A trauma sensitive approach to wellbeing and accessibility in theatre and performance making FREE WORKSHOP

Here are some things I imagine might be true about you

You care about accessibility in theatre and performance making, realising it’s not just a tick box exercise but vital to the health of our industry. You believe in the power of live storytelling, and coming together to be part of that. You know there is so much need for theatre and performance to keep being made in our society, because you know how powerful it can be and how much it can help.

You also know we need to change up what stories are being told, whose voices are heard and who even gets to be in the room when theatre and performance is made. You know the stories we need the most are the ones that are told the least.

You’re also here because you know something needs to be done about how the wellbeing of those who make theatre and performance is supported. You’re sick of burnout being the norm, and of work (even that which is so beneficial for the wellbeing of those who watch it) destroying those who make it.

You know there has to be another way. You want to make changes, but you also don’t have the energy to radically overhaul every single thing you’re doing.

You have an inkling that trauma sensitivity might be important in all of this, which is what led you here to learn about this Trauma Sensitive Theatre & Performance Making course.

• What actually is trauma sensitive theatre and performance making, and do I really need to care about it enough to take a course on it?
• Will this actually help me make the work I want to make, or help others make their work, or help the industry survive?
• Will making my practice trauma sensitive involve a huge overhaul of everything I’m doing? I don’t have the energy for that.

Your questions are all welcome, and I’m going to answer those ones now. All your feelings are welcome too. Any excitement, hope, intrigue as well as frustration, exhaustion, anger and everything in between.

I invite you to make yourself comfortable as you explore this page. Maybe make a warm drink, wrap in a favourite blanket, put some fluffy socks on.

Orientation week 28th October

Live course calls: Wednesday 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th November 12pm – 1pm UK time

All calls are recorded & shared with the group, so don’t worry if you can’t attend live 

Payment plans are available for full-price spaces. 

A theatre and performance making process that is trauma sensitive is one where those running the process are aware of what trauma is, how it can show up within us and how this might impact our ability to engage in creative work. It is one where those running the process have a basic understanding of our nervous systems, and how trauma might show up when somebody is triggered in a process. They also have tools they can draw on to support themselves or anyone else who becomes triggered to come back into a safe place in the nervous system. They know how to adapt language, exercises and how a space is run so they have less chance of being triggering for those with experience of trauma.

A trauma sensitive theatre and performance making process is not about creating a safe space, but creating a space, practice and process that facilitates ways back to safety when needed.

We can create all the access riders we want, and make all the adjustments within our power to support people to access our spaces. But, if we aren’t also trauma sensitive we’re never going to make our spaces, practices and processes as accessible as they can be. If we don’t care about trauma sensitive practices, our industry will continue to be homogenous and not diverse.

Experience of trauma can often intersect with disabilities, chronic illness, neurodiversity, mental health challenges, global majority, LGBTQIA+; if we want theatre and performance spaces to be accessible to people with these identities, we need to have a grounding in trauma sensitivity.

Being trauma sensitive is about supporting ourselves as much as it is others, too.

During the course you will learn how developing trauma sensitive practices and approaches will support all of us to feel more well when doing this work. It will directly support burnout being less of an issue in the industry.

In the course you’ll learn about how we go into a nervous system state that is not at all conducive to creativity when we become triggered. You’ll learn some tools you can use to help your nervous system, or that of those you’re working with, return to a state where creativity can happen. In this nervous system state we’re also able to take on challenges, plan for the future and come up with solutions to problems.

The world is on fire in pretty much every arena. As artists I know we have a lot to say about that, there’s a lot of really important work we all want to make. Being trauma sensitive will support you to make challenging work, and look after yourself whilst you do it.

If you’re involved in any way in artist development and supporting new voices to enter the industry being trauma sensitive is vital to support those currently underrepresented in our industry to start, and continue, creating and get their voices heard.

What I think about more and more are the voices that we aren’t hearing, the stories that aren’t being told, the people who do not have access to theatre and performance making spaces because those places are not supportive of their wellbeing. And I think about the absolute, dire need for the depth, breadth and diversity of stories these voices can offer. How they are the lifeline the industry needs, and the change-making art we need on a collective, societal level.

I’m not saying you don’t already know this. I know you do. Funding bodies like Arts Council England are making diversity and inclusion huge strategic priorities, and the industry is responding. Access riders are talked about more, opportunities and positions are offered exclusively for people from specific underrepresented groups.

What I’m saying, though, is this isn’t enough.

We need to fundamentally change the ways we do things, not just open the doors to an inhospitable house and expect people to figure out how to support themselves within it. 

One of the main things we need to do, I believe, is make our spaces and practices trauma sensitive.

When we do this, we begin to make the inhospitable house more hospitable encouraging more people to come and even to stay.

 When we make our practice trauma sensitive we:

• Become aware of the ways our practice, approach and ‘norms’ of doing things need to change
• Have a framework on which to re-build our approaches and ways of doing things, we know how to start making positive change
• Know how to support our own nervous systems, and help others support theirs, so that we can handle the challenges, the big questions and actually do this work we love without destroying ourselves

When more theatre and performance making processes are trauma sensitive we can confidently open up those spaces to those currently not well represented inside of them, knowing we’re equipped to support those people to do this work, tell their stories and share their voices and keep on doing so. 

We can feel confident in keeping ourselves grounded, safe and well whilst doing this work.

Doing this work is the way we will ensure the industry has longevity, and that more money and resources come into it. Not by doing things the same way and pushing.  

This isn’t about tickbox accessibility work. This is about doing the deep work ourselves so that together we can crack theatre and performance making spaces and practices open in the way they need to be.

On the course you’ll learn that making your practice trauma sensitive actually only requires a few simple tweaks. There will always be more learning to do in this arena, but after this course you will have the ability to make your practice trauma sensitive right away. You will have a set of tools you can use, and be confident in your basic nervous system knowledge. Everyone who takes this course will also be able to come to ongoing live calls with me, and others from the course to discuss our practice, questions, challenges, discoveries. These calls will happen 3 – 4 times a year and there’s no limit to how many you can attend.

In this course you will

• Gain a grounding in basic trauma theory and nervous system understanding
• Learn how certain practices/approaches/language might not be trauma sensitive and how to tweak things so that they are
• Understand the importance of nervous system regulation for the creative process
• Learn practical tools, practices and approaches you can put into place right now to start making your work more trauma sensitive
• Finish feeling confident that you’re able to make your workshops, auditions, rehearsals, devising processes, trainings trauma sensitive. You will know that in doing this, you’re doing more to make our industry and your own work more accessible. You will feel supported by a group of practitioners all exploring this work together, and well resourced to continue exploring trauma sensitive practice and accessibility more widely.

I’m a trauma sensitive coach for artists & creatives, as well as being a creative practitioner primarily with experience of theatre making.

From my experience being in theatre making spaces and rehearsal rooms, and my subsequent training as a trauma sensitive yoga teacher, I know that many of these spaces and practices are not trauma sensitive. This is a problem because it means rehearsals, collaborative processes, workshops etc aren’t as accessible as they could be. Experience of trauma can often intersect with disabilities, chronic illness, neurodiversity, mental health challenges, global majority, LGBTQIA+; if we want theatre and performance spaces to be accessible to people with these identities, we need to have a grounding in trauma sensitivity.

I’m also a firm advocate for radical wellbeing in theatre and performance making. So often the work we do can become detrimental to our own wellbeing. This shouldn’t be the case. So many of us have trauma, even if we’re not aware of it. Being trained in trauma sensitive approaches means we can begin to create theatre and performance making environments that are accessible and sustainable places to be for ourselves and those we work with.

Orientation week 28th October

Live course calls: Wednesday 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th November 12pm – 1pm UK time

All calls are recorded & shared with the group, so don’t worry if you can’t attend live 

Payment plans are available for full-price spaces. 

Honestly, yeah you probably will make mistakes. I’ll make mistakes too. But we shouldn’t let that stop us from trying and learning together. 

You make mistakes when you’re creating stuff, right? You don’t go into a room and make the final thing on day 1. You try stuff, you notice what doesn’t work, you question, you experiment, you get curious, you play. Well, we can do that with this work too. Access and trauma might seem like really heavy words and, yeah, they are. They are big, important topics but we can – in fact we have to – still approach them with creative curiosity and inquiry. 

The course will equip you well with the tools to be kind to yourself during this work. Tools which you can take with you as you continue to explore what needs changing in your work, in this industry in the name of accessability and as you continue to get things wrong. 

You’re so welcome in this space. Insecurities and all. 

Something you’ll learn on the course is what trauma is, and how it isn’t only referring to what we might call big T trauma. You’ll learn that many of us can have trauma and not even know it. Which means we can become triggered and not know it, too. This can play a part in the work we do being detrimental or challenging to our wellbeing. Learning to make your practice trauma sensitive means it can be a more supportive place for every single person involved in it, including yourself. You don’t have to name that what you’re doing is trauma sensitive, or say your practice is for those with trauma. You don’t need to try and find out who has trauma and who doesn’t, you can just have a more supportive practice in general.

This course is also not specifically for those working with traumatic issues, or with those with experience of trauma. It isn’t only those processes that need to be trauma sensitive. It is every single process. That way we can take big steps to making general theatre and performance making practice much more accessible.

A trauma sensitive approach to wellbeing and accessibility in theatre and performance making FREE WORKSHOP

Join the Trauma Sensitive Theatre & Performance Making course and you will get:

Online course content for you to go through at your own pace, any time

You’ll have ongoing access to the online course platform for the lifetime of the course, including any updates. 

Each module will delve into important topics surrounding trauma sensitivity in theatre and performance making, supporting  you to gain practical understanding  and explore strategies for creating supportive environments.

You’ll gain valuable insights and skills to implement trauma-sensitive practices, enabling you to facilitate more accessible creative environments.

Course content will be delivered through video, audio and text based lessons. There will be end of module quizzes, some written ‘worksheet’ style materials to support your learning (you don’t have to do them) and any slides used will be available to view separately. 

Weekly live calls with me for each module

Come together with me and the other like-minded theatre and performance makers to  share experiences and exploring the content of the course together. These calls will be an open space to discuss anything that’s coming up during each module, and ask any questions you have,

Ongoing access to live community calls 

I intend to grow a community of theatre and performance makers all exploring this trauma sensitive work. Everyone who does the course will become part of this community. A few times each year I’ll hold live calls whre we can come together to share practice, experience and questions.