Transforming Paper into a Therapeutic Drama Stage: A Case Study of a Chinese Primary Student on the Use of Drawing in a Drama Counseling Model

Abstract

This article presents a case study of how drawing paper can be integrated into a therapeutic drama stage. It will propose drawing in drama counseling as a new model of integral drama-based pedagogy. The article illustrates the connection of drawing, drama, and counseling. The model was developed by the author using the methods of integral drama-based pedagogy to counsel a Chinese primary school student who was angry about rejection and exclusion by his classmates. The study demonstrates how the student could use drawing paper to become his drama stage and how a student acted out a drama by drawing on that paper stage. The case study describes a method that could lead to a new therapeutic model in individual mental health counseling allowing for emotional catharsis, expression, and release. The article especially discusses the drawing in drama counseling model from Wu-wei of the Chinese culture.

Keywords

• drawing in drama counseling
• integral drama-based pedagogy
• embodied emotion
• emotional catharsis
• drawing
• chinese culture
• wu-wei