JEDDAH: A drama therapy workshop was recently organized under the theme: “In drama we find the power to express, and in expression we find the power to heal,” at Cinema Al-Balad in Jeddah.

Led by Lujain Faqerah, senior psychologist and creative arts supervisor, in collaboration with actor and screenwriter Abdul Al-Shareef, the workshop explored the use of drama therapy in daily life and creative work.

Participants, including therapists, creatives, and others, learned how drama can support emotional awareness, healing, and connection.

The workshop showed how drama-based therapeutic techniques can help people access unconscious behaviors, foster self-expression, and improve creative practices such as screenwriting and acting.

Faqerah told Arab News: “Drama is integrated naturally in our daily responses and situations. In a therapeutic setting, it helps us observe these interactions and reflect on a deeper level of our unconscious body gestures and movements that might reveal a lot about our personalities.”

She made it clear that drama therapy is not about performing but about expressing what lies beneath — emotions, memories, or internal conflicts.

Faqerah said: “The word drama has a negative connotation to the extent that people reject it before trying. Drama therapy does not depend on acting skills or previous experience, but more on your self-expression and the challenges you experience.”

Her discovery of drama therapy was transformative. “It surprised me with the appearance of a hidden part of me that is more bold and confident. When this part emerged and I saw the benefits myself, I started incorporating it in my profession.”

Al-Shareef brought a creative perspective as an actor and screenwriter new to drama therapy but interested in its techniques.

“As an actor and a writer, I found this experiment with drama supervision and therapy fascinating. It’s a tool that I am willing to explore and learn more about to enhance my life and practice,” he said.

“Some people may think drama therapy is exclusively for artists, but it’s not. The techniques can be integrated into everyday routines, varying from person to person depending on their challenges.”

JEDDAH: Marine researchers from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have discovered that gall crabs use highly evolved fluorescence to help conceal themselves within coral hideouts.

Susanne Bahr, a KAUST marine science doctoral student, observed that gall crabs fluoresce during night dives, according to a recent report.

Bahr said: “I had been working with these crabs for some time, so this observation was intriguing. I started reading about fluorescence.

“It’s well-studied in reef fish, which have many functions, but less is known about fluorescence in crustaceans. Crabs and shrimps are very diverse, so I wondered if similar patterns occur in crustaceans as in fish.”

Bahr and colleagues collected 286 gall crabs from 14 genera, sampling from all known host coral genera in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

They developed an imaging technique to identify which parts of the crabs fluoresced and how much. They also performed a morphological analysis and built an evolutionary tree based on genomic sequencing.

Gall crabs do more than just live among corals: they have a strong symbiotic relationship. Some invertebrates hide in coral branches and crevices, but for gall crabs, the connection is deeper, the report said.

The researchers suggest that fluorescence evolved in various gall crab species to help camouflage them in their coral dwellings. Different species inhabit different coral structures — such as open tunnels or enclosed galls — and their fluorescence patterns influence their visibility.

Bahr gave an example of a species living in cylindrical coral pits. “The back of the crab sticks out slightly. Its fluorescence pattern disrupts its outline, disguising its shape.”

Francesca Benzoni, Bahr’s supervisor at KAUST, emphasized the importance of understanding coral reef ecosystems. “Gall crabs are among many invertebrates living with corals on tropical reefs,” she said.

Benzoni added: “Much remains to be discovered about cryptic and poorly studied reef invertebrates, their biology, ecological role, and their contribution to coral reef resilience in the Red Sea and worldwide.”

Bahr said: “I want my research to highlight the importance of coral-associated invertebrates and their role in coral reef ecosystems.”

“They are often overlooked, and we need to understand their abundance, reasons for presence, and their role in reef persistence and resilience.”