Drama-Based Therapy and Emotional Healing Among Displaced Persons in IDP Camps in Maiduguri

This study examines the application of drama-based therapy in facilitating emotional healing among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps in Maiduguri, Borno State, North East Nigeria. The prolonged insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin has generated hundreds of thousands of IDPs, many of whom suffer from post-traumatic stress, grief, and social disconnection. Drama-based therapy, which uses structured dramatic activities including storytelling, role-play, and expressive movement, offers a non-pharmacological approach to psychological recovery. The research evaluates drama-based interventions implemented by humanitarian organisations in two IDP camps, drawing on participant interviews, facilitator reports, and observational data. The study finds that drama-based activities provided displaced persons with structured opportunities for emotional expression, mutual support, and narrative re-authoring of traumatic experiences. Participants reported reduced feelings of isolation and increased social connectedness following drama sessions. However, the research notes that cultural and linguistic sensitivity in programme design is essential, as some dramatic conventions were initially unfamiliar to participants. The study concludes that drama-based therapy holds significant potential for trauma recovery among displaced populations. It recommends formal training of humanitarian workers in applied drama techniques. Keywords: drama therapy, internally displaced persons, trauma healing, Maiduguri, humanitarian arts.