Bobbi Kidder, M.A., RDT, BCT

Visiting Faculty, School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy

Summary of Education and Relevant Experience

B.A. University of Northern Colorado, M.A. California State University Los Angeles.

Bobbi has served on the Executive Committee of the National Association for Drama Therapy and currently serves on the board of the Drama Therapy Fund. She previously taught at Rogue Community College and served as Executive Director of Southern Oregon Impact Theatre.

Affiliations

Registered Drama Therapist, National Association for Drama Therapy.
Board Certified Trainer, National Association for Drama Therapy

Selected Publications

ImaginACTION: Activities that allow students to get up on their feet and moving! Fort Collins: Cottonwood Press, 1995. Second Edition 2002; Third Edition 2009

Big Window. New York: Writers’ Club, 2002.

Articles

Kidder, B. Review. Sally Bailey’s Barrier Free Theatre for Arts and Psychotherapy. Fall, 2011

Kidder, B. Review. Robert Landry’s The Couch and the Stage for Arts and Psychotherapy. Fall 2008.

Kidder, B. “Healing Through Action” Focal Point, A National Bulletin on Family Support and Children's Mental Health; spring 2002. (3-6)(Online at http://www.rtc.pdx.edu/FPinHTML/FocalPointFA01/pgFPfa01Healing.shtml)

Kidder, B. “Healing Through Action” Dramascope, New York: Fall, 2002.

Full Length Plays

Kidder, B. Of America I Sing: the Epiphany of Walt Whitman, 1987, produced via grants from Oregon Committee for the Humanities and The Carpenter Foundation. Archived in Impact Collection.

Kidder, B. Private Interlude of Eleanor Roosevelt. 1995. In cooperation with American Association of University Women and Rogue Community College. Archived in Impact Collection.

Kidder, B. Blinding Shadows, 2006. Collaboration between Impact Theatre and RCC. Archived in Impact Collection.

Video

What You Want. 1995. Archived in Impact Collection. Ask for More. 1998 Archived in Impact Collection. PSAs 1999-2002 Archived in Impact Collection and online at www.listenup.org

Honors

2011 - Received the David West 7th Generation Diversity Award

2008 – Governor’s Award for Community Service Organization – Drug Court Theatre

2001 - Asante` Foundation (Southern Oregon Healthcare system) Spears Award for Excellence in Education

2001 - Southern Oregon Adolescent Training and Treatment Center - Child Advocate Award

2000 - National Corrections Film and Video Festival- Award for Best PSA (Worked with Youth to produce the PSA through funding from Listen UP!)

Philosophy

I base my approach to drama therapy on intention. This is different from other types of acting and theatre because here the primary intention is service. When Albert Einstein said that imagination is more important than knowledge, he recognized that developing imagination creates a powerful tool. We serve our clients by helping them develop that tool. Between what happens and our response to it, there is a moment of choice; in that moment we find our potential for growth, movement, and creative thinking. We can use imagination to see ourselves differently, to find new options and get unstuck from behaviors that cripple mobility. Rehearsing new behaviors through role-play, for example, may help someone choose a positive option, rather than negative responses. In my approach to drama therapy, I see us planting seeds of hope so that audience members and clients can recognize and utilize productive options.

Contact Information

School of Applied Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy
206-268-4810
E-mail