Located in Cairo, Egypt, Ben is Executive Director of Daward Arts. He has also worked as a drama therapist at The Freedom Theatre in Jenin, Palestine and Living Arts Counseling Centre in Oakland, California.

Ben has a Masters in Counselling Psychology with a specialization in Drama Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies and is an Accredited Playback Theatre Trainer (APTT)

Ben has over 20 years of combined experience as a social worker, drama therapist, educator and social entrepreneur. He has practiced and taught in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America, working extensively with communities impacted by violence, trauma and adversity. In Cairo, Ben leads interventions for refugees, while also training and supervises community workers and mental health clinicians.

CLINICAL POPULATION:

• People displaced by war
• People impacted by political violence
• General population

DRAMA THERAPY APPROACH:

• Psychodrama
• Therapeutic Spiral Model
• Embodied Internal Family Systems
• Playback Theatre
• Theatre of the Oppressed

APPROACH TO WORKING WITH STUDENTS:

• Supports students in leading embodied and inclusive encounters with groups and communities
• Draws from trauma-informed and somatic approaches
• Incorporates elements of psychodrama, playback theatre, theatre of the oppressed and internal family systems
• Supports students in considering the larger sociopolitical and systemic issues that impact individual and community health and wellbeing

COURSES & TRAINING OFFERED: Various applied drama training programs at Dawar Arts can be found on their Facebook page

Explore Cairo, Egypt ⟱