Jason Frydman

Associate Professor, Expressive Therapies

617.349.8911

Jason S. Frydman, PhD, RCT/BCT, NCSP is associate professor of expressive therapies at Lesley University where he teaches in the doctoral expressive therapies program and co-chairs the university's institutional review board. He is a registered drama therapist/board certified trainer with the North American Drama Therapy Association, a nationally certified school psychologist with the National Association of School Psychologists, and licensed psychologist (GA). Dr. Frydman is the founder and lead researcher of the Collaborative for Creative Arts Therapies in Schools (C-CATIS), based at Lesley. He serves as the associate editor for general topics for Translational Issues in Psychological Science and sits on the editorial boards of Drama Therapy Review and School Psychology Review. Research interests include creative arts therapies in schools, research issues in the creative arts therapies, mental health literacy, and school-based trauma-informed practices. He has served as NADTA conference co-chair, communications chair, and is immediate-past research chair. He is an invited and initial member of the Mental Health Literacy Collaborative and served on the advisory board for the Foundation for Jewish Camping.

Professional service

Jason is active in professional service, including

Co-chair of the North American Drama Therapy Association Conference (2012)
North American Drama Therapy Association Communications Chair (2012-2015) and Research Chair (2019-2021)
Guest co-editor of the Drama Therapy Review (DTR) special issue: Drama Therapy in the Schools (5.1)
Current editorial boards include the Drama Therapy Review, School Psychology Review, and Translational Issues in Psychological Science

Select Publications

Eisenbach, B. B., & Frydman, J. S. (2023). “What are we doing?”: Teacher role confusion in mental health literacy instruction. Teaching and Teacher Education, 132, 104236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104236

Frydman, J. S., & Mayor, C. (2023). A scoping review on the use and potential of school-based drama therapy to enhance socio-emotional skills in early childhood. Early Childhood Education Journal, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01471-1

Eisenbach, B. B., & Frydman, J. S. (Eds.) (2022). Fostering mental health literacy through adolescent literature. Rowman & Littlefield.

Frydman, J. S., Cook, A., Rowe, C., Armstrong, C., & Kern, C. (2022). The drama therapy core processes: A Delphi study establishing a North American perspective. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 101939, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2022.101939

Frydman, J. S., Hyman, S., & Caputo, S. (2022). Creative arts therapy in the United States school system: An integrative systematic review of empirically evaluated research from the past decade. Psychology in the Schools, 59(3), 535-556. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22629

Frydman, J. S., & Mayor, C. (2021). Implementation of drama therapy services in the North American school system: Responses from the field. Psychology in the Schools, 58(6), 955-974. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22481

Mayor, C., & Frydman, J. S. (2021). Understanding school-based drama therapy through the core processes: An analysis of intervention vignettes. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 101766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2021.101766

Frydman, J. S., & Pitre, R. (2019). Utilizing an embodied, play-based intervention to reduce occupational stress for teachers. Drama Therapy Review, 5(1), 139-155. https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr.5.1.139_1

Armstrong, C. R., Frydman, J. S., & Wood, S. (2019). Prominent themes in drama therapy effectiveness research. Drama Therapy Review, 5(2), 173-216. https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00002_1

Armstrong, C. R., Frydman, J. S., & Rowe, C. (2019). A snapshot of empirical research in drama therapy: Conducting a general review of the literature. GMS Journal of Art Therapies, 1(2), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3205/jat000002

Select Presentations

Cook, A., & Frydman, J. S. (2023, May).Building a bridge between theory and outcome: A North American perspective of operationalizing the core processes in drama therapy. Paper presentation for the 6^thEuropean Federation of Dramatherapy + 1^st World Alliance of Drama Therapy Conference, Amersfoort, Netherlands

Eisenbach, B. B., & Frydman, J. S. (2023, April). Facilitating mental health literacy through adolescent literature: Understanding the middle school teacher experience. Paper session for the 2023 American Education Research Association Conference, Chicago, IL

Eisenbach, B. B., & Frydman, J. S. (2022, November). Facilitating mental health literacy through adolescent literature. Paper presentation for the 2022 Association for Middle Level Education Annual Conference, Orlando, FL

Frydman, J. S., Cook, A. Rowe, C., Griffiths, J., & Kern, C. (2021, October). Research resources: Projects and tools from the NADTA Research Committee. Symposium, 42nd Annual North American Drama Therapy Association Conference, Virtual

Frydman, J. S., Waldon, E., Cruz, R., & McNutt, J. (2021, August). The creative arts therapies: Research – foundations and future. Symposium, APA Division 10, 129^th Convention of the American Psychological Association, Virtual

Eisenbach, B. B., Frydman, J. S., & Wilson, J. (2021, February). Adolescent literature and mental health: A path toward normalization. Paper presentation accepted for the 118th New England Association of Teachers of English, Virtual

Frydman, J. S., Savage, M., Feniger-Schaal, R., Pitre, R., Williams, B., Cook, A., & Reynolds, A. (2020, November). A panel discussion on research narratives in drama therapy: Investigating emerging perspectives. Panel discussion for the 41st Annual North American Drama Therapy Association Conference, Virtual

Frydman, J. S. (2019, October). Drama therapy in the schools: Promoting embodied mental health supports for students. Paper presentation given at the2019 New York Association of School Psychologists, Syracuse, NY

Frydman, J. S., Baker, C. N., & Overstreet, S. (2019, August). Assessing the association between teachers’ self-regulation strategies and self-efficacy. Poster presentation given at the 127^th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, IL

Frydman, J. S. (2019, March). Introduction to a trauma-informed approach: A framework for summer camp orientation. Paper presentation given at the 2019Foundation for Jewish Camping Mental Health and Thriving at Camp: Train-the-Trainer Symposium, New York, NY

Mayor, C. & Frydman, J. S. (2018, June). An introduction to trauma-informed drama therapy with early adolescents. Paper Presentation given at the2018 Trauma Talks Conference: Bridging Brain and Body with Trauma-Informed Care, Toronto, ON, Canada

Frydman, J. S. (2018, April). Social, emotional, and cognitive ramifications of trauma exposure among early adolescents: A primer. Paper presentation given at the2018 New York Mental Health Counselor Association, Albany, NY

Education

PhD in School Psychology, Fordham University

Post-Graduate Certificate, Institute for the Arts in Psychotherapy

MA in Drama Therapy, New York University

BFA in English and Textual Studies & Theater, Syracuse University