| Abstract [eng] |
Ritualized Polyphonic Singing in Drama therapy: The experience of a Group of Patients in a Mental Day Hospital In Lithuania, drama therapy is a relatively new branch of art therapy, which is rarely applied to people with mental health disorders. During the study, 12 drama therapy sessions were conducted with 8 patients with mental health disorders. Research aim: to reveal the experience of ritualized singing of sutartinės in drama therapy sessions of patients in a mental day hospital. Participants: patients with mental health problems in a day hospital. Methods: qualitative research design. Data was collected using a semi – structured interview method. Data analysis was carried out using inductive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2012). The study was carried out in Vilnius between October 2022 and December 2022. The results: the inductive thematic analysis resulted in two main themes: 1) “Living with mental health disorders and treating them”, 2) “The experience of ritualized singing in a drama therapy group”. Conclusion: The analysis of the empirical study suggests that the experience of ritualised singing in drama therapy sessions provides mental day hospital patients with: 1) a sense of meaning, because it is something greater than themselves, linked to their ancestors who performed the rituals of sutartinės; 2) a sense of community, one must listen to the another while harmonising – that's why patients feel a better sense of communication while ritualised singing; 3) a sense of trust, because the teamwork in ritualised singing brings the participants closer together, and gives them the encouragement to do well in the task. The assumption was confirmed: the ritualised use of sutartinės singing in drama therapy optimises the psychosocial rehabilitation process by helping participants to feel better emotionally and to socialise more easily. Keywords: drama therapy, mental disorders, ritualized singing, ritual, sutartinės. |
