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Meet the dramatherapists

Gillian Downie
gillian.downie33@gmail.com

Central to Gillian’s approach is the dialogic relationship, acceptance, compassion, creativity and embodiment. She is committed to furthering the equality of opportunity for people of all abilities, races, faiths, genders, sexual orientations, and ages. 

Gillian encourages people to value themselves and see and use their resources, placing  emphasis on meeting people where they are and working with what people choose to bring. She can include body-work, play, dream exploration, myth and story enactment and other creative media.

Over the past 20 years Gillian has worked in a variety of places including schools, prison, NHS and private practice and currently works in Cardiff’s community learning disability team as well as private practice.

Gillian trained as a Creative Arts Supervisor (CAST) and for the last 14 years has offered supervision to individuals and groups. 

Gillian has also  initiated, organised and developed professional training workshops in South Wales for the past sixteen yearsand co-facilitated CPD events with a range of therapists on themes such as Belonging, Attachment, Power, Narcissism, and Soul. 

For the last six years Gillian has regularly co-facilitated workshops on Shame. Shame is a particular interest of Gillian’s and is a central element in the book chapter she is currently co-writing with dramatherapist Melanie Beer.

Gillian is also a tutor on the Welsh Psyche and Soma training – a two-year part time course for health professionals working with people who want to bring imagination and the body into their practice as languages of the human soul.

Melanie Beer
melaniebeer_dramatherapy@outlook.com

Melanie Beer has been practicing as a Dramatherapist for over 10 years. Registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC), she is trained in the Sesame Approach to drama and movement therapy. She has worked in many different settings including health care, education, the third sector and private practice. 

She has specialized in working with adults with acute and complex mental health problems in secure services. In this setting she developed a trauma informed approach to her work, integrating trauma, attachment and gestalt theory with her practice as a dramatherapist.

Melanie also works within an Adult Learning Disabilities Service in the NHS in Wales. Within this setting, she currently co-runs a Dramatherapy group and has recently written a book chapter with her co-therapist on the integration of the Sesame approach with Gestalt psychotherapy. In it, they explore how the group offers an antidote to the cultural shame experienced by those who are labelled as ‘disabled’. 

Melanie is a qualified clinical supervisor and holds a private supervision practice, working with arts therapists, counsellors and health care professionals. She is interested in finding creative ways to explore the issues brought to supervision by her supervisees. 

She is also part of the Creative Therapies Collective; a not for profit organization offering affordable creative arts therapies within South Wales. 

Melanie is a founding member of the Golden Thread Playback Theatre Company where she gets to combine her love of play, movement, storytelling and performance, spontaneously bringing to life stories that are told by audience members.  

Based in Cardiff, Melanie is an active part of the arts therapies community within Wales and sits on the Dramatherapy Wales Committee. 
 

Esyllt George
e.george20@ntlworld.com

Esyllt George has been practising as a Dramatherapist for over 20 years. She trained at the University of Surrey, Roehampton, and has been active in undertaking a wide range of CPD training since qualifying.

She has worked with a variety of client groups in private practice and in community mental health, including training professionals working in health and social care to utilise creative methods of working. 

Esyllt has a particular interest in exploring issues such as self-esteem and identity for women, bereavement and loss, and spiritual expression as an aspect of creativity. She has the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) accreditation, and is an active member of the British Association of Dramatherapists and Dramatherapy Wales. She practises through both the medium of Welsh and English.

Bryn Morgan

Bryn Morgan is a Dramatherapist based in the South Wales area. Currently he is working for The Jacob Abraham Foundation providing bereavement and intervention support to the community.

He is also working on a freelance basis within the fostering and adoption sector as well as continuing research into working with Masculinity and supporting men to express vulnerability. He has provided training to professionals on topics such as ‘Having a Good Death’ and ‘Developmental Trauma and Building Healthy Relationships.’

Bryn is currently the representative for Cymru within the British Association of Dramatherapists and sits on the Dramatherapy Cymru committee.

Bryn prefers to explore working outdoors and in his spare time enjoys trail running, exercising and coaching his local rugby team.

Rosie Bufton MA Dip. PTSD

Rosie Bufton is a Dramatherapist, Solution Focused Therapist and trained IDSVA (independent domestic and sexual violence advocate). She has experience working in specialist areas such as with sexual assault survivors and in domestic abuse services. Rosie is also experienced with adolescent psychiatry, developing specialist interventions to support young people experiencing self-harm and suicidality. Rosie has worked as a Dramatherapist in prison, in secure mental health units, in universities and in the community, facilitating group and individual therapy. Rosie has an interest in humour in therapy and presented a paper ‘Why so Serious?’ at BADTh 2020 conference.