ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how principles drawn from actor training might offer a psychophysical approach to relational repair in the presence of trauma, particularly for the purpose of supporting survivors of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) diagnosis.
The chapter first introduces Michael Chekhov’s psychophysical work with gesture as a means of relating to self and others, and gives examples of its use in actor training and therapeutic contexts. Building on this, it then discusses the importance of being believed for survivors of trauma, and highlights the healing potential of practising believing as an embodied, gestural activity. Examples are drawn from the case study of ‘Inappropriate’ Anger, a participatory arts project created with and for survivors of the BPD label. The case study illustrates ways in which Peter Elbow’s proposal for methodological believing, Judith Herman’s principles for trauma treatment, and Jessica Benjamin’s recognition theory resonate with gesture work and improvisatory practice in actor training. The chapter discusses how these resonances can be translated into a creative embodied practice. It concludes that doing so offers valuable psychophysical tools to facilitate empowerment and restoration of relationships, two elements that Herman identifies as foundational in healing from trauma.
