Overview
Claire Schrader founded Making Moves in 1997 in London and developed the Sunflower Effect over a 20 year period. Her approach is one of the fastest ways for shy, reserved and introverted people to break out of their shell and develop a natural self-confidence.
It combines an adapted form of dramatherapy with the most effective personal development tools for building confidence.
Claire holds a B.A., M.A. and a distinction from the Institute of Dramatherapy at Roehampton (U.K.).
She won awards for her first play Corryvreckan, and over the years she has been featured in Marie-Claire (Malaysia), Kindred Spirit, Positive Health, and Counselling News, on Sky TV, BBC World Services and Radio 4
She has pioneered numerous performance projects over the years, including an innovative therapeutic theatre project funded by the Arts for Everyone Lottery Scheme working with disadvantaged young people.
For six years she was the Co-ordinator of the Performance Programme at The Studio Upstairs (London).
Her wide-ranging career also includes periods working as a business development manager for an American barter company, a playwright, an alternative cabaret performer and a trainer of actors.
Books Published
Claire is author of From Wallflower to Sunflower, the quiet person’s path to natural self-confidence (2017) and editor of Ritual Theatre: the power of dramatic ritual in personal development groups and clinical practice published by Jessica Kingsley (2011).
She has contributed to Emotions: experiences in existential psychotherapy and life by Freddie Strasser (Duckworth) and the Routledge International Handbook of Dramatherapy edited by Sue Jennings and Clive Holmwood
Biographical Snapshot
Born in London
Trained as a nurse at King College Hospital 1973-77
B.A. Hons. in English Literature (Sheffield University) 1977- 80
M.A. in Drama (Leeds University) 1981
Trained at the Actors Institute in Viola Spolin methods (Andy Harmon) Keith Johnstone Improv (John Muirhead)
Postgraduate Diploma in Dramatherapy (Roehampton Institute) 1995 (Distinction)
| Year | Experience Type |
|---|---|
| 1982-1986 | Acting Experience Worked in theatre, theatre-in-education, small scale touring and experimental theatre. Companies include Thorndike Theatre (Leatherhead), Gemini Productions & Newcastle Theatre Workshop. |
| 1983-1987 | Alternative Cabaret Created and performed solo cabaret act “La Dame de Flamme, the fire-eating ballerina” at numerous venues and events. Including Oxford balls, Royal fundraising event attended by H.M. Queen Elizabeth. Featured in the press, women’s magazines (She, Woman’s World and Women’s Realm) and Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour |
| 1990- 1991 | First play: Corryverckan Awarded Royalty Supplement Grant by Arts Council for first play Corryvreckan, produced at the Old Red Lion Theatre. Shortlisted for Best Play, nominated for Best Director and Best Sound Design, won Best Actress Award (Julia Tarnoky) at the 1991 Charrington Fringe Theatre Awards. |
| 1991-1992 | Business development manager Active Media Services |
| 1993 -1994 | Theatre Work Commissioned work One Two Three The Firebird (Single Step Theatre Co 1993.) Midnight Madness at the Rhumba Bar (Odyssey Opera Productions 1994). |
| 1994-2001 | Work in Drama Schools Guest writer at RADA.(June 1995) Trainer of acting students at London Academy of the Performing Arts. (Autumn Term 1994-2001) and at Guildford School of Acting. (Autumn – Summer Term 1994/5). Director of two devised projects with postgraduate and second-year students. Visiting Lecturer at the Royal College of Music (Opera Dept), and the City Literary Institute, London. |
| 1992-1995 | Dramatherapy Training Graduate Diploma in Dramatherapy – Distinction (Roehampton Institute 1995) |
| 1996-2002 | Studio Upstairs – Diorama Arts Co-ordinator of the performance programme for members of the Studio Upstairs, an art and drama studio with a therapeutic concern. Facilitated numerous devised performances in Diorama Theatre around themes from King Lear, Alice in Wonderland, Pantomime Fairy Stories, Poetry, Nativity myth. (August 1996 to May 2002) |
| 1997-2012 | Founded Making Moves Developed and lead personal development workshops and courses in London. Dramatherapy-based but evolved a unique style. Also ran courses in Crete, France, San Francisco and Santa Cruz, USA and for Alternatives at St James. |
| 1997 -1998 | Therapeutic Theatre Project “Life Story”, an innovative therapeutic theatre project funded by the Arts for Everyone Lottery Scheme for with disadvantaged young people. Based at Hammersmith Unemployed Workers Centre. |
| 1999-2003 | Regents College Teaching Taught at Regents College School of Psychotherapy and Counselling on Short Courses and contributed to the existential psychotherapist, Freddie Strasser’s book Emotions: Experiences in Existential Psychotherapy and Life. |
| 2000 | Play: A Gathering of Birds Produced at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2000 by Wise Part Productions. |
| 2000 | Shamanic Practitioner’s Training 1-year training with Eagles Wing in tribal healing methods |
| 2007-2009 | Practitioners Training in Creative Expression Launched in 2007, training in the Making Moves method. |
| 2008-2010 | Making Moves in the Bay Area of California Workshops, courses and individual sessions at numerous locations. |
| 2000-2012 | European Workshops Workshops in Rotterdam, Lisbon & Skyros (Greece) |
| 2011 | Ritual Theatre Book published Editor of Ritual Theatre: the power of dramatic ritual in personal development groups and clinical practice published by Jessica Kingsley November 15th 2011. Featuring contributors from UK and US. Book launches in London and California |
| 2016 | International Handbook of Dramatherapy. Contributed chapter “Breaking Through the Walls of Shyness: Overcoming Shyness, Self-Consciousness and Social Anxiety Through Dramatherapy” to the Routledge International Handbook of Dramatherapy. |
| 2017 | From Wallflower to Sunflower published Book From Wallflower to Sunflower, the quiet person’s path to natural self-confidence Book launch in 2017. Feature in |
| 2019 | BBC World Service Featured in “Why Am I Shy”, where a BBC World Services producer and presenter recorded parts of a Finding Your Voice Session |
| 2021 | Sunflower Effect Confidence Course Leader Training Launch of the Foundation Training |
Claire Schrader is a member of the British Association for Drama Therapists (BADth) https://badth.org.uk/ and is registered as an Arts Therapist with the HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council)
