Why Playful Shadows?

There is an old Chinese legend dating back to the Han dynasty. Emperor Han Wudi was heartbroken at the sudden passing of his beloved wife. As the Emperor’s advisor pondered the best way to revive the Emperor’s spirits, he came upon children playing in the courtyard with parasols under the midday sun. Their simple parasols cast shadows that were so lifelike, he was struck with an illuminating idea. That night, the advisor invited the Emperor to the courtyard for a special performance; there he conjured the likeness of the late Empress with such mastery that the Emperor’s heart swelled with joy and began to heal. Shadow Puppetry became a staple in his kingdom from that moment on.

At Playful Shadows, we use drama therapy to foster connection and healing to support clients through life’s challenges that might cast deep shadows and transform some of the scariness into something one can manage and even play with.

It’s like Mr. Rogers said: “Anything that is human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be manageable.”

Meet the Therapist

I’m Erica Lee, a multi-racial registered drama therapist with over 10 years of experience working with kids and families. I am a level 1 Developmental Transformations (DvT) trainee supervised by an DvT practitioner and I often use DvT in sessions. Other modalities I utilize include sand tray techniques, mindfulness, therapeutic art making and creative movement. I strongly believe in the power of play at any age!

I am a fierce advocate for equity and access for all races, religions and identities in therapy spaces. All are welcomed here.

I grew up in Singapore and have now lived in the US for 10 years! I’ve loved bringing a multi-cultural perspective to everything I do. I live with our adorable pitbull Diplo, two kitties Sora and Sonya, and many plants. I enjoy getting out in nature as much as I can with my husband Nathan and our community of friends.

(supervision for Erica Lee provided by Desley Wells, LCSW and Kat Lee, RDT-BCT, CCLS, DvT)



  • Registered Drama Therapist, BIPOC Research Committee member (North American Drama Therapy Association), Program Consultant.

    Some topics I work with: complex trauma, PTSD, LGBTQIA+, anxiety, depression, general worries, navigating cultural identity and more

Publications & Community Work

  • Past publications and current research:

    • Co-creator of Mental Health community program for low income and indigenous populations throughout the whole of Malaysia developed for HOPEworldwide Malaysia. The program “Struggles to Strength” will run until end Dec 2024. Program target is 1000 beneficiaries. HWW Malaysia: https://www.hopeww.org.my/ (May 2023)

    • Developed and led an 8-week community engagement process group with Asian-American youth at the Chinese American Association of Minnesota’s Chinese Dance Theatre. Groups explored experiences with anti-Asian hate, identity and sense of belonging, effects of racial trauma and the power of storytelling through the use of creative arts modalities, especially dance movement (Summer 2021)

    • Invited guest lecturer on the use of creative arts and trauma-focused inquiry to work with trauma in schools at Webster University’s school psychology program course EPSY 5952 Children, Trauma, and Crisis Intervention, led by Dr. Debbie Stiles (February, 2021).

    • Presented research with colleagues at the 2017 Webster Education Conference: The Trump Effect: Exploring How Post-Election Hatred is Addressed in Schools

    • North American Drama Therapy BIPOC Research Subcommittee team member (2022-current)

    • North American Drama Therapy Association member (2018-current)

    • Special Olympics Missouri: ALPs University (2015-2020) Developed curriculum for the Leadership for Life Major using applied drama, storytelling and improvisational theatre, including social skills and self-advocacy training;

      Taught at 2016 and 2018 weekend-long ALPs Universities; co-teach Improvisational Theatre and Storytelling for self-advocacy courses at SOMO weekend camps every 2-3 months in 2019.

    • Singapore Health Promotion Board, Mental Health Department: Developed and team-led “Gather Together”, bilingual forum theatre workshops over an 8-week period dealing with intergenerational communication issues within the senior citizen community and their families (Internship, 2010).

What is drama therapy?

Drama therapy is an embodied form that uses components of theater — such as performance, storytelling, movement and improvisation — as tools for healing.

Drama therapy sessions can include music, live performance, storytelling, videography, rituals and art making to facilitate growth and move through the ups and downs of life.


What is developmental transformations (DvT)?

Developmental Transformations (DvT) is a drama therapy modality that uses embodied, experiential improvisation and play to move through feelings that are not always easy to verbalize. DvT supports humans of all ages in increasing flexibility and resilience in daily life. I like to think of it as mini “rehearsals for life” in each session!  

Mutuality and restraint from real harm is always held in the DvT playspace and this space is co-created during each session. A session may centre around a repeating story or a completely different journey each time one enters the playspace!

If you’d prefer a visual explanation of DvT, click the button below to watch a live demonstration.

Connect with Erica