Case Study: Drama Therapy for Pupils with Emotional Barriers to School Attendance

Our Drama Therapists employ a number of creative therapeutic interventions to help pupils overcome a wide range of mental health and behavioural challenges. In this cast study, we explore the impact of Drama Therapy for pupils who are struggling to overcome emotional barriers to school attendance (EBSA).

Setting the Scene

Alex, aged 14, a bright and creative young person, began experiencing severe anxiety around attending school following a transition to secondary education. This anxiety quickly escalated into EBSA, leading to long periods of school absence. Alex reported intense feelings of panic in school settings, low self-esteem, and a fear of judgment from peers, resulting in a deep reluctance to engage with education. Traditional interventions through the school’s pastoral care had been unsuccessful, leading to a referral to a drama therapist for specialised support. 

Our Approach

Stage 1: Initial Engagement and Building Trust at Home 

First, we sought to establish a trusting therapeutic relationship in a familiar, safe environment to reduce anxiety and begin exploring feelings around school. 

• Creative Storytelling and Role Play
  The therapist began sessions at Alex’s home, using storytelling and role play to externalise Alex’s experiences with school. Together, they created a fictional character named “Max,” who faced similar anxieties around school. Through Max’s story, Alex was encouraged to project his feelings in a way that felt less threatening, allowing the therapist to gently explore his fears and thoughts. This indirect approach provided a safe space for Alex to communicate without feeling overwhelmed. 
• Mask-Making Activity
  Alex and the therapist created masks to represent different parts of his school experience. For instance, one mask represented Alex’s “school self,” while another showed his “home self.” Using the masks, Alex began to understand and express the tension between his identities in these different environments. This activity helped him articulate feelings of inadequacy, fear, and a desire for safety, forming a foundation for more in-depth emotional work. 
• Imaginary Safe Spaces
  In one of the early sessions, Alex was invited to create an imaginary “safe space” within his mind where he could go when feeling anxious. Using guided visualisation and physical movements, he explored this space, which he imagined as a secluded, comforting library. The therapist used this safe space throughout their sessions, helping Alex build a mental refuge he could access during stressful situations. 

The Results

After four weeks of home sessions, Alex began to trust the therapist and felt understood. He expressed more openness about his school-related anxieties, and the therapist noted improved self-awareness and slight reductions in Alex’s anxiety levels around the topic of returning to school. 

Stage 2: Gradual Exposure and Role Development in a Neutral Space 

Next, we employed a range of interventions to gradually introduce Alex to the idea of returning to a learning environment by practicing skills in a neutral, non-school setting. 

• Character Development and Role Exploration
  Alex was encouraged to embody different characters who could face challenging situations bravely. For example, Alex created a character called “Sky,” a wise and fearless explorer. As Sky, Alex practiced confronting and navigating anxiety-provoking scenarios that mirrored his fears about returning to school, such as meeting new people or entering unfamiliar spaces. Embodying Sky allowed Alex to experience a sense of empowerment and experiment with new, positive ways of reacting to stress. 
• Social Story Rehearsals
  Using drama therapy techniques, Alex and the therapist practiced role-playing common school scenarios, such as meeting a teacher, entering a classroom, or engaging with peers. These scenarios were rehearsed as “mini-plays,” where Alex could take on the role of himself or other characters, giving him a sense of control and mastery over the situations. He learned techniques for grounding himself, such as breathing exercises and safe-space visualization, which he could use if he felt overwhelmed in real-life settings. 
• Joint Sessions with Family
  To help Alex feel supported, the therapist invited his mother into some sessions. They practiced positive communication techniques and developed ways for Alex to express his needs during moments of distress. This work helped Alex feel understood and reassured that he could rely on his family as he began to transition back into education. 

The Results

 Over the course of six weeks, Alex showed significant progress in discussing and imagining scenarios related to school without the same intensity of anxiety. His role-playing as Sky allowed him to express courage and resilience, and the rehearsals helped him build a mental toolkit for handling stressful school situations. Alex felt ready to take steps toward re-engaging with school and agreed to try a school visit. 

Stage 3: Supported Re-Entry to Education 

Ultimately, we worked to facilitate Alex’s gradual re-entry into the school environment with ongoing therapeutic support to reduce anxiety and build positive associations. 

• Guided “School Walkthrough” with Therapist
  Alex’s first visit to school was structured as a drama-based “adventure” in which he would go on a guided tour of the school with the therapist, still embodying his character Sky. This approach allowed Alex to explore familiar school areas while maintaining a sense of role-based detachment from his own anxiety. His therapist and a pastoral staff member were present to offer support. 
• Interactive Journaling and Reflection
  To reflect on his progress, Alex created a drama-based journal, where he could document his “adventures” as Sky returning to school. Each week, Alex recorded new experiences, feelings, and any challenges he faced. The journal helped Alex gain perspective and pride in his progress, reinforcing his sense of accomplishment and resilience. 
• Establishing a “Safe Zone” at School
  Working with school staff, the therapist and Alex designated a “safe zone” in the school – an unused office that was transformed into a comfortable, calm environment with sensory items, seating, and calming visuals. Alex could visit this room whenever he felt overwhelmed, providing a buffer to help him manage his anxiety while gradually increasing his time in the school environment. 

The Results

With each successful visit, Alex’s confidence grew, and he slowly increased the length and frequency of his time at school. His safe zone was a helpful resource, and the journaling provided a way to see his progress and setbacks as part of his growth. By the end of the school term, Alex was attending three days per week, and both he and his teachers noted improvements in his anxiety levels, social confidence, and self-esteem. 

Looking Forwards

Through drama therapy, Alex developed resilience and coping strategies that allowed him to approach previously overwhelming situations with more confidence and self-assurance. The creative and non-threatening nature of drama therapy helped him externalise and process his anxieties and gradually integrate back into a structured school environment. Over time, Alex continued to use his therapeutic tools, such as character role-play, journaling, and visualisation, to manage stress, showing the long-term potential of drama therapy for pupils with EBSA. 

To learn more about Drama Therapy for pupils in your school, please get in touch with our Creative Arts Therapy team.