[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
and here how many people have a passion
for something that they’re pretty sure
would never turn into a professional
career
yeah with a show of hands and let me ask
you another question how many people
have heard of drama therapy okay not so
many and that’s what I thought
my name is Fatma had fun and that’s
where my story begins with a huge
unconventional question and even more
unconventional answers it’s a story
about following my passion ten years ago
I graduated with honors from the
American University of Kuwait’s a double
major in anthropology in English
literature a minor in the visual
performance arts the support of my
family and friends and absolutely no
idea of what I was going to do next not
entirely true I mean I had some kind of
idea and as cliched as it sounds I
wanted a job with purpose so I embarked
on adventures they took me from Kuwait
to Mississippi to Delaware and back from
training to training from job to job it
seemed like one day I was working at a
newspaper and then a museum and then a
marketing firm talking about headlines
and then the next day I’d find myself
standing in a dimly lit art gallery
telling the tale of an intricate emerald
ring from the Mughal Empire and that was
me for four four or five years
ping-ponging around packing and
unpacking my suitcases my friends
claimed they couldn’t keep up with my
phone numbers thankfully though and at
some points while I was volunteering at
a shelter for abused children Costa Rica
I had my moments of clarity I want to
help people
so maybe I should be a counselor or
social worker or a teacher but the
problem then becomes how do I make that
fit with my passion for theatre
you see I discovered theater at a young
age by high school I knew I had a knack
for it however even after my graduation
from a UK theatre was never more than a
hobby for me that all changed in 2012
I watched the documentary by a woman by
a woman named Zeenat Akash zina leads
theatre workshops with prisoners in
Lebanon and in the process of putting
together these plays the men get to
reflect on their own stories they seek
forgiveness
they tell tales about the abuse they
experienced as children and the result
is a moving production in the process
when people came and watch this play it
started a dialogue between estranged
family members it even brought about the
implementation of new laws in Lebanon
when people see Xena’s work they’re
moved because these grown men are
showing a whole new level of emotion for
me I wasn’t surprised I mean I already
knew the power of theater what shook me
to the core
is something entirely different
here is a career path for me one that
I’ve never heard of before
Zana was doing it Zana was helping
people she was helping through theatre
and that combination the marriage of
theatre and psychology actually has a
name drama therapy that’s where my story
with drama therapy began that night I
couldn’t stop reading everything about
drama therapy because at this point I
wanted to do what Xena was doing and I
discovered that it’s actually a field
well established with people practicing
all over the world they call them Dharma
therapists and that this is
is a combination of art and science it’s
based on qualitative and quantitative
research and honestly I don’t remember
much else because the rest of the week
was a blur
I contacted every single University that
offers training and drama therapy that
was in 2012
since then I’ve completed my masters in
drama therapy I’ve also led groups in
five countries two dates amassing
thousands of clinical hours in locations
like eating disorder treatment
facilities hospitals schools
universities I even met Zenith Akash
which is pretty awesome through all of
this though there’s been one reoccurring
theme people still don’t know what I do
for a living I mean three international
governing bodies in Hong Kong North
America the UK a world Federation in
drama therapy graduate programs at
prestigious universities and now TED
Talks like this one and the most
frequently asked question
still is so is that therapy for actors
no it’s not
drama therapies for everyone it’s
basically a creative process using I
don’t know theater games storytelling
mime puppetry whatever means to get to
the end so people instead of just
talking about their problems when they
come see us they literally step into the
room embody the problem and bring it to
life and it looks very very different
for different people for some people I
work with they create a fictional
character that represents them at a
certain point in their life for others
they walk into my room and they have a
much needed conversation with a family
member who’s not even there want more
stories about drama therapy what it
looks like okay so for someone born
quadriplegic or has Down syndrome or
suffering from traumatic brain injury
drama therapy might be the very first
time they get
to shine on stage it’s a humbling
experience for us people watching this
is barrier-free theater founded by Sally
Bailey in Manhattan Kansas basically
therapy through performance and the
focus here with barrier-free theater is
on ability on growing people’s strengths
and forming connections it’s an
unforgettable experience this is my
group on opening night there’s a lot of
pride and joy in the room that night but
drama therapy looks very different in
prisons i facilitated and participated
in drama therapy groups in juvenile
detention and adult prisons both here in
kuwait and in the United States and it’s
a very limiting setting we can’t take
props
we can’t take costumes due to security
reasons even musical instruments may not
be allowed in I wish I could show you
guys photographs but that group of
people lost the right to even consent to
having their picture taken so can you
imagine how freeing performance can be
for somebody who’s lost all their
freedoms and that’s what drama therapy
does offers choice what character do you
want to play today how loud or how quiet
do you want to be you get to choose
which memories you want to explore so
like I said despite the limitations in
prison drama therapy actually creates a
prisons not the only place where we
struggle to find acceptance our schools
kids these days are experiencing
unprecedented levels of verbal and
physical aggression so we’ve used drama
therapy to go into the schools and work
with kids of all ages to address
bullying and they’re being picked on for
their height their weight their race
glasses braces I mean you name it after
a drama therapy session however
the kids report feeling different
energized excited and what I notice is
that for once they’re actually connected
to appear that they’ve alienated this
entire time they’re emotionally
connected because I’m the first adult
who walks into their life and instead of
just talking at them or telling them
what they’re doing is wrong I’ve engaged
them in finding a solution and people
astound me every time they find
solutions creatively this here is a mask
that was created in a drama therapy
group for international students
studying in the United States we were
looking at issues like homesickness
through masks work in psychobabble we
call this concretizing parts of self and
in English basically we used masks to
explore different parts of our
personality the result is profound
because this group got to share intimate
details with each other form friendships
and yes there were many tears but also
laughter there were many hugs and firm
believers in the power of drama therapy
these women still reach out to me today
they’re reflecting on their experience
and they want to know when are we doing
this again and so you got a glimpse into
my world this is kind of what drama
therapy looks like you’ve seen pictures
and heard stories and I think it’s time
you guys tried it
you guys ready you do not look ready all
right it only works if we all do it okay
so I’m gonna lead a mirroring exercise
and you’re all going to be my giant
mirror so if I move my right hand up
you’re going to move your left hand yeah
okay so everybody is moving their left
hand up super slow same speed as me all
the way up all the way up good oh my
gosh this is amazing and then we’re
gonna bring it a bit lower and we’re
gonna wave
this is so cool 150 people waving back
at me
keep waving okay
and now high-five someone next to you
nice love the little laughter a little
nervous giggles I think you guys didn’t
know what to expect but an exercise like
that as simple as a mirroring exercise
allows us a chance to connect to each
other
I basically entered the clients world
when I mirror them I use that exercise
to dissolve barriers or to get family
members to actually see each other for
the first time as you can see I have
immense energy for this profession
I can’t wait to keep growing and expand
my skill sets currently I work with
clients of all ages and like I said we
use this creative therapeutic process so
sometimes we’re writing drawing drumming
in some sessions it really doesn’t
matter
as long as my clients are actively
engaged in their process of healing and
it keeps me engaged as well and
reflecting back I’m so glad I took all
those detours to get here because had it
not been for that job at a museum for
that documentary that came my way
I wouldn’t know drama therapy that’s
basically my journey of finding my
passion and following a dream and along
the way I discovered a profession the
honors humanity through theater I hope
it inspires you to go out and chase what
you’re passionate about find that thing
that makes you light up and go after it
with all your might
good luck [Applause]
[Applause]
[Music]
and here how many people have a passion
for something that they’re pretty sure
would never turn into a professional
career
yeah with a show of hands and let me ask
you another question how many people
have heard of drama therapy okay not so
many and that’s what I thought
my name is Fatma had fun and that’s
where my story begins with a huge
unconventional question and even more
unconventional answers it’s a story
about following my passion ten years ago
I graduated with honors from the
American University of Kuwait’s a double
major in anthropology in English
literature a minor in the visual
performance arts the support of my
family and friends and absolutely no
idea of what I was going to do next not
entirely true I mean I had some kind of
idea and as cliched as it sounds I
wanted a job with purpose so I embarked
on adventures they took me from Kuwait
to Mississippi to Delaware and back from
training to training from job to job it
seemed like one day I was working at a
newspaper and then a museum and then a
marketing firm talking about headlines
and then the next day I’d find myself
standing in a dimly lit art gallery
telling the tale of an intricate emerald
ring from the Mughal Empire and that was
me for four four or five years
ping-ponging around packing and
unpacking my suitcases my friends
claimed they couldn’t keep up with my
phone numbers thankfully though and at
some points while I was volunteering at
a shelter for abused children Costa Rica
I had my moments of clarity I want to
help people
so maybe I should be a counselor or
social worker or a teacher but the
problem then becomes how do I make that
fit with my passion for theatre
you see I discovered theater at a young
age by high school I knew I had a knack
for it however even after my graduation
from a UK theatre was never more than a
hobby for me that all changed in 2012
I watched the documentary by a woman by
a woman named Zeenat Akash zina leads
theatre workshops with prisoners in
Lebanon and in the process of putting
together these plays the men get to
reflect on their own stories they seek
forgiveness
they tell tales about the abuse they
experienced as children and the result
is a moving production in the process
when people came and watch this play it
started a dialogue between estranged
family members it even brought about the
implementation of new laws in Lebanon
when people see Xena’s work they’re
moved because these grown men are
showing a whole new level of emotion for
me I wasn’t surprised I mean I already
knew the power of theater what shook me
to the core
is something entirely different
here is a career path for me one that
I’ve never heard of before
Zana was doing it Zana was helping
people she was helping through theatre
and that combination the marriage of
theatre and psychology actually has a
name drama therapy that’s where my story
with drama therapy began that night I
couldn’t stop reading everything about
drama therapy because at this point I
wanted to do what Xena was doing and I
discovered that it’s actually a field
well established with people practicing
all over the world they call them Dharma
therapists and that this is
is a combination of art and science it’s
based on qualitative and quantitative
research and honestly I don’t remember
much else because the rest of the week
was a blur
I contacted every single University that
offers training and drama therapy that
was in 2012
since then I’ve completed my masters in
drama therapy I’ve also led groups in
five countries two dates amassing
thousands of clinical hours in locations
like eating disorder treatment
facilities hospitals schools
universities I even met Zenith Akash
which is pretty awesome through all of
this though there’s been one reoccurring
theme people still don’t know what I do
for a living I mean three international
governing bodies in Hong Kong North
America the UK a world Federation in
drama therapy graduate programs at
prestigious universities and now TED
Talks like this one and the most
frequently asked question
still is so is that therapy for actors
no it’s not
drama therapies for everyone it’s
basically a creative process using I
don’t know theater games storytelling
mime puppetry whatever means to get to
the end so people instead of just
talking about their problems when they
come see us they literally step into the
room embody the problem and bring it to
life and it looks very very different
for different people for some people I
work with they create a fictional
character that represents them at a
certain point in their life for others
they walk into my room and they have a
much needed conversation with a family
member who’s not even there want more
stories about drama therapy what it
looks like okay so for someone born
quadriplegic or has Down syndrome or
suffering from traumatic brain injury
drama therapy might be the very first
time they get
to shine on stage it’s a humbling
experience for us people watching this
is barrier-free theater founded by Sally
Bailey in Manhattan Kansas basically
therapy through performance and the
focus here with barrier-free theater is
on ability on growing people’s strengths
and forming connections it’s an
unforgettable experience this is my
group on opening night there’s a lot of
pride and joy in the room that night but
drama therapy looks very different in
prisons i facilitated and participated
in drama therapy groups in juvenile
detention and adult prisons both here in
kuwait and in the United States and it’s
a very limiting setting we can’t take
props
we can’t take costumes due to security
reasons even musical instruments may not
be allowed in I wish I could show you
guys photographs but that group of
people lost the right to even consent to
having their picture taken so can you
imagine how freeing performance can be
for somebody who’s lost all their
freedoms and that’s what drama therapy
does offers choice what character do you
want to play today how loud or how quiet
do you want to be you get to choose
which memories you want to explore so
like I said despite the limitations in
prison drama therapy actually creates a
prisons not the only place where we
struggle to find acceptance our schools
kids these days are experiencing
unprecedented levels of verbal and
physical aggression so we’ve used drama
therapy to go into the schools and work
with kids of all ages to address
bullying and they’re being picked on for
their height their weight their race
glasses braces I mean you name it after
a drama therapy session however
the kids report feeling different
energized excited and what I notice is
that for once they’re actually connected
to appear that they’ve alienated this
entire time they’re emotionally
connected because I’m the first adult
who walks into their life and instead of
just talking at them or telling them
what they’re doing is wrong I’ve engaged
them in finding a solution and people
astound me every time they find
solutions creatively this here is a mask
that was created in a drama therapy
group for international students
studying in the United States we were
looking at issues like homesickness
through masks work in psychobabble we
call this concretizing parts of self and
in English basically we used masks to
explore different parts of our
personality the result is profound
because this group got to share intimate
details with each other form friendships
and yes there were many tears but also
laughter there were many hugs and firm
believers in the power of drama therapy
these women still reach out to me today
they’re reflecting on their experience
and they want to know when are we doing
this again and so you got a glimpse into
my world this is kind of what drama
therapy looks like you’ve seen pictures
and heard stories and I think it’s time
you guys tried it
you guys ready you do not look ready all
right it only works if we all do it okay
so I’m gonna lead a mirroring exercise
and you’re all going to be my giant
mirror so if I move my right hand up
you’re going to move your left hand yeah
okay so everybody is moving their left
hand up super slow same speed as me all
the way up all the way up good oh my
gosh this is amazing and then we’re
gonna bring it a bit lower and we’re
gonna wave
this is so cool 150 people waving back
at me
keep waving okay
and now high-five someone next to you
nice love the little laughter a little
nervous giggles I think you guys didn’t
know what to expect but an exercise like
that as simple as a mirroring exercise
allows us a chance to connect to each
other
I basically entered the clients world
when I mirror them I use that exercise
to dissolve barriers or to get family
members to actually see each other for
the first time as you can see I have
immense energy for this profession
I can’t wait to keep growing and expand
my skill sets currently I work with
clients of all ages and like I said we
use this creative therapeutic process so
sometimes we’re writing drawing drumming
in some sessions it really doesn’t
matter
as long as my clients are actively
engaged in their process of healing and
it keeps me engaged as well and
reflecting back I’m so glad I took all
those detours to get here because had it
not been for that job at a museum for
that documentary that came my way
I wouldn’t know drama therapy that’s
basically my journey of finding my
passion and following a dream and along
the way I discovered a profession the
honors humanity through theater I hope
it inspires you to go out and chase what
you’re passionate about find that thing
that makes you light up and go after it
with all your might
good luck [Applause]
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