My roots have always been in theatre and my research explores the space where drama, education and therapy meet. I began a PhD at the University of Warwick in 2006 and completed it in 2012. More recent research covers Neuro-Dramatic-Play, therapeutic storytelling, dementia and creative learning in higher education. I’m always happy to talk with anyone interested in these areas. Click a book for details from the publisher.
Research
My Books
The Handbook of Neuro-Dramatic-Play
2025 · An innovative contribution to our understanding of research and practice behind Neuro-Dramatic-Play (NDP), this book demonstrates how readers may apply this attachment and play-based approach to teaching, parenting, and therapy. Routledge.
Games for Building Secure Relationships in the Early Years
2023 · A practical book of playful games and activities for practitioners and parents working with children from birth to six, drawing on Neuro-Dramatic-Play to build secure, trusting relationships. Loggerhead Publishing.
Handbook of Therapeutic Stories and Storytelling
2022 · Co-edited with Sue Jennings and Sharon Jacksties, the final book in a trilogy of international handbooks on dramatherapy, play and story. Includes my chapters on storytelling with under-fives and a dramatic response to Covid-19. Routledge.
Handbook of Play, Therapeutic Play and Play Therapy
2020 · Co-edited with Sue Jennings, bringing together international perspectives on play, therapeutic play and play therapy. Includes my chapter on Neuro-Dramatic-Play and a hero’s journey in a junior school. Routledge.
Learning as a Creative and Developmental Process in Higher Education
2018 · Co-edited with Judie Taylor, examining teaching practices within the therapeutic arts and their wider application across higher education. Includes chapters on assessing performance, liminality and the playful learner. Routledge.
The International Handbook of Dramatherapy
2016 · Co-edited with Sue Jennings, one of the founders of dramatherapy in the UK, this awardwinning handbook brings together dramatherapy practice and research from around the world. Launched at the North American Drama Therapy Association conference in 2018. Routledge.
Drama Education and Dramatherapy
2014 (paperback 2016) · My sole-authored book examining the space between two disciplines, dramatherapy and drama education, based on original PhD research at the University of Warwick. Routledge.
Research & Publications
Find My Research Online
You can find a full, up-to-date record of my publications and research activity on ORCID, the international registry that gives every researcher a unique identifier. Many of my papers and chapters are also available to read and download on Academia.edu.
Books Sole authored
- Holmwood, C. (2023) Games for Building Secure Relationships in the Early Years. Loggerhead Publishing. Details
- Holmwood, C. (2014, reprinted 2016) Drama Education and Dramatherapy: Exploring the Space between Disciplines. London: Routledge. Details
Books Co-edited
- Holmwood, C. Jennings, S. (2026) (Eds.). The Handbook of Neuro-Dramatic-Play. Cross Cultural, Attachment-Based Play for Clinicians and Practitioners. London: Routledge.Details
- Jennings, S., Holmwood, C. and Jacksties, S. (eds) (2022) The Routledge International Handbook of Therapeutic Stories and Storytelling. London: Routledge. Details
- Jennings, S. and Holmwood, C. (eds) (2020) The Routledge International Handbook of Play, Therapeutic Play and Play Therapy. London: Routledge. Details
- Taylor, J. and Holmwood, C. (eds) (2018) Learning as a Creative and Developmental Process in Higher Education: A Therapeutic Arts Approach and its Wider Application. London: Routledge. Details
- Jennings, S. and Holmwood, C. (eds) (2016) The International Handbook of Dramatherapy. London: Routledge. Details
Book chapters
- Holmwood C (2026) Using Neuro Dramatic Play (NDP) (2026) (Chapter 4) in Schools with Children and Young People Post Covid-19, Developing Positive Attachments and Good Mental Health in Holmwood, C. Jennings, S. (2026) (Eds.). The Handbook of Neuro-Dramatic-Play. Cross Cultural, Attachment-Based Play for Clinicians and Practitioners. London: Routledge. Pp. 32 – 44.
- Holmwood, C. (2023) (Published August 2022) Space, Liminality, Education and Dramatherapy in Sweeney, L (ed) The Space and Arts Psychotherapies. London: Routledge.
- Holmwood, C. (2022) Dramatherapy, Tai Chi and Embodiment 戏剧疗法、太极拳及化身 (Chinese Language Version only) in Creative Arts in Education and Therapy – Eastern & Wester Perspectives – Volume 1. 教育和治疗中的创意艺术 – 东西方视角 Netherlands: Inspirees.
- Holmwood, C. (2022) ‘I’m going on a Bear Hunt’: Neuro-Dramatic-Play, multi-sensory informed storytelling approaches to working with children under five. In Jennings, Holmwood and Jacksties (eds), The Routledge International Handbook of Therapeutic Stories and Storytelling. Routledge.
- Holmwood, C. (2022) Making a dramatic story out of a crisis: a response to Covid-19 from a dramatic perspective. In Jennings, Holmwood and Jacksties (eds), as above.
- Holmwood, C. (2020) Neuro-Dramatic-Play and a hero’s journey: a play-based approach in a junior school. In Jennings and Holmwood (eds), The Routledge International Handbook of Play, Therapeutic Play and Play Therapy. Routledge.
- Holmwood, C. (2019) On being a male dramatherapist. In Hogan, S. (ed), Inscribed on the Body: Gender and Difference in the Arts Therapies. Routledge.
- Holmwood, C. (2018) Assessing performance in the creative expressive therapies in higher education. In Taylor and Holmwood (eds), Learning as a Creative and Developmental Process in Higher Education. Routledge.
- Holmwood, C. and Scales, P. (2018) Liminality in higher education: gaps as legitimate learning spaces. In Taylor and Holmwood (eds), as above.
- Bird, D. and Holmwood, C. (2018) Rediscovering the playful learner. In Taylor and Holmwood (eds), as above.
- Holmwood, C. (2016) Dramatherapy and theatre: current inter-disciplinary discourses. In Jennings and Holmwood (eds), The International Handbook of Dramatherapy, pp. 160–169. Routledge.
- Holmwood, C. and Stavrou, C. (2012) Dramatherapy and drama teaching: a new perspective towards a working relationship. In Leigh, L., Gersch, I., Dix, A. and Haythorne, D. (eds), Dramatherapy with Children, Young People and Schools, pp. 30–38. Routledge.
- Holmwood, C. Collard-Stokes, G. Ward, A (2023) Neuro Dramatic play Older people and Early onset Dementia in Healthcare, Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal.
- Liwen, M. , Chang, W.L. Holmwood, C. Subbiondo, J.L. (2022) Playback Theater as Pedagogy: A Qualitative Research Study on the Use of PT in Education toward the Self-development of Future Teachers 回放剧场作为教学法：PT(回放剧场)在教育中用于未来教师自我发展的定性研究 in Creative Arts Education & Therapy (2022) 8(2):225–236 Inspirees ,Netherlands. DOI: 10.15212/CAET/2022/8/25
- Holmwood, C. (2021) A review of drama education (UK) and integral drama-based pedagogy (China): Western and Eastern perspectives and influences. Beijing International Review of Education, 3, 515–528. Brill.
- Holmwood, C. (2021) Older people, dementia and Neuro-Dramatic-Play: a personal and theoretical drama therapy perspective. Drama Therapy Review, 7(1), 61–75. doi:10.1386/dtr_00061_1
- Gaines, A.M., Butler, J.D. and Holmwood, C. (2015) Between drama education and drama therapy: international approaches to successful navigation. p-e-r-f-o-r-m-a-n-c-e, 2(1–2). Read online
- Holmwood, C. (2015) Dramatherapy, Tai Chi and embodiment. Creative Arts in Education and Therapy, 1(1), 63–75.
- Holmwood, C. (2012) An investigation into the space where drama and dramatherapy meet. Working Papers, Institute of Education, University of Warwick.
- Holmwood, C. (2005) A tale of tales. Dramatherapy, 27(1), 19–23. doi:10.1080/02630672.2005.9689645 · [PDF]
- Holmwood, C. (2000) You listen up, here’s the story about a little guy who lived in a blue world… Dramatherapy, 22(3), 13–17. doi:10.1080/02630672.2000.9689557 · [PDF]
- Holmwood, C. (1995) Looking ahead: future employment as dramatherapists in an ever-changing market forces economy. Dramatherapy, 17(3), 10–16. doi:10.1080/02630672.1995.9689399 · [PDF]
- (2022) The Drama Therapy Decision Tree by Paige Dickinson and Sally Bailey. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling.
- (2022) Trauma and Expressive Arts Therapy by Cathy A. Malchiodi. Dramatherapy. doi:10.1177/02630672211056114
- (2020) Researching Conflict, Drama and Learning: The International DRACON Project, O’Toole et al. (eds). Dramatherapy. doi:10.1177/02630672211023601
- (2019) New Developments in Expressive Arts Therapy: The Play of Poiesis. Dramatherapy, 40(2). doi:10.1177/0263067219872029
- (2017) Lee R. Chasen, Engaging Mirror Neurons to Inspire Connection and Social Emotional Development in Children and Teens on the Autism Spectrum. Dramatherapy, 38(1), 72–73. doi:10.1080/02630672.2017.1290778
- (2014) Joan Lazarus, Signs of Change: New Directions in Theatre Education. Dramatherapy, 36(1), 60–61. doi:10.1080/02630672.2014.909149
- Jennings, S. (2022) Managing Social Anxiety in Children and Teenagers. Routledge (introduction)
- Jennings, S. Selected Works: Thither and Back Again. Routledge (afterword)
- Moore, J. Domino Stories for Foster and Adopted Children. Routledge (foreword)
- Chesner, A. (2020) Creative Drama Groupwork for People with Learning Difficulties. Speechmark (endorsement)
- Moore, J. (2020) Narrative and Dramatic Approaches to Children’s Life Story with Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Families. Routledge (endorsement)
- Morris, N. (2020) Find Your Way: A Story and Drama Resource to Promote Mental Well-being in Young People (endorsement)
- Scales, P. (2017) An Introduction to Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. Open University Press (endorsement)
- Jennings, S. and Holmwood, C. (eds) (2016) The International Handbook of Dramatherapy. Routledge (afterword)
- July 2026: Working Together Arts and Play Therapy Conference, London. Keynote speaker. In person.
- March 2026: Neuro-Dramatic-Play Conference, Dublin, Ireland. In person.
- April 2025: Slovenia Arts Therapies 30th Anniversary Conference, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Keynote speaker. In person.
- April 2025: Creative and Expressive Arts Therapies Summit: Integrative Applications, Frontiers and Trends, CAET World Forum. Online.
- June 2024: Derby Book Festival. Presentation: Building Secure Attachments in the Early Years (return visit by popular demand). In person.
- March 2024: Derby Book Festival. Presentation: Building Secure Attachments in the Early Years. In person.
- November 2023: Arts for Social Change, Collective Encounters. Presentation: Neuro-Dramatic-Play and People with Younger Onset Dementia. Online.
- September 2023: 11th International Health Humanities Conference, University of Derby. Guest speaker: The Work of Peter Slade.
- June 2023: First Symposium on Interdisciplinary Pedagogies in Performance, Birmingham City University. Invited guest speaker.
- April 2023: First NDP Conference, Back to Basics: Neuro-Dramatic-Play as the Roots to Everything, Portlaoise, Ireland. Keynote speaker: NDP and Early Child Attachment, plus workshops on Rhythm, Story and Self-Regulation, and NDP, Older People and Dementia.
- December 2022: Online international cohort. Guest speaker: NDP and Self-Regulation.
- October 2022: Drama for Life Wits Centenary Conference Series, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Guest speaker: A Review of Drama Education (UK) and Integral Drama-Based Pedagogy (China), Western and Eastern Perspectives and Influences. Online.
- July 2022: NDP International Summer School. Guest speaker. Online.
- May 2022: Institute of Recovery from Childhood Trauma (IRCT), London. Guest speaker and practical workshop: Neuro-Dramatic-Play.
- April 2022: European Festival of Storytellers. Guest speaker and book launch: Routledge International Handbook of Therapeutic Stories and Storytelling. Online.
- April 2022: Reflect On Academy, private counselling training, Surrey. Guest speaker: EPR, Older People and Dementia. Online.
- November 2021: Beijing International Conference: Sharing Research and Knowledge for Global Education, Beijing Normal University, China. Guest speaker: A Review of Drama Education (UK) and Integral Drama-Based Pedagogy (China), Western and Eastern Perspectives and Influences. Online.
- October 2021: British Association of Dramatherapists Annual Conference: Of Breath and Fire. Invited panel member, international round table. Online.
- October 2021: Reflect On Academy, private counselling training, Surrey. Guest speaker: EPR, Play and Stories, a Dramatherapy Approach. Online.
- August 2021: NDP International Summer School. Guest speaker: NDP and Storytelling. Online.
- November 2020: Creativity in a New Educational Climate, University of Bolton. Presentation: Play, Space and the Classroom, Creating Creative Liminal Spaces. Online.
- August 2020: Dramatherapy Argentina Network. Presentation: The Emotional Impact of Covid on Children and Young People Returning to School, and What We Can Learn from Neuro-Dramatic-Play. Online.
- August 2019: International Building Bridges Applied Arts and Health Conference, University of Wolverhampton, Telford. Paper: Liminality in Arts Education, Gaps and Moments as Legitimate Learning Spaces.
- June 2019: CAET Webinars, Arts Education and Therapy: History, Applications and Frontiers series. Seminar 9: The History and Development of Dramatherapy in the UK from a Drama Education Perspective. Online.
- October 2018: North American Drama Therapy Association 39th Annual Conference, Kansas City, USA. Book launch and plenary: International Handbook of Dramatherapy.
- November 2017: Health Humanities and Arts in Health International Symposium, Derby. Paper: Drama education and dramatherapy, the space between disciplines.
- June 2016: University of Ghent, Belgium. Teaching dramatherapy and storytelling.
- May 2016: European Federation of Dramatherapy, University of Bucharest, Romania. Joint workshop with Sue Jennings: can education be therapeutic and therapy educational?
- March 2014: Arts in Health and Arts Therapies: Mapping the Fields, Birmingham. Workshop leader on opportunities for work with young people.
- July 2013: IDEA Conference, Paris (International Drama/Theatre and Education Association). Workshop with Andrew Gaines (NYU) and Jason Butler (University of Calgary): international influences on drama teaching and dramatherapy training.
- November 2012 and September 2010: For Our Children charity, Sofia, Bulgaria. Disability training.
- April 2010: Theatre Applications International Conference, Central School of Speech and Drama, London. Paper: parallels between social and psychological space in drama and therapy.
- September 2007: British Association of Dramatherapists Annual Conference, York St John University. Paper and workshop: metaphor of the sacrificial body in dramatherapy.
- November 1999: 1st European Meeting of Drama Groups for People with Mental Health Problems, Thessaloniki, Greece. Paper: Act Up for Mental Health.
Former Editorial roles
- Co-editor, Creative Arts in Education and Therapy (CAET), and executive board member, IACAET
- Editorial Advisory Board, Dramatherapy, the journal of the British Association of Dramatherapists
Qualifications
- Diploma in Neuro-Dramatic-Play, Neuro-Dramatic-Play Ltd (2018)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, University of Derby (2015)
- PhD in Education, University of Warwick (2012)
- Family and Systemic Therapy, introductory year (2012)
- Certificate in Management, Open University (1999)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Dramatherapy, University of Hertfordshire (1996)
- MA Educational Theatre, University of Leeds (1992)
- BA (Hons) Drama, Bretton Hall College (1988)
Current roles
- Director, Creative Solutions Therapy (private practice, individual and group therapy, supervision)
- NDP Practitioner and Trainer, Neuro-Dramatic-Play Ltd
- Freelance therapist, lecturing and clinical supervision
Previous roles
- Associate Professor, Department of Therapeutic Arts, University of Derby (2014-2026)
- Therapist, Foster Care Associates (2007–2014)
- Dramatherapist, Coventry Primary Care Trust: CAMHS and Psychological Services (Learning Disability) (1998–2007)
- Manager, Act Up Theatre Company and DARTS project, Rethink (1997–2003)
- Dramatherapist, Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies (1998-2001)
- Drama facilitator, Orchard Partnership Saturday Drama Club for children with learning disabilities (2004-2006)
Voluntary roles
- Chair Open Stage Drama (2003-Present)
- Chair, Jigsaw Youth Theatre (registered charity), (1997–2004)
- Drama Advisor, West Midlands Arts, (1998–2002)
Professional membership:
HCPC-registered dramatherapist; full member, British Association of Dramatherapists.
Organisations I have worked with include:
Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies, Birmingham Leisure Services (Drama Space), Birmingham Theatre School, Big Arena Theatre School, Brinsford Young Offenders Institution, Coventry University, Dudley College, Dudley MBC (Lifelong Learning and Social Services), Dudley NHS Trust (Bushey Fields and Ridge Hill hospitals), Midlands Arts Centre, Murray Hall Trust, Sandwell Health Authority, Sandwell Citizens Advocacy, University of Birmingham, University of Wolverhampton, Walsall College of Continuing Education, Woodside Day Centre and Wordsley Housing Society.
Interested in Research or Collaboration?
Request to download my CV as a PDF, or get in touch to talk about research, PhD supervision or collaboration.