Imagine Health Conference Poster

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Introduction

What is “Imagine Health?”

Imagine Health is a psychotherapeutic group process, which utilizes a transpersonal drama therapy approach to help people with chronic illness use their disease as a catalyst for positive transformation.

Why is transpersonal drama therapy (TDT) an effective intervention for dealing with chronic illness?

The research in psychoneuroimmunology (i.e., the study of the interactions between the brain, nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system) provides volumes of scientific evidence illustrating the mind-body connection and the processes by which one’s thoughts and emotions translate into physiological changes in the body (e.g., the stress response, the placebo effect, neuropeptides) (Daruna, 2004; Pert, 1997; Sapolsky, 2004; Shapiro & Shapiro, 1997).

Often the memories, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions which are causal contributors to physical illness or saboteurs to healing are buried within one’s subconscious—the right-brain world of symbolism, images, emotions, and patterns.

TDT appears to be particularly helpful in uncovering and transforming these repressed and hidden secrets to healing, which are often inaccessible to the conscious, analytical left brain (Lewis, 1993).

TDT also offers a holistic, embodied approach for ultimate healing—one that focuses not only on the body and mind but the spirit as well. The focus on spiritual/existential issues can be a key factor in dealing with serious illness (Borysenko, 1993; Yalom& Leszcz, 2005). Through embodiment—physically pretending to be something—one can:

  • dramatically explore and role-play one’s illness to gain insight about the root cause(s)
  • physically act as if one is already healthy to get the body-mind focused on one’s desired result
  • safely explore and express one’s emotions
  • play one’s higher self for wisdom, guidance, and perspective on the meaning and purpose of one’s illness and one’s life.

What is transpersonal drama therapy?

Transpersonal drama therapy is a psychospiritual approach combining the methods and theories of drama therapy and the philosophies of transpersonal psychology.

What is drama therapy?

The “systematic and intentional use of drama/theatre processes and products to achieve the therapeutic goals of symptom relief, emotional and physical integration, and personal growth.” (www.nadt.org)

What is transpersonal psychology?

Transpersonal psychology blends traditional psychology’s exploration of the ego self and the unconscious with a spiritual perspective in which one’s true identity is thought to be spiritual .

Purpose and Hypothesis

By attending to and resolving mental, emotional, and spiritual issues and patterns via TDT, not only will one’s quality of life improve, but physical healing may result as well.

TDT is an effective way in which to unearth and transform these types of issues. Through physical embodiment and enactment, important psychic material integral to the healing process is revealed. In addition, self-expression and the act of creating through the arts can be very healing in their own right and help to present one’s life and healing journey as sacred.

Materials and Methods

Imagine Health, designed by Kristi Davis, was a seven-week course which met for two-and-a-half hours once a week and utilized a group transpersonal drama therapy approach for people dealing with chronic illness. The course was divided into three sections:

  1. The Reveal Phase: (weeks 1, 2, 3) tuning into one’s body to reveal the healing messages its symptoms were trying to express.
  2. The Release Phase: (weeks 4, 5) uncovering and releasing anger as well as grieving losses associated with one’s disease.
  3. The Recreate Phase: (weeks 6,7) clarifying health desires and creating positive intentions and hope for a healthy future.

Weekly Class Format:

  1. Simple, fun sound and movement warm-up
  2. Check-in: time for each member to freely talk about their feelings/challenges/successes
  3. Mini psychoeducationalsegment (e.g., teachings about the mind-body connection, the stress response, the placebo effect, the physiological consequences of repressing grief and anger, the healing power of laughter)
  4. One or two creative warm-up exercises (e.g., guided imagery visualizations, relaxation exercises, drawing/artwork, simple drama exercises) which served as precursors to the deeper dramatic work to follow.
  5. More intense, personal dramatic exercises including role-playing and interviewing one’s disease, dramatic anger and grief release work, psychodramas, role-play and conversations between one’s sick and healthy selves, and individual transformational theater pieces created by participants.

Clients also met drama therapist candidate Kristi Davis for weekly one-on-one follow-up sessions and were given an Imagine Health Workbook, which provided a daily teaching and creative assignment to keep them inspired and engaged when away from the group.

Results

While representing only a small sample of people (n=5), based on client feedback on self-questionnaires, Imagine Health appeared to be helpful to participants in several ways. Clients reported benefits including:

  • Decreased emotional and physical pain
  • Increased hope
  • Love and support
  • Confidence in the ability to heal
  • Better perspective of their situation
  • Helpful insights
  • Increased attunement with the body’s messages
  • Increased sense of control over their health and their life
  • Less stress
  • Less fear of their disease

Conclusions

The positive results of the Imagine Health pilot course appear to offer preliminary support for a transpersonal drama therapy approach for dealing with chronic illness. While this relatively new field of drama therapy would benefit from more quantitative, empirical studies, compelling evidence from psychoneuroimmunology in conjunction with the findings from Imagine Health and similar programs (see below) supports the idea that Western medicine can benefit from adopting a psychospiritual intervention like Imagine Health as an adjunct to medical treatment.

TDT, in particular, is recommended for the following reasons:

  • TDT can be used to bring forth unconscious mental, emotional, and spiritual issues that may be causing health problems or preventing one from healing effectively.
  • Drama exercises not only help one to discover and release detrimental hidden feelings, memories, and beliefs but also to embody and “become” the healthy self one aspires to be.
  • Drama therapists believe that since mental, emotional, and spiritual issues originate in the imaginal realm (i.e., in one’s mind or world of images), one must work in the imaginal realm to uncover and transform these issues (Lewis, 1993; Pendzik, 2006).
  • Some argue that in order to heal the body, one must work with the body (Lewis, 1993; Levine, 1997).
  • Embodiment fosters necessary communication between mind and body (Gorman, 2003).

Research has demonstrated the toll that chronic stress can take on the body, the physiological consequences of repressing negative emotions, the benefits of self-disclosure and emotional expression, the healing powers of hope, and the positive results of changing one’s beliefs/state of consciousness (e.g., the placebo effect).

While emotional and spiritual issues may not be the primary cause of one’s disease, a diagnosis of chronic illness often evokes emotional and/or spiritual crises which may make life miserable, exacerbate disease symptoms, and inhibit healthy lifestyle choices. In addition, a serious medical illness can elicit concerns about death, the meaning of life, and one’s purpose here on earth. By addressing the mental, emotional, and spiritual components of chronic illness through TDT, one’s quality of life is likely to improve, if not also one’s physical health.

Programs corroborating the efficacy of a TDT approach like Imagine Health:

  • Tanner’s (1998) study based on her drama therapy support group for cancer survivors reported participants’ improvement in assertiveness and internal locus of control as well as increased coping skills, decreased stress, social support and friendship, insights into emotional problems, realizations that things aren’t as bad as they seem, increased confidence, increased ability to take risks and express feelings, and increased sense of hope.
  • Drama therapy and/or psychodrama have been employed for dealing with physical issues including chronic pain, non-ulcer dyspepsia, gastrointestinal disorders, psychosomatic disease, asthma, AIDS, and cancer.
  • Group psychotherapy and support groups for the medically ill have been used quite successfully in the past (Backman, 1989; Yalom& Leszcz, 2005).

Literature Cited

  • Backman, M.E. (1989). The psychology of the physically ill patient. New York: Plenum Press.
  • Borysenko, J. (1993). Fire in the soul: A new psychology of spiritual optimism. New York: Warner Books, Inc.
  • Daruna, J. H. (2004). Introduction to psychoneuroimmunology. Burlington, MA: Elsevier Academic Press.
  • Gorman, G. (2003). Embodiment of health: Using drama therapy to heal from cancer. Unpublished master’s thesis, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Retrieved November 27, 2007, from ProquestDissertation & Theses database.
  • Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
  • Lewis, P. (1993). Creative transformation: The healing power of the arts. Wilmette, IL: Chiron Publications.
  • Pendzik, S. (2006). On dramatic reality and its therapeutic function in drama therapy. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 33, 271-280.
  • Pert, C. B. (1997). Molecules of emotion: Why you feel the way you feel. New York: Scribner.
  • Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don’t get ulcers: The acclaimed guide to stress, stress-related diseases, and coping (3rded.). New York: Warner Books.
  • Shapiro, A. K., & Shapiro, E. (1997). The placebo: Is it much ado about nothing? In A. Harrington (Ed.), The placebo effect: An Iinterdisciplinary exploration (pp. 12-36). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  • Tanner, C. (1998). A drama therapy approach to reclaiming life after loss associated with cancer. Unpublished proposal and raw data, New York University, New York, New York.
  • Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.

Acknowledgment

Imagine Health was modeled and named after Wendyne Limber’s Imagination course series. Sincere thanks to her for creating this model as well as for providing her center, Solutions Center for Personal Growth, for the pilot test of Imagine Health.