact a person’s mood and actions, which influences how the parent interacts with their child and in other social relationships. This thesis will also discuss how somatic regulation can benefit parents in many situations, such as those experiencing grief and loss through practicing mindfulness, creating movement in the parent’s body, and working on controlling their breath in stressful situations, which can help calm the nervous system, grounding and regulating the parent throughout their day. It was found that there are few direct studies for the benefits of movement with caregiver parents of people with IDD but they continue to be challenged under the stress of their roles. Further research needs to be done to increase awareness of the importance of movement practices as self-care for their benefit
Hope-Centered Art Therapy Exploring the Emergence of Relational Narratives in Nurturing Resilience in Children
Full text linkThis review examines the importance of hope and resilience in art therapy interventions for children by synthesizing current research on how art therapy can foster hope. The data were collected by reviewing published peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, reflective writing, and artmaking—arts-based research methods. The beginning sections delve deeply into the definition of hope and resilience in the context of adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs. Art therapy acts as a creative medium for fostering these qualities. It is discussed that creative expression contributes to emotional regulation, utilizes therapeutic intra- and inter-relationships as a source of hope, and connects the child with their inner source of resilience. Although research has infamously associated resilience with an inherent internal ability to rise above external adversities, only a few authors have challenged this notion beyond individual positionality and towards oppressive systemic structures. Future research will benefit from problematizing understandings of resilience in forming adaptive coping strategies in strength-based art therapy, which underlies how creative experiences contribute to the development of therapeutic relationships as a source of hope
Synthesis of Mindful Inspiration, Syncretism, and Unionism Yields the MIND Method for Alleviating Public School Teacher Burnout
No full textPublic school teachers face the risk of burnout. Mindfulness has been suggested for addressing the chronic stress that can lead to teacher burnout. However, criticisms have been raised regarding the sometimes problematic nature of mindfulness programs (MPs) for public school teachers. For example, MPs may be perceived as religious and therefore not appropriate for secular public schools. Additionally, MPs may not be designed with enough of an ethical framework and may not do enough to authentically help teachers address the systemic challenges they face. In response to these limitations, this paper suggests the synthesis of the following MP enhancements to help avoid the risk of burnout: (1) using mindfulness to increase inspiration to energize teachers, (2) employ syncretism as a secular, inclusive solution to the problem of religion in public schools and empower teachers to self-select guidance and input as they practice mindfulness, and (3) aligning mindfulness practice with teachers\u27 union protections in order to more explicitly support teachers as they practice during their workday, seeking to solve professional and systemic problems. Previously, these three approaches have partially appeared as separate solutions in contexts not related to mindfulness for teachers. This paper addresses a gap in the existing literature by proposing a novel synergistic approach that unifies the three enhancements to form a comprehensive MP specifically tailored for public school teachers, titled The MIND Method: Mindful Inspiration for New Day
Break It Down - Examining Paradigmatic Shifts and Intersectional Devaluation through Quantitative Exploration: Martial Arts and Narrative Inquiry as Pathways for Community Wellness Programming
Full text linkDespite growing awareness of health disparities and social exclusion, there remains a significant gap in understanding how devaluation affects both individual well-being and broader community cohesion. Historically, mental health services have been dominated by clinical settings, such as hospitals and private practices, yet this approach has limitations in reaching underserved populations. Alternative and non-traditional wellness practices offer promising avenues for promoting emotional well-being outside these traditional settings, leveraging community resources and social support networks, yet they are often overlooked and devalued. This dissertation addresses this gap by exploring the complex connections between devaluation, health outcomes, and community engagement/social capital. Using a quantitative methods approach, the study examines whether and to what extent devaluation shapes well-being and physical health, as well as individuals\u27 ability to engage meaningfully in their communities. A unique contribution of this research is the integration of Martial Arts Breaking and Narrative Inquiry, a novel approach that blends metaphor and physical practice to dismantle harmful narratives that perpetuate exclusion and marginalization. Through the lens of intersectional devaluation narratives, the findings offer fresh insights into how societal undervaluation influences health disparities and weakens community bonds. This research contributes to filling the knowledge gap on how devaluation narratives impact wellness, health and community engagement, providing a foundation for designing more inclusive, trauma-responsive and healing-centered community wellness programs. Ultimately, the study offers key pieces to a larger narrative puzzle aimed at fostering resilient communities through strategies that bridge personal experiences and systemic change
Religious Trauma Healing through Expressive Arts Therapy: A Literature Review
Full text linkThis literature review discusses religion, spirituality, religious trauma, and mental health treatment through expressive arts therapy. The research highlights a prevalence of religious trauma within adults in the United States and a need for mental health care targeted toward the complexities of religious harm. Expressive arts therapy is an evidence-based and trauma-informed method of treating religious trauma. A somatic and well-rounded approach to processing religious trauma promotes self-regulation, building confidence, and finding affirming community. This research also outlines the interconnected systems of power that harm marginalized communities through religion: capitalism, white supremacy, and the patriarchy. Lastly, the literature review discusses the goal of religious trauma healing is not to eliminate all religion, but to provide mental health treatment, autonomy, and self-trust so that an affected individual can choose to find religion on their own terms
Exploring Fiber Art Materials in Art Therapy Treatment with Bereaved Families
Full text linkThe purpose of this thesis was to explore why families are particularly impacted by negative effects of grief, why it is imperative that the arts be utilized in treatment for bereavement, and why fiber arts are a great vessel for art therapy grief work. The literature was collected and organized through visual coding and reflective tactile methods before being presented in the following review. The first section of the literature review includes definitions of grief, death-related grief, and familial grief and how these experiences cause long lasting impacts and mental health issues. The second and third sections cover the definitions of art therapy, family art therapy, and fiber arts and how these theories and materials provide therapeutic relief for grief symptoms and can be integrated within family systems. The pivotal finding that connects each of these topics from the literature was the power of finding through art causes positive impacts with the sub themes including finding meaning, finding self, and finding connection which are explored in the discussion
Metal as a Tool for Gender Liberation in Music Therapy: A Literature Review
Full text linkMetal music is a genre which appears to be minimally researched and utilized within the context of music therapy. Despite its often loud and disruptive musical sound and sometimes violent lyrics, many fans of metal report mental health benefits from engaging with the music and participating in metal subculture. It is also well documented that metal as a genre is deeply rooted in a culture of White cisheteronormative masculinity, which often results in the scene being hostile toward women and gender minority fans and artists. Yet, many of these individuals express feelings of liberations brought on through engagement with metal music. The purpose of this master’s thesis is to review the current literature connecting the concepts of metal music, gender issues, and music therapy in order to answer the following research questions: What are the implications of using metal music with women and gender minority metal fan clients in the context of music therapy? And can metal music be used in the context of music therapy as a tool of liberation and empowerment for women and gender minority clients? It is concluded that metal music, when used with care, may serve as a useful tool to support liberation and empowerment of women and gender minority clients who are metal fans or musicians. To support this goal, the music must be used not only for individual client empowerment, but also for social advocacy toward gender equality