ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the contributions of drama therapy to the treatment of psychological trauma through the construct of the imagined body. The author identifies ways that imagination, memory, and embodiment are compromised by trauma. He then utilizes interdisciplinary theory and research, including the framework of memory reconsolidation, to support the effectiveness of drama therapy as a transformational approach uniquely suited to clinical work with traumatized people. The chapter proposes that the synthesis of imagination and embodiment is a key mechanism of change. Clinical vignettes are provided to illustrate the use of the imagined past body in the treatment of single-event interpersonal and mass trauma, and use of the imagined future body in the treatment of complex trauma.
