Believing in make-believe: looking at theater as a metaphor for psychotherapy.
In this essay, I explore the theatrical dimensions of psychotherapy. I argue that many of the historical, practice-related, and conceptual connections between theater and therapy often are only alluded to in the literature, but rarely made explicit. In doing so, however, it seems apparent that, as a metaphor for psychotherapy, theater perhaps offers a more appropriate fit than those narrative and conversational metaphors that have been employed so far. Proposing that theater is, in fact, the metaphor on which psychotherapy bases itself, I briefly examine some of its implications for how therapy might be conceptualized and performed. I conclude by inviting other therapists to consider--by openly acknowledging theater as a metaphor for psychotherapy--if they might then become more engaging, creative, and imaginative in their work.
MacCormack
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Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada.
D000184:Acting Out; D004324:Drama; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011577:Psychodrama; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013561:Symbolism