Recent Presentations

Framing Distance: Documentary as a Mirror for Projection and Connection

This presentation explores how documentary filmmaking can serve as a projective technique in drama therapy, focusing on the 25-minute film 500 Miles Away From Home. The film follows Jiuying, a Chinese printmaker with bipolar disorder, as she navigates intergenerational tensions with her mother during Lunar New Year. Through this case study, we discuss how to balance authentic storytelling with space for audience projection, trauma-informed camera use, and embedding therapeutic effects in the creative process. The session also highlights film as a metaphor for “traveling alongside” in therapy, fostering empathy and connection.

The Multiverse of Grief

The annual National Alliance for Children’s Grief National Conference, The Multiverse of Grief: A Multicultural + Expressive Arts Approach to being in Relationship with Diverse Grief Narratives, was broadcast nationwide and hosted a live studio audience at New York University. Together, we traversed through a rich galaxy of theory and practice to support children and adolescents dealing with loss. Through the lens of social justice, we explored muliticultural roles and the framework of graphic novels. The event was noted for its heartfelt creativity, expansive education, imaginative interventions and thoughtfulness for diverse childhood bereavement narratives.

Tisch Actors' Wellness Program

NYU Drama Therapy has partnered with Tisch Drama to develop a series of workshops focused on stress reduction and capacity building for acting students and professionals. Based in the practice of DvT and led by Dr. Nisha Sajnani with support from NYU drama therapy students, these workshops have taken place at Tisch drama partner studios including the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute and the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Major takeaways from the program include cultivating healthier habits, incorporating play and creative expression into self-care, and practicing mindfulness to recenter and appreciate the joy that comes from theater.