Dr Clive Holmwood

About

I am an Associate Professor in the Discipline of Therapeutic Arts within the School of Arts, in the College of Arts, Humanities and Education at the University of Derby. I teach on the Post-graduate MA Dramatherapy with responsibility for clinical supervision and theory & research modules. I am also an Admissions tutor for the BA (Hons) Creative Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing Degree Programme with responsibility for personal tutorship and specialist drama modules. I am also a Senior Researcher within the College with an interest in interdisciplinary practice, drama education, developmental play and dramatherapy and arts in health. I also supervise doctorial students.

Research interests

Interdisciplinary connections between dramatherapy and drama education including historical development and inter-subjectivity. I also have a particular interest in the therapeutic value of play from early childhood onwards.

Recent publications

Future Publications

Holmwood, C. (2022) Games from Nought to Five, Playful Activities for Care Givers - Strengthening Attachment Bonds. Hinton House Publishing

Co-edited Publications

Jennings, S. Holmwood, C. Jackties, S (Eds.) (IN PRESS 2021) The International Handbook of Stories & Therapeutic Storytelling. London Routledge
Jennings S. Holmwood, C. (Eds) (2021) The International Handbook of Play, Therapeutic Play and Play Therapy London: Routledge. (Published Nov 30 2020)
Taylor, J. Holmwood, C. (Eds) (2018) Learning as a Creative and Developmental Process in Higher Education- A Therapeutic Arts Approach and its Wider Application. London: Routledge
Jennings, S. Holmwood, C. (Eds.) (2016) The International Handbook of Dramatherapy. London: Routledge

Books – Sole Authored

Holmwood, C. (2014) (Reprint 2016) Drama Education and Dramatherapy: Exploring the space between disciplines. London: Routledge

Book Chapters - Co-Authored

Bird, D. Holmwood, C. (2018) C. Rediscovering the playful learner in Taylor, J. Holmwood, C. (Eds), Learning as a Creative and Developmental Process in Higher Education- A Therapeutic Arts Approach and its Wider Application, pp. TBC. London/New York: Routledge
Holmwood, C. Scales, P. (2018)Liminality in Higher Education – gaps as legitimate learning spaces in Taylor, J. Holmwood, C. (eds), Learning as a Creative and Developmental Process in Higher Education- A Therapeutic Arts Approach and its Wider Application, pp. TBC. London: Routledge
Holmwood, C. Stavrou, C. (2012) Dramatherapy and Drama Teaching a New Perspective towards a Working Relationship' in Leigh, L. Gersch, I. Dix, A. Haythorne, D. (Eds), Dramatherapy with Children, Young People and Schools: enabling creativity, sociability, communication and learning, pp. 30-38. London/New York: Routledge

Book Chapters Sole Authored

Holmwood, C. (2021) Neuro Dramatic Play and a Hero’s Journey, a Play-based Approach in a Junior School in Jennings S. Holmwood, C. (Eds) The International Handbook of Play, Therapeutic Play and Play Therapy (Working Title) London: Routledge
Holmwood, C. (2018) On being a Male Dramatherapist in Hogan, S. (ed), Inscribed on the Body: Gender and Difference in the Arts Therapies, pp 111-122. London/New York: Routledge
Holmwood, C. (2018) Assessing performance in the Creative Expressive Therapies in Higher Education in Taylor, J. Holmwood, C. (eds) Learning as a Creative and Developmental Process in Higher Education- A Therapeutic Arts Approach and its Wider Application, pp TBC. London/New York: Routledge
Holmwood, C. (2016) Dramatherapy & Theatre Current Inter-Disciplinary Discourses in Jennings S. Holmwood C, (eds), International Handbook of Dramatherapy, pp 160-169. London/New York: Routledge

Articles – Co authored

Gaines, A.M., Butler, J.D., & 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)

Articles – Sole Authored

Holmwood, C (2021) (Journal Article) Older People, Dementia and Neuro Dramatic Plays, A Personal and Theoretical Dramatherapy Perspective in The Drama Therapy Review, 7:1 pp. 61–75, DOI: 10.1386/dtr_00061_1
Holmwood, C. (2015) Dramatherapy, Tai Chi and Embodiment in Creative Arts Creative Arts in Education and Therapy, Volume 1 (2015), Issue 1, Page 63 – 75. Quotus Publishing
Holmwood, C. (2012) ‘An investigation into the space where Drama and Dramatherapy meet. What does this mean in conceptual and practical terms, for practitioner and participant? ‘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
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
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

Book Reviews

Holmwood, C. (2018) New Developments in Expressive Arts Therapy The Play of Poiesis, Dramatherapy (TBC)
Holmwood, C. (2017) Lee R Chasen, Engaging mirror neurons to inspire connection and social emotional development – in children and teens on the autism spectrum – theory into practice through drama therapy, Dramatherapy, 38:1, 72-73, DOI: 10.1080/02630672.2017.1290778
Holmwood, C. (2014) Joan Lazarus, Signs of change – new directions in theatre education: revised and amplified edition, Dramatherapy, 36:1, 60-61, DOI: 10.1080/02630672.2014.909149

Membership of professional bodies

Health & Care Professions Council (Arts Therapist)
Full Member of the British Association of Dramatherapy
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy No. PR088771

Professional interests

Dramatherapy
Drama Education
Play
Arts in Health

Qualifications

Diploma in Neuro Dramatic Play 2017-18
Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education University of Derby 2015
Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Institute of Education, University of Warwick 2006-2012
Part I- Introduction to Family & Systemic Therapy NHS Birmingham
Post Graduate Diploma Dramatherapy, University of Hertfordshire, 1994-1996
MA Educational Theatre, University of Leeds 1990-92
BA (Hons) Drama, Bretton Hall College, 1985-88

Recent conferences

2020 Creativity in a New Educational Climate University of Bolton. Play, Space & the Classroom. Creating Creative Liminal Spaces
2019 Building Bridges in Applied Arts & Health, University of Wolverhampton (Telford) UK
2018 North American Drama Therapy Association Conference Kansas City USA
2016 European Dramatherapy Conference - Romania

Experience in industry

I am a Health and Care Profession Council Registered Dramatherapist with 25 years post qualifying experience, having worked in a range of clinical and non-clinical settings with a very broad range of clients throughout my career. This includes adults and children with severe learning disabilities and challenging behavior, adults and children with severe mental health problems, and older people with memory loss and dementia. I have specialized over the last few years in working with children in such areas as autism, ADHD and a range of learning disabilities and mental health problems, especially with children in the looked after system who are unable or unwilling to communicate verbally. Prior to this, I have ten years of experience as a drama teacher and facilitator.

I joined the University of Derby in 2014 as a Senior Lecturer and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2019.

In the media

International experience

Member of International Editorial Board for Creative Arts in Education and Therapy
Co-Editor of Three International Handbooks on Dramatherapy, Play and Storytelling incoprproating almost 100 chapters from colleagues across the world.
Attendance at The North American Dramatherapy Conference, Kansas City, Missouri USA 2018
Workshop at the European Dramatherapy Conference in Romania in 2016
Teaching at the Univeristy of Ghent in Belgium 2016 as apart of Erasmus Exhchange
Training on disabilities to fostering agencies in Sofia Bulgaria 2006 and 2007

Teaching responsibilities

I teach across the MA Dramatherapy and BA (Hons) Creative Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing and doctoral programmes. I am also an Academic writer and researcher.

Additional interests and activities

2019- Present: Chair Research Arts & Wellbeing Cluster University of Derby
2019- Present: External Examiner MA Dramatherapy Anglia Ruskin University
2019- Present: Member of the British Association of Dramatherapists Research Sub-committee
2019- Present: Editorial Advisory Board Journal of the British Association of Dramatherapists
2019- Present: Ethics Committee Member – University of Derby
2016- Present: Editorial Advisory Board for Creative Arts in Education and Therapy
2003- Present: Chair - Open Stage Theatre (Voluntary)
2005-2008: Member of the British Association of Dramatherapist Charity Working party
1998-2003: Chairperson Jigsaw Youth Theatre, Registered Charity (Voluntary)
2001-2004: Member of the British Association of Dramatherapists NHS subcommittee
1998 -2000: Member of National Arts Therapies Research Committee

A University of Derby arts therapy student sitting on a theatre floor surrounded by coloured silk scarves

The power of play and drama for the Covid-19 generation

Dr Clive Holmwood, Associate Professor in Dramatherapy at the University of Derby discusses how dramatherapy and play based approaches can help with the emotional impact on the Covid-19 generation.

Posted: 9 September 2020

By: Dr Clive Holmwood