ANUBHAV

An experiential journey of Dramatherapy in Canada

Anubhav meaning 'experience' is a self healing technique
where the therapist and the client goes on a journey together
to explore, experience and rediscover the lost treasures of the inner self.

It is a symbolic approach placing
emphasis that difficulties can be
revealed and resolved through metaphors.

Anubhav creates a non-threatening and non-confrontational
space for expression and communication, for those who wish
to imagine, to elaborate and to transform things around them.

It seeks to discover how Drama, Movement, Non-verbalCommunication
Music, Art and Story can be used in
therapeutic and rehabilitative relationships.


Who do we work with:

* Children, young adults and at risk youths

*In special schools and community programs.

* Persons recovering from psychiatric illnesses
*In hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

* Individuals recovering from sexual and substance abuse.
* Groups in prison set ups.

We offer training and workshops for:

*Professionals *Educators *Organizations

*FAQ*


* What services do you provide?


I provide individual, group therapy, and professional consultation at ANUBHAV, Toronto. I offer groups, trainings and workshops at ANUBHAV. * How do you work? What is your theoretical orientation?


I have been trained in a variety of theories and methods including drama therapy, movement therapy. I am also Certified Canadian Counselor using Creative Arts Therapy as a counseling technique.


My approach incorporates verbal therapy, Dramatherapy, therapeutic storytelling and other expressive arts therapies. I draw from all of these areas in my work with individuals and groups. The therapeutic relationship is an experiential and self exploratory.


In my groups, I generally follow a non threatening self expressive approach integrating drama, object play, touch, ritual, movement, music, art, guided imagery as appropriate.


* What is Dramatherapy ?


Drama therapy is the systematic and intentional use of drama/theatre processes and products to achieve the therapeutic goals of symptom relief, emotional and physical integration, and personal growth.


Drama therapy is an active, experiential approach that facilitates the client's ability to tell his/her story, solve problems, set goals, express feelings appropriately, achieve catharsis, extend the depth and breadth of inner experience, improve interpersonal skills and relationships, and strengthen the ability to perform personal life roles while increasing flexibility between roles.


Drama therapists are trained in theatre arts, psychology, psychotherapy and drama therapy. Areas of study include improvisation, puppetry, role-playing, mask work, pantomime, theatrical production, psychodrama, developmental psychology, theories of personality, and group process.


All students of drama therapy must complete supervised clinical internships with a broad range of populations.


* Can you tell me more about your approach?


At the heart of the Sesame Approach is a metaphor. Just like the ancient story that uses the phrase 'Open Sesame' to open the cave door and reveal treasure, the Sesame Approach uses drama and movement as powerful resources to promote healing and change in people.


It is a non-confrontational therapy, based in the knowledge that difficulties are revealed indirectly or obliquely, through metaphor and using an inner language that is initially non-verbal.


This symbol or image language is expressed through the use of movement, drama, touch, story enactment, improvisation, and use of voice, explored in a safe and playful environment.


Experiencing and embodying an inner image through movement, taking on a role in a story, or enacting a character which is new or in contrast to the everyday way of dealing with life, are each ways that Sesame uses to work with other people. The meaning of what is expressed may take time to be integrated and understood.


Talking forms an important part of a Sesame session, but it is not the job of the Drama and Movement Therapist to interpret the client's symbolic, inner material in the session. It is their role to draw this material out and amplify it so that, over time, it begins to become less unfamiliar and can be considered.


Once an idea, a memory, a feeling or a thought is conscious, there is more choice about what can be done with it. Reactions and behaviour can gradually be understood and so changed.


The approach is based on theories of Carl Jung's psychology of the unconscious, Rudolph Laban's Art of Movement, Peter Slade's work in children's play and Marian Lindkvist's non-verbal language of Movement-with-touch. The core principle of the work is to stay with the inner symbol until its wisdom can be integrated and applied to making new healthy life choices.


* So what's different about the Sesame Approach?


� It promotes the use of Drama and Movement Therapy. This comes from Sesame's primary premise that both body and imagination - movement combined with drama - are needed as a means of raising self-esteem and making life changes.


� While using enactment and movement, it is non performance orientated and is geared to the creative process, rather than the expertise of the finished product.


� It works less with the solution finding, left brain logic of the external world. It gives a place to the learning found in play, spontaneity that emerges from the inner world.


� It is oblique - meeting people's trauma or pain through metaphor rather than directly in an invasive way. The working premise is that a client will have developed effective ways of coping with or avoiding a difficulty. Experience shows that when a problem is confronted too early it will disappear and remain out of reach. We are not in the business of taking away a person's coping strategies but in helping them feel safe enough to finally embrace and explore buried feelings.


� It has a bias towards gesture, myth, and dream as being the first language of therapy and self-development.


� It places value on the depths or psyche of each human individual and attempts to find a way beyond what is known through the ritual of an established session format.


* How can I learn more about and/or experience Dramatherapy?


I offer a Dramatherapy workshops for organizations and can have an informal discussion for individual clients. For more information about Dramatherapy and my approach see the website http://www.sesame-institute.org/ In addition, http://www.nadt.org/ also have related information.


* What happens in a Dramatherapy group session?


A dramatherapy group session has three phases, (1) the warm-up, (2) the main theme (3) the sharing. During the warm-up phase, group members connect with each other and explore entering into the dramatic space.
The main theme explores the pre-determined theme of the group like exploring issues around self esteem or relationships etc and enters a non threatening medium of enactment, improvisation and play.
In the sharing phase, each person in the group is invited to share their personal experience of taking part in the sessions as well as giving feedback about the group facilitation.


* What happens in an individual dramatherapy session?


Individual dramatherapy follows the same structure as a group session. In individual sessions, the client gets to choose what issues he or she might want to explore. There is also more room for other modalities to be spontaneously integrated into the session.


* I am not an actor and have little or no experience with any of the arts. Can I benefit from your experiential work?


Absolutely! Dramatherapy is not about acting, but about uncovering our authentic selves. Drama and other creative arts are used therapeutically because, as people have known throughout time, they are powerful methods for self-expression and healing.


* What kinds of issues are addressed in a Dramatherapy?


There is no limit to what can be explored in Dramatherapy. Issues addressed may include: relationships with self and others, family of origin, empowerment, self-esteem, giving and receiving support, connection to spirituality, relief from anxiety and depression, dreams, creativity and play.


* How do you incorporate safety in your individual and group work with Drama therapy?


People often come to therapy feeling vulnerable. An important goal of Drama therapy is spontaneity training. Spontaneity is being fully present, in the moment. Feeling safe is essential for being spontaneous. When we feel safe, we can experience our power and vulnerability.
Drama herapy is extremely powerful methods. In dramatic enactment, we can quickly cut through defenses that operate in verbal communications. Our defenses have protected us in the past and we want to honor them by getting to know them, even accepting and appreciating them. At the same time we can learn new ways that might serve us better in our present life.


* Whether working in a group or individually, what can clients expect from these sessions?


� The therapist will make clear their qualifications, experience and specialist areas of practice.


� There will be some process whereby clients are asked to give their informed consent to starting therapy. Where the client is not an adult or has been deemed unable to give their consent, someone else - usually a parent, guardian or professional representative - will be asked to provide consent on the client's behalf.


� There will be an explicit statement of when and where the therapy will take place.


� There will be an explicit statement of the duration of the therapy on each occasion it occurs and an agreement between the therapist and client about the length of the entire therapy. Sometimes this may not be known at the onset of therapy, but there will be opportunity for regular reviews of the process.


� There will be a mutual agreement about how, when and sometimes why the therapy comes to an end. It is a general notion that therapy does not stop abruptly but that some time and attention is given to saying Goodbye and addressing any feelings and responses that may arise from this ending.


� The therapist will carry out some sort of assessment, whether formal or otherwise, with regard to the aims of this therapy. Sometimes they will take a case history, sometimes they might spend some time talking or working therapeutically with the client to establish the specific or general aims for the work.


� What is certain is that the therapist will make clear that the client is invited to work at their pace and at their emotional level. This can be summed up in the phrase, 'Do as much or as little as you choose'.


* Do you have any publications


� Senroy P and Senroy S (2007) (ED) Vanessa Camilleri Healing the Inner City Child: Creative Arts Therapies with At-Risk Children, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
� Senroy P (2004-2005) Movement education / therapy for children with multiple learning difficulties, Toronto: Volume 41, Winter Newsletter of the Infant Mental Health Promotion Project
� Senroy P (2003) Exploring emotions thought the metaphor of the Indian mythological character of Ravana, the ten headed demon king, M.A Thesis London UK: Central School of Speech and Drama
� Senroy P (1994) Creative Movement Education, Ahmedabad, India: Gujarat Medical Association
� Senroy P (1995-1999) Sesame Institute Newsletter contributions: London: Sesame Institute UK and International
� Senroy P (1993) Dance Therapy for People with Disability-A dissertation for the Diploma in the Education of the Physically Handicapped, Mumbai: Spastics Society of India.






About Us:


Priyadarshini Senroy is a Special Needs Educator and a Drama and Movement Therapist trained in India and England. She is also a Certified Canadian Counselor (Creative Arts in Counseling Chapter).
She is based inToronto,Canada.




Contact Us:




Priyadarshini Senroy, 8 Loradeen Crescent Toronto ON M1B 1T8
PH-1-416-439-7668 Email: [email protected]

Other Places to go:

Sesame Institute,UK
Creative Arts in Counselling Chapter, Canada

Sonali Senroy and Priyadarshini Senroy

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws