Towards unity: Creating a shared definition of dramatherapy within the European Federation of Dramatherapy (EFD)

Dramatherapy is practised within Europe across diverse cultural contexts and a wide range of professional settings. To promote greater alignment in the profession’s profile, the European Federation of Dramatherapy (EFD) established a working group to coordinate collaboration among its member associations. However, this proved challenging and to avoid continuing disputes over educational prerequisites, the group prioritized creating a broadly agreed definition of dramatherapy. This article argues that such a definition, when clearly articulated and widely endorsed, strengthens the profession internally by providing a foundation for professional standards, curriculum design and the systematic advancement of knowledge. Externally, it fosters interprofessional collaboration, facilitates clearer communication with clients and supports dialogue with policy-makers, thereby contributing to recognition and legitimization of the field. The article details the methodological process undertaken, the challenges encountered and the eventual unanimous ratification of the definition by EFD members in 2025. The definition identifies dramatherapy’s distinctive qualities: intersubjective engagement, creative exploration and playfulness as catalysts for transformation; a commitment to holistic health and well-being and adaptability to both independent practice and multidisciplinary contexts. The inclusive process demonstrated that professional unity can be achieved without diminishing the diversity of traditions, methodologies and cultural perspectives represented within the EFD. Further refinement of the agreed definition has the potential to strengthen the articulation of the professional attributes and expertise essential to the practice of dramatherapy, thereby providing a more solid foundation for achieving consensus on a comprehensive professional profile.