How can drama therapy support equity and social justice in education, clinical work and beyond?

Jessica Bleuer

Assistant Professor, Creative Arts Therapies

status: Assistant Professor

Research areas: Her research projects prioritize the resilience and knowledge of targeted groups, and current research focuses on using a Nervous-System Informed Theatre of the Oppressed to support educators to address racial and ethnic microaggressions in higher education classroom settings. Other research includes working with activists from various marginalized groups, newcomers, and LGBT2SIQ communities.

Contact information

Email:

jessica.bleuer@concordia.ca

Website:

Drama Therapists Against White Supremacy Campaign

Biography

How can drama therapy support equity and social justice in education, clinical work and beyond?

Jessica Bleuer, MA, M.Ed., Ph.D., she/her/ella pronouns, is a Registered Drama Therapist and assistant professor in the MA Drama Therapy Program at Concordia University in Montreal. A past two-term Diversity Chair for the North American Drama Therapy Association, Jessica's teaching and research focuses on the intersections between individual wellness and larger systemic change. Jessica's research areas include: the mental health impacts of climate change; climate change emotions as barriers and allies to climate action; the uses arts-based methods and Theatre of the Oppressed techniques to address various equity issues that include historical trauma, marginalized community activism, barriers to employment for newcomers, xenophobia, and the negative impacts of racism on people's sense of belonging, safety and general well being. She is passionate about community-based drama therapy and has co-developed Metabolizing Minutes: a community based drama therapy intervention that supports community members to process and respond creatively to enormity problems that impact health and wellbeing.

Her research projects prioritize the resilience and knowledge of targeted groups, and current research focuses climate change and climate action.

Jessica's multiple cultural identities, including her experiences as as a first generation Latina Canadian inform her work around equity and inclusion

Publications

Selected Publications

Bleuer, J. (2020). Theatre for Revolution orTheatre for Healing? Forum Theatre withLGBT2SIQ and Other Targeted Communities . In A.M. Fritz & K. Afary, CommunicationResearch on Expressive Arts and Narrative as Forms of Healing. LexingtonBooks.

Snow, S.& Bleuer, J. (2020). Chapter 7 : Ethnodramatherapy. In R. Emunah& D.R. Johnson (Eds.), CurrentApproaches in Drama Therapy. Springfield, Illinois, Charles C Thomas.

Bleuer,J. & Harnden, B. (2018). Translating drama therapy: Reflections on clinicalpractice with complex trauma. Drama TherapyReview, 4(2), 167-182.

Bleuer,J., Chin, M. & Sakamoto, I. (2018). Why theatre-based research works? Thepsychological theories behind the curtain. QualitativeResearch in Psychology: Creative Representations in Research, 15(2-3),395-411.

Bleuer, J. (2017). Confronting Islamophobic Violence & Discrimination.North American Drama Therapy Association Website. Retrieved from https://www.nadta.org/what-is-drama-therapy/confronting-islamophobic-violence-and-discrimination.pdf

Sajnani,N., Tomczk, P., Bleuer, J., Dokter, D., Carr, M. & Bilodeau, S. (2016). Guidelines oncultural response/ability in training, research, practice, supervision,advocacy and organizational change. DramaTherapy Review, 2(1), 141-147.

Bleuer, J., White,C., Jordan, D.E., Diaz, I., Anandampillai, S. (2016). Opposition to Homophobic & Transphobic Laws. North AmericanDrama Therapy Association Website. Retrieved from https://www.nadta.org/what-is-drama-therapy/opposition-to-homophobic-and-transphobic-laws-positi.pdf

Bleuer, J., White,C., Jordan, D.E., Diaz, I., Anandampillai, S. (2016). Black Lives Matter, North American Drama Therapy AssociationWebsite. Retrieved from https://www.nadta.org/about-nadta/black-lives-matter-2016-position-statement.pdf

Bleuer, J. (2016).Orlando & LGBT2SIQ Communities: Condolences & Outrage. North AmericanDrama Therapy Association Website. Retrieved fromhttps://www.nadta.org/about-nadta/orlando-and-lgbt2siq-communities-position-statement.pdf

Chin, M., Sakamoto,I., & Bleuer, J. (2014). The dynamics of show and tell: Arts-based methodsand language ideologies in community-based research. Journal of Community Practice, 22 (1-2), 256-273.