Why Study Drama Therapy?

    Using role-play, theatre games, mime, puppetry, improvisation, mask work, psychodrama and developmental psychology, drama therapists work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, mental centers, prisons, and businesses.

    Explore the intersection of Theatre Arts and Psychology in the Drama Therapy Minor, where you’ll learn about the basic concepts and practices in the field. The minor will prepare you for both clinical and educational settings, through theoretical and applied course work. Whether you want to follow your calling in social work, mental health counseling, or apply for grad school in Drama Therapy, you’ll be ready.

    Why Study Drama Therapy at MMC?

    In the Drama Therapy minor, you’ll get to intern in the theatre capital of North America, study in a nationally competitive Theatre program, and work directly with Psychology and Theatre professors who are all working professionals in their field.

    What You Will Learn

    As a Drama Therapy Minor, you’ll learn to:

    • Demonstrate knowledge of the basic theories and practices of Ddrama Ttherapy.
    • Articulate perspectives on the healing properties of theater and drama.
    • Combine your psychological and clinical knowledge with innovative techniques in drama therapy to best address the unique needs of various vulnerable populations, from those with disabilities to the elderly.

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    • The Drama Therapy Minor has not only opened a door to my future career, but it also helped me find myself. In a world where our emotions are hardly worn on our sleeves, the Drama Therapy minor teaches its students how to access their values, deepest fears, and dreams for the benefit of their future clients.

      Kiara Méndez Rodríguez ’21

      Class of 2021, Major in Acting

    • Professor Connell worked closely with me on the revision of the Drama Therapy minor, at MMC. I feel confident in its capacity to prepare students to apply for graduate programs in Drama Therapy and to provide students with the opportunity to explore how Theater and Psychology intersect, as a means of dimensionalizing their acting training. Teaching the College’s Drama Therapy: Theories and Practice class for two years was truly a pleasure and I saw students grow personally and professionally in the course.

      Laura Wood ’05, Ph.D., RDT/BCT, LCA

      Class of 2005, Major in Theatre Arts with concentrations in Theatre Performance and Musical Theatre
      Immediate Past President North America Drama Therapy Association

    • In 2004, I registered for the first Drama Therapy course offered at the College. The course was part of my Psychology minor and fulfilled a Theatre elective for my major. I was blown away by the use of Theatre forms to encourage healing, growth, and self-expression. Inspired by the class, I pursued graduate study in Drama Therapy at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education. It was, undoubtedly, one of the best decisions I made in my life. Today, in my role as Drama Therapist, I have the honor of guiding marginalized young people with clinical artistry and love.

      Adam Stevens ’04

      Class of 2004, Major in Theatre Arts with concentrations in Theatre Performance and Directing
      Diversity Chair, North America Drama Therapy Association 

      Meet Adam
    • The Drama Therapy minor at MMC truly solidified my love for the field. I was able to take courses that prepared me for graduate school, and combined Psychology and Theatre in a creative and balanced manner!

      Emily Gasparek ’21

      Class of 2021, Double major in Psychology and Theatre Arts with a concentration in Theatre Performance

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    Careers and Outcomes

    Alumni of MMC’s Drama Therapy minor have gone on to pursue master’s degrees at prestigious universities including Concordia University, Lesley University, and New York University, and have built rewarding careers across the country in leading health care and social programs.

    Careers and Training

    • Clara Maass Medical Center (Belleville, NJ)
    • Creative Kinections Institute (Westfield, NJ)
    • Drama Therapy Center (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN)
    • Family Connections (Brooklyn, NY)
    • The Healing Center (Brooklyn, NY)
    • Interfaith Medical Center (Brooklyn, NY)
    • Mercy Home (Brooklyn, NY)
    • Mt. Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital: Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department (New York, NY)
    • The Post Traumatic Stress Center (New Haven, CT)
    • Self-help Community Services (Brooklyn, NY)
    • Sesame Street Workshop (New York, NY) Kings County Hospital Center (Brooklyn, NY)
    • VIBS Family Violence & Rape Crisis Center (Suffolk County, NY)

    Laura Wood ’05

    Professor Laura Wood ’05 with the students in her THTR 322 Drama Therapy: Theories and Practice course (May 2018)

    Meet Our Faculty

    Start your journey today.

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