Published: Send to a friend Renee Emunah, Ph.D. To Give Keynote Lecture at National Association for Drama Therapy Conference November 6-9 In Conjunction, California Institute of Integral Studies Drama Therapy Program Celebrates 25th Anniversary SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This November, the Drama Therapy program at California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) celebrates its 25th anniversary in conjunction with the 2008 National Association for Drama Therapy (NADT) conference inSan Francisco. Co-sponsored by CIIS, the conference features a keynote lecture by Renee Emunah, Ph.D., a leading international pioneer in the field of drama therapy, author of the classic book on drama therapy, Acting for Real, and program chair of the Drama Therapy program at CIIS. Fully [A] Live, the 29th annual National Association for Drama Therapy Conference, will take place from Thursday, November 6 through Sunday, November 9, 2008, at Crowne Plaza SFO at theSan Francisco International Airport. The price for the three-day main conference is $355 for NADT members; $385 for non-members; $270 for students who are NADT members; $300 for non-member students. Single day and other special rates are available; please visit the NADT Web site at http://www.nadt.org for more details or to register for the conference. Drama therapy, which is one of the creative arts therapies, involves the intentional use of drama/theater processes for therapeutic change and psychological integration. Practitioners work with groups, individuals, and families -- not only in institutional settings, but also in private practice, schools, and prisons. For 25 years,San Francisco has been the home of one of only two approved graduate programs in drama therapy inthe United States. Originally founded at Antioch University in 1983, the program has been housed at CIIS since 1989. "When the program began 25 years ago, drama therapy was in regular use at only one Bay Area psychiatric institution," says Emunah. "Now drama therapy has become a mainstay at numerous mental health facilities -- helping clients by re-awakening creativity, fostering interaction, enabling safe emotional expression, providing an embodied means of working through trauma, and engendering hope." Drama therapy techniques -- once used primarily in clinical treatment -- are now increasingly geared toward social change as well. One project of the CIIS Drama Therapy program, called "Theatre for Change," involves a multi-ethnic troupe of drama therapy students who create original performances aimed at raising consciousness about diversity at CIIS and other institutions of higher learning, highlighting the intricacies of cultural sensitivity and the dynamics of racism, oppression, and privilege. The troupe's current piece, Acts of Resilience, will be performed at the conference, and again at CIIS on November 17. Over the past two decades, alumni have forged work as drama therapists with a wide range of populations and age groups, including emotionally disturbed children and adults, elderly people (including those suffering from Alzheimer's disease), battered women, people recovering from substance abuse, and adolescents (converting acting out to acting!). Students come to the program from around the world with a background in theatre and psychology, and a passion for integrating the two. Event Details: Fully [A] Live, the 29th Annual National Association for Drama Therapy Conference November 6-9, 2008 Crowne Plaza Hotel SFO San Francisco International Airport 1177 Airport Blvd., Burlingame, CA $355 for three-day conference (NADT members); $385 (non-members) $270 for students & seniors (NADT members; $300 (non-members) For more information: 415.575.6130 or http://www.nadt.org California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) is an institution of higher education offering interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and applied studies in psychology, counseling, philosophy, religion, cultural anthropology, transformative studies and leadership, integrative health, women's spirituality, community mental health, and the arts. The Institute offers master's and doctoral degrees, as well as a Bachelor of Arts completion degree and advanced certificates. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and its Psy.D. program is accredited by the American Psychological Association. For more information, visit http://www.ciis.edu. CONTACT: James David Martin of the California Institute of Integral Studies, +1-415-575-6165, jmartin@ciis.edu SOURCE California Institute of Integral Studies Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News Tags: ,ART,HEA,POL,TDS,NADT-CA-conference    _   _             Is your favorite bookmark site missing? Ask for it.