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It was a real pleasure to be invited by Emma Palestanga as a guest to open the second series of the podcast: “Creative minds. Shaping the future”.
We explored how the arts can support the mental health of children and young people. I’m grateful for the conversation and the opportunity to share these reflections. You can listen to the full interview by clicking here.
I developed the Multidimensional Story Method© through my work with bereaved siblings at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. I recently presented the method at the Research Committee Meeting of the Federation of European Psychodrama Training Organisations (FEPTO). It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues who share a passion for drama-based approaches in therapy and supervision.
The Multidimensional Story Method© will also feature in a forthcoming Routledge book on Creative Arts Therapies, edited by Robert Neimeyer. Having been inspired by his writings for years, I’m honoured and delighted to contribute to this new publication, which is due to be published by the end of 2026.
Research Committee Meeting of the Federation of European Psychodrama Training Organisations
Supervision for school leaders - Education support and Talking Heads Supervision (UK)
The following testimonial was shared by an Assistant Principal following a period of professional supervision:
“I am approaching the 2 year anniversary of my first supervision session with Gloria. In that time I have brought a range of challenges, that I have faced in both my professional and personal life, to our meetings. Gloria has provided a quiet and reflective environment which has permitted me to discuss my concerns in a sensitive and considerate way. Generally I do not consider myself a ‘sharer’ so the way that Gloria has helped me to unwrap my thoughts and organise them is distinctly to her credit. This process has always provided just the right balance between listening, questioning and challenging as she has expertly allowed me to clarify my ideas and worries and frame them in a practical manner. I leave every meeting, astonished at her ability to empathise with every possible situation and to gently guide my thoughts towards practical responses. The situation I am working through at the moment is especially challenging and has prompted me to write this statement, to thank Gloria for her wisdom and in the hope that other professionals take up similar opportunities for supervision if they get the chance.” Matt Smith, Assistant Principal, Sixth Form College Farnborough (UK).
Published in the Dramatherapy Journal (UK) in 2024, this article is open access. You can read the abstract below:
“In this article the author reflects on her experience of facilitating story enactment within an arts therapies group for bereaved siblings at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, in London. The author is originally trained in the Sesame Approach and has practised as a dramatherapist in the field of bereavement for over ten years. Through a phenomenological approach, the article examines how the enactment of symbolic images from fairy tales supports children processing their grief following the death of a sibling due to a life-limiting condition. The clinical vignette, presented as a constructed case study, provides an illustrative example of using the framework of the hero’s journey to delve into symbolic expression, intersubjectivity and embodiment. In analysing the clinical material, the author combines the Sesame Approach in dramatherapy with the novel Multidimensional Grief Theory, developed by psychologist Christopher Layne. This integration serves to illustrate the fundamental role of story enactment in group therapy for bereaved siblings in paediatric palliative care”.
Over the past five years, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with the Department of Psychology at the University of Padua, where I lecture on the use of creative methods in therapy, coaching, and supervision. I’m delighted to continue as a member of the teaching faculty of two masters’ degrees directed by Prof. Ines Testoni, at the University of Padua.
“The Master’s in Creative Arts Therapies for Supporting Resilience aims to provide theoretical knowledge and practical skills that can be applied across a range of professional contexts, focusing on the use of the arts to promote resilience, well-being, and personal and social development. The content meets the standards of excellence set by international and national associations, placing it within the current European network for research and development in the arts therapies. The Master’s programme adopts an integrated, innovative and multidisciplinary approach across fields such as philosophy, psychology and pedagogy, including the fundamentals of research methodology”.
Photo featured in the book chapter “Playing in time: Music therapy and Dramatherapy in children’s hospices”.
This chapter, co-written with Sarah Hodkinson, was published by Routledge in 2024, as part of ‘Arts therapies and the mental health of children and young people’. You can read the abstract below:
“This chapter focuses on ‘playing in time’ in paediatric palliative care, describing current service provision and approaches adopted in children's hospices in the United Kingdom. It draws on the authors’ experience of facilitating music therapy and dramatherapy interventions with young people diagnosed with life-limiting conditions. Through exploring two different vignettes, the chapter examines the role of identity, intersubjectivity, and collaboration in the therapeutic process. The authors explore a phenomenological approach, with an analysis that discusses contemporary issues in the Arts therapies relating to life-limited young people's transition to adulthood. The portrayal of clinical work demonstrates how ‘playing in time’ with the needs of young people requires therapists to revisit and challenge the boundaries of clinical practice. In doing so, this provides space for their legacy, for their story to be told, in the way that they wish”.
Arts therapies and the mental health of children and young people (2024)
One of my creations using ink painting and shodō techniques, inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh’s calligraphy.
As part of my arts-based reflective enquiry, I practice 'Shodo' e Sumi-e', exploring the subtle variations of calligraphy and ink painting within the Zen tradition. Over time, I have integrated these creative techniques into my therapy, coaching and supervision practice. Each stroke mirrors a movement that aligns with a breath, bringing awareness to the present moment and shifting perspectives.
Nourishing creativity as a space for mindfulness is essential in cultivating compassion and well-being within workplace culture. This becomes especially important when supporting others, or ourselves, in returning to work after an illness, recovering from work-related stress, or navigating a significant career transition.
I find it fascinating how small changes in our weekly schedule can be incredibly effective in creating space through creativity and mindfulness.
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