Chanapan Thammarut

Indicative thesis title: Developing dramatherapy approaches for Thai adult patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Background

Supervisory team: Prof Helen Odell-Miller (1st), Dr Ditty Dokter (2nd)

Chanapan's dramatherapy pioneering in psychiatric units in Bangkok has been challenging and requires great awareness of and sensitivity to the cultural context. Her study is designed as a phenomenological mixed-methods case study research aiming to investigate the clinical benefits and the specific cultural issues that affect the outcome of dramatherapy treatment for Thai adult patients with PTSD.

The findings of this study have the potential to produce a useful database from which knowledge and practice guidelines can be developed for both dramatherapists and other mental health professionals.

Chanaphan is a registered dramatherapist and a professional member of the British Association of Dramatherapists. She obtained her BA degree in Psychology from Thammasat University (Thailand); MA degree in Theatre Education from Goldsmiths College, University of London (UK), and MA degree in Drama and Movement Therapy from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London (UK).

After completing her training in 2008, she has worked as a dramatherapist in mental health hospitals in Bangkok and as a course lecturer at Bangkok University. She specialises in working with patients who experience trauma.

Research interests

• Dramatherapy
• Mental health
• Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Drug and alcohol addiction
• Emotional and behavioural difficulties
• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
• Trauma
• Dementia

Qualifications

• MA Music and Drama Therapy, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London
• MA Theatre Education, Goldsmiths, University of London
• BA Psychology, Thammasat University (Thailand)