The use of distancing in drama therapy

Drama therapy as a discipline is still very much in its formative stages of development. Being an interdisciplina~ form, it borrows its concepts and techniques freely from drama/theatre, sociology, psychology, psychotherapy and psychodrama. However, drama therapists have neither clearly specified nor sufficiently researched which concepts and techniques are most relevant to the development of a theoretical base and to the treatment of specific populations. This paper will examine one such concept, that of distancing, which has been explored in some detail in the fields of drama/theatre, sociology and psychology. All human interactions can be characterized by the degree of distance therein. Distancing is a means of separating oneself from the other, bringing oneself closer to the other, and generally maintaining a balance between the two states of separation and closeness. * The distance can be physical, as in maintaining a space of so many feet from another in a face-to-face conversation; or it can be emotional, as in choosing whether or not to empathize with another’s personal dilemma; or the distance can be intellectual, as in choosing to anaiyze rather than empathize with another’s problem. In actuality, distancing is a confluence of physical, emotional, and intellectual elements. Distancing, however, does not only refer to a person-to-person interaction. It is also an intrapsychic phenomenon, as individuals identify closely with certain roles they play and separate themselves from other roles. One might make a strong identification with one’s professional role, for example, but remove oneself from one’s family roles, i.e., son, husband, etc. This might express itself behaviorally in viewing the person as self-assertive, positive and energetic at work, yet passive, negative and sluggish at home. Furthermore, at the intrapsychic level, one can remove or create distance from one’s own feelings, thoughts and physical self-image. For example, an individual feeling a sense of alienation might perceive his image in a mirror as being somewhat disconnected from himself. The concept of distancing is particularly relevant to drama therapy since the drama therapist draws upon a wide range of psychodramatic and projective techniques that implies a variation of relationship between self and role, self and other. Some dramatic media, such as puppetry and mask, imply a projection of the self and, thus, a certain kind of intrapsychic and interpersonal distancing. Also, inasmuch as the drama therapist characteristically plays a more active and flexible role than a psychoanalyst, for one, and at times becomes a player in the client’s drama, he needs to become aware of the implications of his interactions with clients, of his closeness to and separation from them, of the issues of transference and counter-transference that arise given his active participation. Fu~he~ore, distancing is relevant to drama therapy in that the therapist bases much of his work in examining the dialectics of actor and observer, self and role, one role and another role; and it is in exploring the degree of separation and closeness within these relationships that the therapist realizes his therapeutic goals. These goals might include enhancing the client’s ability