Community Dramatherapist

This Dramatherapy post extends the range of Arts Psychotherapies available to community patients in the borough of Westminster.

Based in the Gordon Hospital this one day post will offer assessment and treatment and evaluation of group/ 1:1 Dramatherapy provision for patients who are eligible to access local community mental health hubs with a range of diagnosis including Complex emotional needs, psychosis, severe depression and anxiety.

The post holder will be joining a well established team of Arts Psychotherapists working in a range of modalities including Music and Art psychotherapy.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
1. To assess patients referred to the services with respect to developing an appropriate treatment plan taking into account risk factors, complexity of presentation, patient need, and service priorities.
2. To deliver Dramatherapy for patients using evidence based approaches

1. To develop a high level of specialist clinical skill relevant to the range of diagnoses presenting in the local community services particularly personality disorder and psychosis.

1. To contribute specialist knowledge of Dramatherapy to the overall treatment of each patient through contribution to clinical meetings.

1. To work in conjunction with the Community Arts Therapies service, accepting and forwarding referrals as necessary.

1. To contribute to the development of the arts therapies researchby facilitating placements for arts therapy students, offering opportunities for participant observation.

1. Clinical supervision of students.

1. To be responsible for clinical input to the Trust’s research strategy for the arts therapies supervising allocated staff.

CNWL is one of the largest NHS employers in the UK of Arts Psychotherapists, working in a vast range of services and has an increasing trainee placement programme continually broadening the reach of the profession.

In joining CNWL you’ll have access to first class national and international Arts psychotherapy CPD training through our International Centre for Arts Psychotherapy (ICAPT); as well as through our strong links with Brunel University, supporting and developing their international PHD and Masters course in Art Psychotherapy training.

CNWL Arts Psychotherapies is linked nationally with research programmes and has strong QI support; and keen to expand the knowledge and evidence base of the Arts Psychotherapies.

We are committed to supporting our staff to achieve their potential, whilst also ensuring they are also putting their health and wellbeing as a priority. We have a vast range of support networks and benefits to offer all staff working for us.

We also have a thriving Arts in health service, Arts for staff initiatives and staff support projects such as our CaRE project, as we want to ensure that our passion and knowledge of the benefits of the arts reaches patients and staff across the board.

Clinical responsibilitiesTo provide group and/or individual Dramatherapy to patients, planning and reviewing treatment in conjunction with the patient, and the community team in the context of their full treatment plan.
To offer specialist treatment for those who would benefit from psychological therapy but find primarily verbal psychotherapy difficult to access, I.e. those with florid psychosis including e.g. extreme thought disorder, catatonic states, cognitive difficulties, emotional withdrawal, language problems etc.

As an experienced clinician to be adept at working intensively and flexibly to sustain involvement with those who are at high risk of disengaging from treatment.

To assess each patient’s suitability for individual or group Dramatherapy and to ascertain from the ongoing review process a patient’s emotional stability, use of the therapy and ability to work with others towards the agreed aims of treatment.

To refer on to other appropriate services after assessment or on discharge

To assess risk and adopt appropriate measures to maintain a safe and therapeutically sensitive environment for all when faced with challenging behaviour, for example verbal abuse, deliberate self-harm, violence, aggression or threatening behaviour. To contribute to the overall team risk assessment.

To work with the client to understand the content and context of their communication using the Drama and creativity as a focus.

To use sound judgement and interpretative skills to respond to the Dramatherapy and patient interaction as a means of developing self-awareness and greater understanding of self in relation to other.

To work and think responsibly and constructively with the relevant teams and any carers involved, drawing on clinical experience and theoretical knowledge to highlight a