Therapeutic theatre: an experience from a mental health clinic in Yaoundé-Cameroon

Abstract

Background: In Cameroon, the effects of using acting as therapy for personal and social development are rarely documented by empirical studies. Investigation for this research shows the absence of theatre activities in the hospital milieu destined to ensure a therapeutic follow-up of mental health patients.

Methods: Based on this realisation, this study focuses on theatre activities and their therapeutic potentials on these patients. It presents a case study on the utilisation of acting with six patients from a mental health clinic in Yaoundé, Cameroon. It seeks to elaborate the use of the theatre medium for rehabilitation, particularly on cases of mental health. A qualitative methodology is concretised by a therapeutic theatre workshop and a description of various theatre activities carried out as well as their effects on participants.

Results: Based on the analyses, the results indicate that personal and social change can be facilitated in some mental health patients through the medium of therapeutic theatre.

Conclusion: By engaging in this collective production, the participants attained deeper understanding of their psychological states and developed coping mechanisms and re-adaptation of skills vis-à-vis depression, anxiety and stress.

Keywords:

• Therapy
• personal change and well-being
• therapeutic theatre
• mental health