Dear Central Region Members,
I hope this message finds you all well! Our Central Region Conference is confirmed for MAY 2nd and 3rd 2015. Our conference will be departing from Saint Louis after three years and will take place this year in CHICAGO at Columbia College.
The theme this year (as created by central region drama therapists at the Yosemite conference) is: Building Stories: Narratives of Central Region Drama Therapists.
Telling and witnessing stories is how we make sense of our lives. This year at the Central Region Conference we create space for our regional members to come together to share the myriad narratives that represent the work we do, the roles we play and educate one another on effective tools that promote the power of story in the healing process. Further, we ask in our call for conference proposals that central region drama therapists consider what ways does story foster trust, create cohesiveness, break shame and foster vulnerability? How do the core concepts of drama therapy act as a conduit to helping our clients discover and unfold their unique narratives? And, as we await the beginning of a new drama therapy program in conjunction with the Department of Creative Arts Therapies at Columbia College in Chicago, let us consider how might drama therapy and dance movement therapy work together to create new opportunities that allow clients to tell their stories? Drama Therapists and Dance Movement therapists are BOTH encouraged to submit.
When I revived the central region conference three years ago, a main principal was to create an affordable event for students and professionals. We plan to follow through with that goal again this year. The conference fee is $50.00 for students and $60.00 for professionals for the entire weekend. Those presenting will receive a $10.00 discount. No meals are included this year, however Columbia College Chicago is near a number of excellent options, including a Trader Joes, Potbelly’s, a wonderful Thai restaurant and Lou Malnati’s deep-dish pizza. Additionally, we hope to help students connect with other students for housing shares.
Updates here forth regarding the conference will be posted at our blog: www.cenralregiondramatherapy.workpress.com
Registration will be available at www.nadta.org staring in March.
Proposals for the conference are due February 22nd. Please copy and paste the template below and email your submission directly to me at centralrep@nadta.org
Presenter(s) Name and Credentials:
Presenter(s) Email:
Presenter(s) Phone:
Professional Affiliations:
Current Student: Yes or No
Presenter Bio(s):
Name of Presentation:
Abstract (50 words MAX):
Three objectives of your talk (ex: participants will be able to identify three different types of eating disorders)
1.
2.
3.
Presentations can be either 1 or 1.5 hours, which do you prefer, if selected?
Please note the percent that is experiential, didactic or other:
Please note what presentation materials are needed:
____Power Point
____Flip Chart/Markers
____IPod hook up for music
Second, the Midwest Developmental Transformations Institute (Polaris), under the direction of Jennifer Johnson and Talia Smigielski, has their next training weekend March 14th and 15th. If you are interested in joining the cohort, please contact me at for additional information.
Can’t wait to see you all in the windy city!
Laura Wood, MA, RDT-BCT, LPC, CCLS
centralregiondramatherapy 