Drama Theropy uses the concept of integrating actors into a therapeutic approach to help people. | Bigter Choi / Pixabay
Drama Theropy uses the concept of integrating actors into a therapeutic approach to help people. | Bigter Choi / Pixabay
Some people view having drama in your life as carrying a negative connotation, but a Winston-Salem nonprofit agency wants to bring a positive kind of drama into people’s lives.
Drama Theropy’s stated goal is healing trauma through drama, and it aims to achieve that through theater.
“We want to help people who are on the outside of a situation and see themselves from the outsides looking in,” Drama Theropy President Kimberly Miller said during a myfox8 report. "I basically go by different situations that have risen around me or situations that people have spoken to me about.”
Miller has been preparing the debut of the two 15-minute skits for three months. She says this kind of therapy is hands-on, and it opens doors to have tough conversations you normally wouldn’t have.
She also said "Theropy" is spelled that way intentionally, to convey meaning.
“We’re breaking cycles … so that ‘o’ represents for us the cycle of life we find ourselves in sometimes,” Miller said.
Miller is hoping the skits will resonate with someone and help them come out of challenging situations.
“We want to get to individuals before there is a suicide,” she said. “We want to get to individuals before they pick up that gun. We want to create a safe place to create hope and encourage hope and inspiration.”
Program participants say the approach can work.
“I have to admit people go through storms in their lives,” Sharon Hill, one of the actresses, said. “My 9/11 happened on 9/11 of this year. My whole marriage blew up, and this part allowed me to be able to minister. Through the work, I was able to see myself helping others which also helped me get through this storm.”
Drama Theropy will debut from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 10 at Infusion Worship in Winston-Salem. Organizers have partnered with HOPE and will sponsor the first therapy session so there’s no lag time in case someone is triggered by an emotion and needs additional help. The event is a way to soften the stigma of therapy, so people know it’s OK to get help, Miller said.
Alerts Sign-up