A Step Deeper Into My Practice

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to travel to the UK for a period of dramatherapy mentorship and supervision with Mary Franklin Smith at Light of Mind. This opportunity was supported by Arts Council Malta.

 The experience gave me space to pause, reflect, and reconnect personally with the creative side of my work as a psychotherapist. Since completing my dramatherapy training, I have engaged professional development in other modalities and approaches, most predominantly Gestalt therapy in which I am also warranted as a modality of therapy. I have since been working to understand how the different approaches can work together and what is really supportive to the clients I work with mostly in the field of eating disorders.

Working with the communicube - a dramatherapy tool

One of the things that stayed with me most was the reminder of how change can happen through the creative process itself. Not something we force or analyse, but something that unfolds through doing — through images, movement, and expression. At times, it felt like watching something slowly take shape from what was previously hard to name. Simply expressing something creatively can bring it into clearer awareness.

During these days, I also had time to reflect on my own work, my attitude, approach and the qualities I bring to my work. I was very grateful to also be able to witness some of Mary’s work with clients, who generously allowed me into that space.

Deep into my process

What stood out was her deep trust in each person’s inner resources — a belief that, even when someone is struggling, there is still a healthy part within them that can be reached. The work wasn’t about pushing for change, but about creating the right conditions for something to emerge at the person’s own pace. This supports the person to grow in their own resources, sense of self and relationship with self and others.

I was also struck by how she holds the therapeutic space. There is a real warmth and openness, alongside clear boundaries that feel supportive rather than restrictive. These boundaries are not just “rules”, but are shaped around each person and what they need at that stage in their process.

At the same time, there is a clear structure to the work. The creative process is carefully guided in a way that allows both freedom and a sense of safety — supporting depth, while still holding direction.

I come back from this experience feeling humbled, and more grounded in my identity as a dramatherapist, with a renewed appreciation for the quiet, often unseen ways that creative work can support change.

A glimpse into the warmth of Mary’s office.....

In a follow-up post, I will be sharing images and reflections from one of Mary’s client’s (with consent) that offers a glimpse into how this kind of process can look in practice.

This training and development opportunity was supported by Arts Council Malta.