Drama-based therapies for spiritual well-being: Three cases in an oncological palliative care setting | Intellect Skip to content
1981
Volume 9, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 2054-7668
  • E-ISSN: 2054-7676

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.

Resumen

En los últimos diez años, un creciente corpus literario se ha centrado en las contribuciones de las terapias a través de las artes aplicadas en los pacientes en cuidados paliativos. Sin embargo, existe escasa literatura sobre el papel del psicodrama y de la dramaterapia en los cuidados paliativos. Este artículo presenta tres casos que ilustran técnicas de psicodrama y dramaterapia con pacientes en cuidados paliativos oncológicos. Los tres casos sugieren cómo las experiencias somáticas, la proyección dramática, la inversión de roles y las técnicas basadas en la imaginación pueden permitir que surja un proceso restaurativo en el que los pacientes pueden volver a conectarse con los dominios personales, comunitarios y ambientales de la espiritualidad. El espacio creativo y espontáneo del proceso terapéutico ayuda a mantener un sentido de autocontinuidad, genera un camino hacia una mayor conciencia del miedo a la muerte, refuerza las estrategias de afrontamiento y promueve la resolución de asuntos pendientes con otras personas significativas. Los estudios futuros podrían proporcionar una perspectiva más amplia sobre las terapias basadas en el teatro en los cuidados paliativos a través de muestras más grandes y diversas.

Résumé

Au cours des dix dernières années, un corpus grandissant de littérature s’est concentré sur les contributions des thérapies par les arts à l’égard des patients en soins palliatifs. Cependant, il existe peu de littérature sur le rôle du psychodrame et de la dramathérapie dans les soins palliatifs. Cet article présente trois cas illustrant les techniques de psychodrame et de drama thérapie avec des patients en oncologie palliative. Les trois cas suggèrent comment les expériences somatiques, la projection dramatique, l’inversion des rôles et les techniques basées sur l’imagination peuvent permettre l’émergence d’un processus réparateur dans lequel les patients peuvent se reconnecter aux domaines personnels, communautaires et environnementaux de la spiritualité. L’espace créatif et spontané du processus thérapeutique aide à maintenir un sentiment d’auto-continuité, génère un chemin vers une plus grande prise de conscience de la peur de la mort, renforce les stratégies d’adaptation et favorise la résolution des affaires inachevées avec les autres. De futures études pourraient fournir une perspective plus large sur les thérapies basées sur le théâtre dans les soins palliatifs, grâce à des échantillons plus larges et plus diversifiés.

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2023-10-05
2024-05-02
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