Date of Award

Spring 5-16-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Expressive Therapies

Major

Expressive Therapies

First Advisor

Dave Mowers

Abstract

Religious and spiritual (R/S) trauma is an often unrecognized form of complex trauma that results from religious beliefs, practices, or experiences that fracture survivors’ connection to the self, the body, meaning, safety, and community. An estimated 27-33% of U.S. adults are affected (Slade et al., 2023). R/S trauma shares features with complex PTSD and Developmental Trauma Disorder, but also includes moral injury, existential questioning, communal, and embodied shame. This literature review examines the potential of ecodramatherapy, a combined approach of drama therapy and ecotherapy, to support reconnection and recovery in survivors of R/S trauma. A targeted review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted in the fields of drama therapy, ecotherapy, expressive arts therapy, and R/S trauma to identify overlapping themes related to embodiment, containment, and relational connection. While research specifically on ecodramatherapy is limited, evidence from ecotherapy and drama therapy literature indicates these modalities can support the disconnection present in R/S trauma. The findings suggest that ecodramatherapy represents a promising intervention for addressing the complex, relational, and embodied impacts of R/S trauma.

Download

Share

COinS