Theater of care 

By Marion Lynch, PDHSc, RN, RMN, University of West London 

I was sitting with a young man in a mental health unit, waiting and waiting in what we nurses call sympathetic presence. He’d stopped talking to anyone and our team discussed suicide risk and the need for observation. As I sat quietly beside him, he whispered, “I don’t want to vanish.” That small, fragile sentence became the anchor for his care plan. It wasn’t just about medication or safety—it was about seeing him as a person, not just a patient. 

Moments like this reveal the importance of truly hearing those we care for. Every patient carries a story that matters. Listening deeply to those stories is how we move from routine care to exceptional care. 

Mental health nurses and all healthcare professionals do a tremendous amount of work that remains invisible. The quiet perseverance of deescalating a frightened person at midnight, or the moral injury of witnessing a system fail someone in need, often goes unseen. 

Theater and seeing patients as people

Transitioning to my work in theatre: Human Story Theatre (HST) was founded in 2016 to address health and social issues often too difficult to show in any way other than the arts—HST brings these hidden truths to light. The founders, actors who previously provided patient role play for medical education, understood that medicine—and nursing—needed more ways to connect with humanity. 

These theater productions remind us that behind every diagnosis, there’s a human voice longing to be heard—we just need to hear it. 

Drawing on the authentic words of patients, nurses, and clinicians, Human Story Theatre transforms lived experience into performance. Theatre becomes a new kind of clinical lens—one that highlights not just the science of care, but its humanity. One play, “Dry” told the story of hidden alcoholism in an average family and was written in partnership with those who have lived this experience. An evolving play, “Shift,” focuses on the invisible skills of mental health nurses. The content is built from interviews with nurses and patients, using music and dance to show, not tell, how power is shared in the therapeutic relationship. 

Crucially, what makes Human Story Theatre distinctive is that the story doesn’t end with the curtain call. After every show, a Q&A session invites patients, nurses, doctors, trainees, and community members to sit together—no hierarchy, no titles—and talk openly about what they’ve witnessed and learned. These conversations spark honest reflection, challenge assumptions, and generate ideas for better care. 

In all plays, audience members leave performances moved, sometimes unsettled, always reflective. “I felt I was there.” “I now know what to say.” Some take their learning further, becoming community champions for the specific topic of the play. 

Theatre doesn’t tell people what to do. It gives the public information needed to challenge stigma and change behavior, and clinicians the space to reconnect with their purpose—not only to treat illness, but to care for people. 

How can we make sure we see the patient as a person every day?  

1. Start by asking, “What matters most to you today?” This shifts the focus from illness to identity—the person becoming the main player in this piece. 

2. Notice your own emotions during encounters, as actors do; naming feelings prevents them from leaking unhelpfully into the interaction. 

3. Create moments for reflection with colleagues, even two minutes after a patient encounter, to explore what part you played in the conversation. 

4. Finally, stay curious—a simple “Tell me more,” as in improv, can open the door to a story that transforms both your understanding and your care. 

Human Story Theatre exists to entertain, raise public awareness, and stimulate healthcare professionals to reflect on giving exceptional care to every patient. It reminds us that medicine isn’t just about protocols and outcomes—it’s about stories. And every time we truly hear those stories, we step closer to the kind of care that drew us to medicine and nursing in the first place. 

Click here to read more about the author. 

This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.