Students’ Perceptions of Crisis-Mode Tele-Drama Therapy Training with Older Adults

Abstract

Abstract: This study describes a crisis-mode field training response project for drama therapy (DT) students in Israel who delivered tele-DT sessions for community-dwelling older adults during the first lockdown. We analyzed interviews with nine students and three field training coordinators thematically to better understand their experiences. This yielded three main themes that point to three trajectories: changes in students’ perceptions of DT for older adults, changes in students’ perceptions of the use of tele-DT over the telephone for older adults, and the value of training during an emergency. Overall, this project may serve as a model for future projects in which therapeutic training frameworks are called upon to address a community’s ongoing needs in times of crisis.