converging or diverging as strategy for psychodrama as a field

[Adam Blatner]

Some preliminary thoughts, stimulated by my preparation for talks to be given to art therapists, or a talk on social psychology and self-awareness   the latter is now on my website... 

    Although Moreno is best known for his method of therapeutic role playing called "psychodrama," and its related methods of sociodrama, he was also a pioneer in related fields: Improvisational Theatre; Social Psychology and Sociology; and Philosophy (and even Theology) of Creativity and Spontaneity. We have much to learn from each of those fields, and, interestingly, they can be taught apart from psychodrama.

In Moreno's mind, and the view of many of his followers, the different approaches make up a whole. On one level, I agree: Each approach supports the others in terms of underlying philosophy, theory, and method. Yet the point that isn't sufficiently made is that people can get a great deal out of learning that facet of the complex that is most relevant to them.

For example, in speaking to Art Therapists, I emphasize the philosophy of creativity and spontaneity, and how any expressive and improvisational approach can be useful in pursuit of this goal.  Art therapy used to be more like occupational therapy---just doing the craft well was good for self-esteem, but then again, building chairs, tending a garden, putting on scripted plays---all had their therapeutic effects. Then there was a phase where the products of creativity became further data, like dreams, upon which analytic work could be based. (e.g., What was the meaning of painting this person half in shadow?)

    Moreno's influence led many of the art therapies in the 1950s and 60s to evolve more towards the process of improvisation, which resulted in a variety of benefits: Artists, (also in music therapy, song, creative writing, journaling, poetry, dance-movement, etc.) could discover that spontaneous productions could generate benefits of catharsis, feeling more intimately seen and heard, more authentic self-disclosure, more holistic self-acceptance, and expanding the sense of self as vital and deep as people find themselves producing forms that are more wonderful than what could be created by more self-controlled or self-conscious egos. 

       This approach also speaks to the educational process and our identities in society, a valuing of the psyche and the person as creative instead of the culture's tendency to objectify the person as standard social functional roles---making money, helping relatives, raising kids, supporting politicians, sexual release---roles that, while real enough, hardly touch the need to be seen, heard, and known as more complex individuals, "selves." 

Regarding Social Psychology, the role concept offers a powerful, user-friendly language for a practical approach to psychology-as-life-skill, not as an academic field.  This application alone could serve the unfolding of psychology in this millennium. It can be and should be taught with no requirement that anyone need learn anything about psychodrama or sociometry.  (If folks want to learn those things, fine, but it's not required.)

Similarly, the basic principles of sociometry involve the simple realization of the nature of tele, of rapport, and a variety of principles associated with that. This includes the need for strokes (which isn't part of psychodrama, but rather Transactional Analysis. (and interestingly, this offshoot of TA is hardly appreciated, but may be one of its more enduringly-useful products---like sociometry or role theory is for psychodrama). 

The point here is that by recognizing more sharply that Moreno's work represents a complex of ideas, I believe that this can help spread the impact of our work. It offers a clearer identity for psychodramatists as being able to offer something to many different fields---i.e., diversification---and thus could be better. 

As it stands right now, I think lots of folks feel they have to become trained psychodrama directors---that learning, which involves getting past the inhibitions attending public speaking and standing out in front of a group and being exposed---plus getting past all the inhibitions of performance anxiety and the fears of spontaneity and making mistakes--- well, I think that 80% + people are simply intimidated that this is too much..

     With gentle introductions, maybe that barrier can be reduced, but I think one way to reduce it further is to offer a variety of avenues of access.

It's like teaching kids reading and allowing them to choose those books that interest them instead of insisting that everyone read "Silas Marner" or some other piece of curriculum dictated by curriculum designers from a previous generation or two... 

      Well, just some thoughts. What do you think? Warmly, Adam
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