Social Skills, Emotional Growth and Drama Therapy: Inspiring Connection on the Autism Spectrum

Social Skills, Emotional Growth and Drama Therapy: Inspiring Connection on the Autism Spectrum

Social Skills, Emotional Growth and Drama Therapy explains and illustrates a clinically-proven approach to social and emotional development which is rooted in the concepts and practices of drama therapy. It presents an engaging and playful drama therapy program which encourages children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to interact and connect with others, leading to the development of important social, emotional, and expressive language skills. The author presents a series of vignettes which demonstrate how drama therapy techniques may be used with children with ASD, and the impact they may have on their ability to interact and connect with others. Providing useful background information on the causes and various treatments of ASD, with particular emphasis on the latest research into mirror neurons, he describes how to set up and run a thirty-session drama therapy program for children with ASD, using techniques such as guided play, drama games, sociometry, puppetry, role-play, video modelling, and improvisation. His explanations draw on examples from his own practice, demonstrating how the sessions might play out and the kind of results that might be expected. Useful information about the kinds of spaces, props and equipment needed is also provided. This inspirational book will be of interest to drama and creative arts therapists, as well as teachers, school psychologists, counsellors and other professionals who work with children with autism spectrum disorders. Lee Chasen brilliantly connects current brain research with the challenges of autism to demonstrate why drama therapy works neurologically and practically as a powerful, motivating therapy for children and youth on the autism spectrum...Pragmatic and playful, Social Skills, Emotional Growth and Drama Therapy is a valuable resource able to be replicated successfully by other clinicians. I know that I will use it! Author: Sally Bailey, Past President of the National Association for Drama Therapy and Director of the Drama Therapy Program at Kansas State University Describes an innovative model of drama therapy rooted in neuroscience, and designed specifically to develop social, emotional and expressive language skills in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) Lee R. Chasen, PhD, RDT, LCAT, is the Founding Director of Kid Esteem Inc., a non-profit organisation dedicated to the social and emotional vitality and empowerment of children, families, schools, and communities. His groundbreaking work at Kid Esteem Inc. has been featured in Newsday, The New York Times, News 12 television and syndicated radio stations across the USA. A drama therapist in private practice, Lee is based in Long Island, New York. Lee R. Chasen, PhD, RDT, LCAT, is the Founding Director of Kid Esteem Inc., a non-profit organisation dedicated to the social and emotional vitality and empowerment of children, families, schools, and communities. His groundbreaking work at Kid Esteem Inc. has been featured in Newsday, The New York Times, News 12 television and syndicated radio stations across the USA. A drama therapist in private practice, Lee is based in Long Island, New York. Robert J. Landy, Ph.D., is a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT), a Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) and Board Certified Trainer (BCT). A pioneer in the profession of Drama Therapy, he lectures and trains professionals internationally. He Professor of Educational Theatre and Applied Psychology and Director of the Drama Therapy Program at New York University.