Meet The Therapist: Alfred (Al) Vautour, MSW LICSW, RDT

Al, a licensed independent social worker and a registered drama therapist, has worked with children and adults in various capacities over 20 years including: in-school counseling, Youth Fire-Setters, Emergency Service Professionals, Immigrants and specializes with children on the Autism Spectrum.

As an artist and as a clinician Al is committed to the central place of play, drama and story in the lives of his clients. He strives to assist individuals in accessing their stories through play and drama, always looking toward their existing strengths and emerging skills to bring about solutions to their challenges. Though specializing in Drama Therapy, his work is supported and informed by the wide use of expressive arts therapies and as such strives to pair the best modalities to the needs of his clients. Al is also a DBT trained therapist.

Question: How did you get into this field?

I entered my undergraduate studies desperately wanting to make plenty of money. Then I had my first accounting class and knew it would never make me happy. I was fortunate to fall under the mentoring of a Social Work professor at Salem State who encouraged my finding my voice and strengths in working with people. I had participated in drama in high school and showed some promise, but it was a late addition only discovering it during my junior year so I didn't see it as foundational at that time. However, as I continued through graduate school I found that I continually volunteered for every role play offered to me. I was beginning to understand drama might be a part of life as a professional. It  wasn't until after I completed my masters program that I learned that there was discipline called Psychodrama and later Drama Therapy. When an alternate certification program emerge in Boston I immediately signed up and became certified in Drama Therapy.”

Question: How do you incorporate the arts into your counseling practice?

“I always think of Drama Therapy as a means of deep practice/play. I couple these two as I believe practice and play are crucial in building skills. Practice holds the nuts and bolts of what people are working to improve upon. In relating to theater it reminds me of blocking or stage directions. As I was taught, again at Salem State (this time their theater program), if blocking is done well no words are needed to convey the story of the play. As a result I know what I'm aiming for. Then comes play or improvisation. As children we learn skills and generalize them through play as it breeds flexibility, creativity and innovation. The combination of these two practices allows a participant a more integrated learning and a chance to pursue mastery. In addition to this I borrow from a myriad of Expressive Therapies to support or catalyze the clients work.

Question: What ways do you enjoy an 'artful life'?

“At the moment I am in process of work-shopping a one-man show around the issue of bullying. I also look for storytelling venues to satisfy my theater cravings.”