ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the similarities between theatre and psychotherapy. It highlights structural and thematic parallels between theatre and therapy, including variables of psychotherapy, such as expectation, therapeutic alliance, and attention. The chapter also presents consensual commonalities shared by psychotherapy and theatre – that is, the emotional relationship, the healing setting, the conceptual scheme, the therapeutic ritual, catharsis, mimesis, acquisition of new behaviours, exploration of the inner world, suggestion, interpersonal learning and consciousness raising. Particular similarities between theatre and such schools of psychotherapy, such as existential therapies, exposure therapies, and drama therapy are discussed. The factors contributing to change are examined and a theory of healing factors in psychotherapy is presented. The chapter finally discusses cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) as of particular relevance in the study of drama and theatre, the theories of which are employed in the analytical part of the book.
