This year, Emmanuel is pleased to welcome Amanda Ludeking. Here’s what she has to say by way of introduction. 
My first experience with theater and the arts was in the fifth grade, when a theater company came to my school to help us put on a play about recycling. I don’t remember the show’s title or even my role, but I plainly remember the excitement that came with rehearsing, the friendly cooperation when painting the set, and the exhilaration of performing alongside my friends. Nearly twenty years later, upon realizing that all of the aspects I loved so much about such performances could be utilized as a form of therapy, I was nothing short of thrilled: here was a concrete way in which my animated demeanor and flair for the dramatics could actually help others. I decided to pursue my M.A. in mental health counseling (more specifically, drama therapy—a form of art therapy) at Lesley University, a program which gave me the opportunity to intern with the BostonWarm and common art programs at Emmanuel Church.