Moreno's sociometry: a wake up call

[Edward Schreiber]

Thank you Ann for this presentation.  I am fully engaged in bringing  
the method to the world in a new way.  Being a pioneer, in this way,  
feels at times risky, but must less risky than doing nothing.   
Jonathan Fox is a great example, Zerka and JL are of course great  
models for breaking ground.
Thank you Ann for all this.

Ed


On Jun 24, 2009, at 9:21 AM, Ann Hale wrote:

> On June 20, 2009 the U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham  
> Clinton, reported the U.S. is committed to helping the world's 34  
> million refugees (my italics) build safe and fulfilling lives,  
> calling their struggle a "humanitarian emergency."  (Associated  
> Press, June 20, 2009, 09:19am EDT) What Clinton is describing is  
> the need for a qualitative and a quantitative response. What is  
> needed are methods with deeply humanitarian belief systems capable  
> of examining and resolving a crisis of this magnitude, and capable  
> of assisting one person at a time find "Where do I fit on this  
> planet? and "Will I be able to practice my religion, support my  
> family, feel safe and connected when I arrive?"  (If you will  
> remember Moreno got his start resettling refugees in Mitterndorf in  
> 1915-1917. It is here he discovered the connection between  
> preference and lessening of conflict.)
>
> At a time when psychodramatists in the US are complaining about  
> decreasing interest, enrollment and membership, etc. the need for  
> our methods is escalating.  For years it has been documented that  
> the sociometry section of the American Board exams has the highest  
> borderline and failing grades.  Students don't seem to know more  
> than how to do "step into the circle if you like pizza"  or "put  
> you hand on someone who appears to be similar to you in some way".   
> There is a huge methodology awaiting our membership and trainees,  
> and a huge need.  Learning to use sociometric methods is not a  
> comfortable learning. You have to face your personal deficits, your  
> value system, your needs, and what rejection feels like, when  
> receiving it, or giving it.  The payoff is the restoration of hope  
> and the managability of complex, intersecting lives.
>
> No, psychodrama, is disappearing from texts and journals. Whole  
> books such as the popular "Social Intelligence (Goleman) can appear  
> without one reference to Moreno.  It is past time that we examine  
> ourselves for choosing to retreat to the safety of private practice  
> and align ourselves with mental health when we could have been  
> preparing large numbers of students to intervene and strategize and  
> resolve some of the sociodynamics which lead to devestating social  
> and political problems. I am not just pointing fingers. I know  
> myself to be underutilized and not involved to the level of my  
> capability.
>
> Playback Theater has risen to the challenge, and a scattering of  
> psychodramatists are looking at the big picture.  I am grateful for  
> every one of you who takes the method to points of crisis.  If we  
> want our methods to be more available to those who need them we  
> need to make sociometry more available on a global scale.
>
> The Obama administration opened the Office of Public Engagement in  
> February, 2009.  Their Core Priniciples (7) are listed on the  
> website of the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation.   
> If you want to you can go to www.sociometry.net and get linked to  
> this.  Our current government is open to our methodology.  Let's  
> respond!
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