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International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 2/2022

Open Access 01-04-2022 | Addiction | Original Article

“I’d Probably Be Dead Now”: Evaluating the Impact of Theatre Practitioners Working on a Recovery-Based Community Drama Project

Authors: Stephanie Kewley, Marie Claire Van Hout

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction | Issue 2/2022

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Abstract

Aside from the often-fatal consequences of substance abuse, people recovering from addiction suffer greater adverse childhood experiences, trauma in adulthood, and inequalities than non-addicts. As a result, psychological, emotional, and developmental barriers can prevent effective recovery, leaving people traumatised, vulnerable, and doubly stigmatised. The challenge, therefore, is for recovery practitioners to deliver responses that not only treat biological problems resulting from addiction but also address psychological, social, and cultural needs. One group of professionals providing holistic approaches to people in recovery are arts-based practitioners. This paper derives from a 3-year longitudinal study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, to examine the psychosocial impact of one community-based drama project called Staging Recovery. The study found the work of theatre practitioners not only provided recovery participants safe spaces to explore sensitive and difficult recovery themes but the use of theatre techniques and ethically driven practice exposed participants to high-quality, social, cultural, and human capital.
Footnotes
1
The term practitioner is used here as an umbrella term to refer to any professional working with people in recovery, such as clinicians, drug and alcohol practitioners, therapists, and voluntary/charity workers.
 
2
Not necessarily therapists.
 
3
Further approval was granted by Liverpool John Moores University Research Ethics Committee when author one moved institutions.
 
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Metadata
Title
“I’d Probably Be Dead Now”: Evaluating the Impact of Theatre Practitioners Working on a Recovery-Based Community Drama Project
Authors
Stephanie Kewley
Marie Claire Van Hout
Publication date
01-04-2022
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction / Issue 2/2022
Print ISSN: 1557-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1882
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-00437-3

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