Mental Health and the Arts: Helping Kids Express Emotions Through Drama

Conversations around mental health are growing louder—and for good reason. With young people facing increasing levels of anxiety, stress, and emotional uncertainty, schools are being called upon to nurture not only the minds of their students but their hearts as well.

At Drama Ties, we believe drama isn’t just about performance. It’s a powerful tool to help people explore their feelings, build empathy, and find their voice in a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming.

🎭 Drama as a Safe Space

Drama offers something many children don’t always get in their daily lives: a safe, imaginative space where they can try on emotions, navigate difficult scenarios, and explore perspectives that aren't their own. When a student steps into a role, they’re not just pretending—they're practicing empathy, gaining emotional awareness, and often processing things they don’t yet have the words to express.

Through guided role-play, storytelling, and character exploration, students can:

• Act out real-life challenges in a safe, supportive environment

• Explore emotional responses without fear of judgment

• Learn that it’s okay to feel, to fail, and to try again

• Understand how others might think or feel differently

  
  

💬 “That Character Felt How I Feel…”

One of the most powerful moments we witness during our school tours is when a student connects with a character onstage. Whether it’s a story about friendship struggles, family tension, or overcoming fear, we often hear students say things like, “That’s how I feel sometimes,” or “That happened to my friend.”

These moments of recognition can be profoundly validating. They tell students: You’re not alone. Others feel this way, too.

🛠 Drama Builds Emotional Literacy

Drama helps build the vocabulary of emotion. Through activities like:

• “Emotion walks” where students move like different feelings (e.g., anger, joy, sadness)

• Hot-seating, where a student is interviewed as a character feeling something deeply

• Improvised scenes that explore scenarios like friendship dilemmas or bullying

…students not only name emotions—they begin to understand and manage them.

This emotional literacy can lead to better classroom behavior, stronger relationships, and even improved academic performance.

🧠 Backed by Research

The connection between the arts and mental wellbeing isn’t just anecdotal—it’s supported by research. Studies have shown that creative expression through drama and other art forms can reduce anxiety, improve self-esteem, and help young people feel more connected to their peers.

Drama helps the brain process emotions by engaging imagination, movement, and storytelling—all of which stimulate different areas of the brain associated with emotional regulation and empathy.

✨ What We Aim to Do

In every production we bring to schools, we intentionally include themes that invite conversation and connection. Whether it’s about managing big feelings, resolving conflict, or simply being kind to yourself and others, we want our performances to be more than entertainment—we want them to be a spark for growth.

We also provide follow-up resources for teachers to keep the conversation going in the classroom.

🙌 How You Can Support Drama for Mental Health

• Encourage reflection after performances. Ask open-ended questions like “How do you think that character felt?” or “Have you ever felt that way?”

• Integrate drama into everyday learning. You don’t need to be an actor—just offer space for students to express, imagine, and explore.

• Advocate for the arts in your school. Drama isn't a “nice to have”—it’s a need to have for many students' emotional development.

Drama isn’t just play—it’s practice for life. In a time when many young people are struggling silently, the arts can give them a voice. Whether it’s through the stories we bring to the stage or the characters they bring to life in class, drama helps them feel seen, heard, and understood.

At Drama Ties

, we’re proud to be part of that journey.