‘Just what is there now, that is what there is’—the effects of theater improvisation training on clinical social workers’ perceptions and interventions

ABSTRACT

Flexibility, Therapeutic Presence (TP), and collaborative tendency are core capacities in clinical social work as well as in theater improvisation. This mixed-methods pilot study studied the effects of theater improvisation training on 35 graduate-level social work students, who participated in an experiential, semester-long ‘theater improvisation skills for clinicians’ course, compared to a control group of a similar cohort. These variables were measured before, after, and at a three-month follow-up to the course. Additionally, Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 course graduates. Quantitative results showed a significant increase in flexibility and TP immediately following the course compared to the controls, which was not maintained at the three-month follow-up. The qualitative findings indicated an increase in flexibility, open-mindedness, TP, and self-awareness following the training. Triangulation of both sets of data suggests that improvisation training contributed to changes in participants’ general attitudes and perceptions regarding their clinical work. However, longer training is needed in order for these skills to effectively impact their clinical work. The findings suggest that improvisation skills can help clinical social workers increase their flexibility and TP, as well as other important alliance abilities. Implications for teaching and research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Improvisation
• therapeutic presence
• training
• therapeutic alliance
• relationship skills

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Assael Romanelli

Assael Romanelli, PhD, is a clinical social worker, licensed Couple & Family Therapist, international trainer and performer. He is the director of The Potential State Institute For Enriching Relationships and is the artistic director of the Or Chozer Playback Theater Ensemble in Jerusalem. He specializes in training helping professionals around the world improve their vitality and effectiveness using the synergistic combination of the worlds of therapy, art and education.

Orya Tishby

Professor Orya Tishby is a senior clinical psychologist and clinical supervisor. She is the head of the clinical psychology graduate program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a faculty member in the clinical track at the School of Social Work. Orya is the director of the Freud Center for Research in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. Her research focuses on process and outcome in psychodynamic psychotherapy, especially the therapeutic relationship.