Acting as therapy for personal and social development

For centuries gone, man has been constantly involved in acting/playing either knowingly or not. This somehow entertaining/pleasurable and spontaneous activity combines functions beyond its simplistic nature. In this light, entertainment, information, education and therapy are usually combined in a single activity in which partakers seek common outcomes. It however remains unclear how acting can be used as a therapeutic activity for personal and social development. This article addresses these perspectives through an exploratory approach of some practical considerations, to show that acting is, can, and should be used for personal and social development of persons in different contexts. It comes out of the study that acting is a form of language that facilitates expression or communication in the therapeutic space and gives the participants the possibility to understand their situations and interact better with the context. When participants involve in acting/playing, they are given the possibility to express themselves, develop their creative skills, interrelate, interact and use their imagination to dramatize situations.

Keywords: acting; therapy; personal and social development.