What Is Psychodrama? In traditional group therapy sessions, participants generally discuss their fears and concerns with each other and a trained therapist, but there is usually little to no physical interaction or role-playing involved. In 1921, Dr. Jacob L. Moreno developed an alternative group therapy technique in which participants actually explored these issues as if they were actors in their own plays or films. Other members of the group would be encouraged by the therapist "director" to play supporting roles while the lead "actor" improvised a scene from his or her own life. This combination of drama and psychotherapy is known as psychodrama, and is used around the world as a way to force participants to express themselves through action, not merely conversation. Psychodrama is closer to improvisational theater than scripted drama. The therapist or facilitator may set up a basic scene and even provide a few props, but it is up to the client to explore his or her inner emotions and create a character. A person suffering from low self-esteem, for example, may be asked to recreate a typical day at school, with the other participants portraying friends, teachers, bullies or parents as the scene progresses. Through psychodrama, the patient can safely interact with these past memories and express things he or she could not express at the time.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 00:12:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015