Shakespeare Acting Therapy

Patients from a psychiatric hospital are being treated through “Shakespeare Acting Therapy.”

12:34 13 April 2015

A doctor has brought “Shakespeare Acting Therapy” to Rio De Janeiro with the aim to treat patients suffering from mental health conditions. The treatment is largely based on the idea that exploring feelings through different roles is much more beneficial than taking conventional drugs. 

 

The doctor, Vitor Pordeus, who is also an actor and mental health activist, encourages his patients to sing and chant rituals during their sessions. 

 

He said: "We can work on emotions, identities, family relationships, memories, cultural relationships. By exploring, reflecting, debating, we can decrease the power and mental weight of frightening thoughts and images lurking in a person's mind.” 

 

However, it seems not everybody is a fan of this technique. 

 

Dr Leonardo Palmeira, who runs his own clinic in Rio de Janiero, said: "We have to be reasonable in our evaluation of available treatments: no single tool has been proven to cure mental health.

 

"The best results have come from a tailored mix of therapies - and theatre and the arts are a part of this complementary side of a broad spectrum of therapies. We should remember that theatre may not be for everyone."