PSYCHODRAMA "A DEUX"

James Vander May

Published on website, May 21, 2008: Editors (Adam Blatner) omment !his
"a"er was #irst "rodued in $anuary, 1%80, ne&er "ublished in a 'ournal( !he
author, $im, re&iewed it and )a&e me "ermission to "ost it on my website:
*ownload it and use it+
Psyhodrama ,a deu-. (#rom the /atin, meanin) 0#or two) is the use o#
"syhodrama in a one1to1one situation, between a thera"ist and a sin)le lient
2no au-iliaries "resent( 3t is also alled ,bi1"ersonal. "syhodrama(
Psyhodrama was de&elo"ed in the 4nited 5tates in the mid11%60s by its
reator $(/( Moreno, M(*( (188%11%78)( 9ri)inally, the method was desi)ned to
be used in )rou" settin)s, and mainly it has be used in thera"y )rou"s, trainin)
)rou"s, and, in ada"ted #ormats as role "layin), in lassrooms( 3n the 1%:0s
throu)h the 1%80s, "syhodrama was onduted as a "art o# a milieu in
"syhiatri hos"ital in"atient or out"atient settin)s and the milieu inluded
ati&ity thera"ies as well as indi&idual and )rou" "syhothera"y(
Psyhodramas uni;ue ontribution to "ersonal )rowth and mental health
omes in the atin) out o# senes #rom atual situations in the lient<s li#e( !he
lient, (as ,"rota)onist.) with the assistane o# a diretor and ,au-iliary e)os.
(i(e(, o1thera"ists or other )rou" members who "ortray si)ni#iant others in the
lients li#e), stru))les to resol&e li#e on#lits "ertainin) to "ast, "resent, and
#uture issues (Moreno 1%=%)(
My "ur"ose is to show how "syhodrama may be used in the thera"ist<s o##ie
2in a one1to1one settin) (i(e(, ,a deu-.)( 3 will desribe se&eral "syhodramati
inter&entions that are a""ro"riate #or use in one1to1one ounsellin)( 4se o#
these inter&entions, i# onduted "ro"erly by the thera"ist, ould result in
aelerated thera"euti )ains #or the lient and "ro&ide the thera"ist with an
o""ortunity to be more reati&e and ha&e more #un in thera"y( >Psyhodrama
<a *eu-> or one1to1one "syhodrama is desribed by ?as@ell as a
"syhodramati session o#ten held in an o##ie with only thera"ist and lient
"resent (?as@ell, 1%=7)( Aordin) to Moreno >3ndi&idual, <a deu-<
"syhodrama is "ossibleA it is an ae"ted and &aluable #orm o#
"syhothera"y( 3ndi&idual "syhodrama may be ombined with "syhodramati
)rou" treatment in suh ases where ertain ty"es o# "roblems are not suitable
#or )rou" re&elation or when the "atient #eels the le&el o# ae"tane is not
om"atible (Moreno 1%76a)( !o "ursue this a""liation o# "syhodrama, the
thera"ist must beome a;uainted with some o# the basi one"ts and
theories es"oused by Moreno(
Psychodrama Process
Psyhodrama utiliBes three natural "hases in the un#oldin) o# its "roess:
warm1u", ation, and sharin)1inte)ration( !he warm1u" "hase is used to
determine what the lient is #eelin) and thin@in)( 3t is a #ous on issues o#
emotional si)ni#iane (Moreno, 1%78)( Most o#ten this is aom"lished sim"ly
by as@in) the lient #or an assessment o# how he or she is #eelin)( Carious
moti&atin) e-"erienes may be used as a "art o# the warm1u" "hase( 5ome
e-am"les are )i&en as #ollows:
a( Garbage Can: 5et out a waste1bas@et and su))est to the lient, >3# there
are "arts o# you that you wish to be rid o#, or "eo"le, memories, #eelin)s, or
worries in your li#e that you would li@e to "ut away, )o to the )arba)e an and
desribe them as you "lae them inside(>
b( Goodie Bag: As@ the lient to >thin@ o# what you would li@e to ha&e or ha&e
more o# and reah into the >)oodie ba)> sayin) what you are remo&in) #or
yoursel# and how you want to use it(>
( Body Sculpting : As@ the lient to "osition hisDher body as a sul"ture o#
how heDshe #eels( 3t ould be se&eral sul"tures both still and mo&in)( !his
ould be an e-itin) e-"ression o# reati&ity #or "eo"le who allow themsel&es
to )et into the e-"eriene( !he thera"ist may want to inter&iew the sul"ture i#
it<s a tal@in) one( !he sul"ture also ould be used to show the relationshi"
between thera"ist and lient( Both would share their "ere"tions in this way(
d( Psychodramatic letter: As@ the lient to write a letter ("re#erably between
sessions) that e-"resses unsaid thou)hts and #eelin)s toward a si)ni#iant
"erson( !he intent is to #ous attention to the letter durin) the thera"y session(
A lo)ial "ro)ression mi)ht be, >$ohn, now that you ha&e written down your
thou)hts and #eelin)s in the letter to your #ather, 3<d li@e you to ima)ine him in
this hair( !ell him about what you ha&e written(> !he "ur"ose o# the letter is as
a moti&ator( 3t is not intended to be mailed(
e( Social Atom Exploration: As@ the lient to ma@e a dia)ram o# the "ositi&e,
ne)ati&e and indi##erent #ores o"eratin) between the lient and si)ni#iant
"eo"le in the lient<s li#e( 5ee the biblio)ra"hy #or a re#erene that e-"lains in
detail a soial atom e-"loration (Cander May, 1%7:)(
#( Role Diagram: Eor an assessment o# the lient<s #untionin) within &arious
roles suh as mother, #riend, son, et(, use a role dia)ram( !he biblio)ra"hy
will be o# hel" in "ro&idin) re#erenes that o##er instrutions on how to ondut
role dia)rams (?ale, 1%7:)(
!hese warm1u" ati&ities are )i&en only as e-am"les( Eah thera"ist will ha&e
a uni;ue a""roah to the warm1u" "hase( !hose e-"erienes that wor@ most
e##eti&ely will o#ten be a result o# the thera"ist<s own reati&ity in tehni;ue
buildin) ou"led with e-"erimentation and e-"eriene( !he warm-up phase11
the #irst "art o# the "roess11 is om"lete when the lient and thera"ist ha&e
identi#ied issues to be onsidered durin) the session(
!he seond "art o# the "roess is the action( *urin) the ation "hase the lient
ats out the on#lit as i# it is ourrin) in the "resent( !he lient enters the
situations o# "ast, "resent, and #uture but is always enoura)ed to e-"eriene
the ation as i# it is ha""enin) in the >here and now(> Eor e-am"le, the lient
s"ea@s to the em"ty hair as i# his or her s"ouse were in it at that moment( !he
lient does not re"ort about #eelin)s but e-"resses them diretly as i# the
"erson were really "resent(
!he >as i#> ;uality o# "syhodrama is &ery si)ni#iant in the ation "hase( 3n
"syhodrama terminolo)y it is alled >sur"lus reality> to re"resent the
e-tension o# reality into the area o# bein) realisti yet not real at the same time(
!he >as i#> dimension o# "syhodrama allows the lient and thera"ist to tra&el
anywhere to enounter anyone, li&in) or dead, to attend to the un#inished
business or uns"o@en words that "er"etuate the on#lit(
!he lient also is enoura)ed to experiment with new behaviours( !hese new
beha&iours, i# they meet the riteria o# no&elty, ade;uay, and limits, re"resent
Moreno<s "ere"tion o# s"ontaneity 1 the be)innin) o# healin) and restoration
(Moreno, 1%76)( Fo&elty stimulates the lient<s use o# reati&ity in li&in),
ade;uay insures rele&ane, and limits enoura)e a""ro"riateness o# the
beha&iours throu)h the "rotetion o# others(
!he role reversal is another si)ni#iant "art o# the ation "ortion o# the
"syhodrama( At a""ro"riate times durin) the "syhodrama the thera"ist
instruts the lient to re&erse roles and beome his or her mother, #ather,
s"ouse, em"loyer, "et, et( *urin) the role re&ersal the lient atually han)es
hairs with the ima)ined si)ni#iant other( !hrou)h role re&ersal the lient is
able to e-"eriene the #eelin)s and thou)hts o# the other, e-"eriene himsel# or
hersel# throu)h the eyes o# the other, and share with the thera"ist his or her
"ere"tion o# the other (Moreno 1%=%)( 3t is o#ten in the role o# the si)ni#iant
other that the lient will diso&er im"ortant truths about the relationshi"(
!he ation "hase reahes om"letion as the lient<s ener)y and intensity
be)ins to subside( 3# a lient is able to brin) no&elty, ade;uay, and limits into
the ation, the "syhodrama will #eel #inished( !he lient #eels unburdened and
is stimulated to try out new beha&iours in li#e a"art #rom the o##ie( As is true
with any ty"e o# thera"y, this #eelin)1o# om"letion does not always our( !he
lient may brin) hisDher resistanes into the "syhodrama #rom li#e itsel#, and
the ation may beome bo))ed down, on#used, and ounter1"roduti&e(
Resistances
Gesistanes are seen throu)h a &ariety o# beha&iours( Probably most ty"ial is
the di##iulty some lients ha&e durin) role re&ersals( !he lient, althou)h in the
hair o# the >other> will remain as him or hersel# and tal@ about the >other>,
rather than as the >other(> A lient one into the role o# the >other> will #all out o#
role and beome him or hersel#( 4sually these resistanes are o&erome
throu)h ontinued diretion by the thera"ist enoura)in) the lient to stay in
the role o# the "erson he or she is re"resentin)( At times role re&ersal may be
di##iult #or the lient beause o# a hea&y emotional ontent in the relationshi"(
9#ten role re&ersal is di##iult beause, althou)h the lient may ha&e s"ent a
si)ni#iant "art o# li#e with the >other,> he or she may not @now muh o# what
that "erson is thin@in) and #eelin)(
Another ommon #orm o# resistane is seen in the lient<s attitude that doin)
sur"lus reality beha&iours suh as role re&ersals is >stu"id(> !his ;uality is
"artiularly true o# "re1adolesents and adolesents, but also ours #re;uently
with adults( !he e-"eriene is usually &ery new to them( !hey are not as muh
in ontrol o# the situation as they mi)ht want to be, and they are on dis"lay(
9ther #orms o# resistane inlude statements suh as >3 an<t> or >3<&e ne&er
done that be#ore(> 5ome lients beome o&erly dramati in roles and will s@i"
around on se&eral issues ne&er losely e-aminin) any o# them( 9ther lients
beome on#used in their role ta@in)(
4sually, these resistanes are redued i# the thera"ist su))ests less
threatenin) inter&entions initially suh as role re&ersal with the thera"ist or
inter&iew in role re&ersal( Ere;uent short e-"erienes may be neessary be#ore
a lient will trust the thera"ist and the "roess enou)h to )o #urther( !hese
inter&entions "romote a )reater de)ree o# warm1u" so the lient an "roeed to
more di##iult themes(
!he ation "hase "ro)resses naturally into the sharin)1inte)ration "hase( !he
thera"ist has the o"tion o# sharin) about his or her "ersonal stru))les as they
relate to what the lient e-"eriened in the "syhodrama( !here are oasions
when sharin) is &ery bene#iial to the lient es"eially i# the lient #eels &ery
alone with a "artiular "roblem(
*urin) the inte)ration "art o# this "hase the thera"ist and lient disuss what
has ha""ened durin) the "syhodrama and a""ly the learnin) to li#e outside
the o##ie( Few beha&iours and a""roahes may be disussed( 4sually the
sharin)1inte)ration "hase is a "art o# wor@in) toward losure( Few issues, i#
they arise, are "ut on hold #or #uture sessions(
Theraist as Psychodrama Director
Fow that the "roess in&ol&in) warm1u", ation, and sharin)1inte)ration has
been desribed, some attention will be )i&en to the &arious #untions o# the
diretor or thera"ist in )uidin) the lient throu)h that "roess(
Aordin) to Moreno, the thera"ist as a "syhodrama diretor #untions as
"roduer, thera"ist and analyst (Moreno, 1%78)( !hese roles usually reati&ely
blend durin) the session( At times one will beome more ati&e than the other(
!he producer )athers lues #or enatment, maintains ation rele&ant to the
lient<s li#e, initiates sene settin), onretiBes &arious dynamis and re;uests
role re&ersals( !he "roduer uses an understandin) o# the "syhodrama
"roess o# warm1u" ation and sharin)1inte)ration to atuate these im"ortant
tehnial s@ills( !he thera"ist, with assistane #rom the lient, must deide
when to set a sene, what sene to set, when to han)e senes, when to
re&erse roles, and when to mo&e the session toward losure(
!he diretor as therapist on#ronts, su""orts, and enounters the lient
aordin) to what is or is not bein) "rodued in the ation( 9""ortunities are
)i&en to the lient to ta@e ris@s whih in&ol&e an o"enness to new ideas and
ations( !he lient is enoura)ed to diso&er new dimensions in more e##eti&e
"roblem sol&in) as the need #or this arises in the ation(
A third #untion o# the thera"ist1diretor is as analyst( !his should not be
on#used with the analyti as"ets o# "syhoanalysis( !he analyst as desribed
by Moreno ritially assesses the lient<s le&el o# s"ontaneity, role #untionin)
and basi li#e soiometry( 5"ontaneity le&el re#ers to the lient<s ability to li&e
li#e with reati&ity and #ind a""ro"riate solutions that onsider onse;uenes o#
ations as an im"ortant determinant o# the ation( !he em"hasis is on no&elty
and a""ro"riateness( Gole #untionin) is e-amined by assessin) the s@ills and
in#ormation that the lient utiliBes in &arious roles suh as "arent, s"ouse, hild,
wor@er, rereator, et( !hese roles are all as"ets o# the lient<s li#e soiometry
or si)ni#iant "ersons, "laes, and thin)s (Moreno, 1%=8)( 5oiometry is a
measure o# the ;uality and ;uantity o# relationshi"s in the lient<s li#e( !he
thera"ist as analyst is ontinuously alert to the healthy and "atholo)ial #ores
o"eratin) in the lient<s li#e as seen in the on#lits whih the lient shows in
the ation(
!he "roduer diretin) s@ills suh as sene settin) and role re&ersin) are &ery
im"ortant to the thera"ist who uses "syhodrama inter&entions in an o##ie
settin)( 5ene settin) #or the o##ie "syhodrama should be as sim"le as
"ossible( !hree or #our #oldin) hairs "lus a small table is ade;uate #urniture to
set u" senes that ta@e "lae at the dinner table, the #amily ar, restaurants, or
in &arious rooms in the house( 5enes ourrin) at the beah or in a woods will
re;uire some ima)ination on the "art o# the lient( 4sually lients will be able to
ima)ine or #antasiBe these senes without muh di##iulty( 5ettin) a sene
auses the e-"eriene to beome more realisti #or both thera"ist and lient( 3t
may also ause the lient to #eel more at home when the #amiliar li#e senes
are brou)ht to the o##ie(
9ne the sene has been set, the thera"ist must selet a""ro"riate times #or
the lient to role re&erse with the si)ni#iant others in the sene( !he most
#re;uent role re&ersals are done #ollowin) a statement or ;uestion s"o@en by
the lient to the other( !he lient is as@ed to re&erse roles and in beomin) the
other, res"ond to the statement or ;uestion in that new role( At some "oint the
thera"ist direts the lient to role re&erse ba@ into his or her role( 5essions
may ha&e one or se&eral role re&ersals de"endin) on the nature o# the
dramatiBation( 3t is &ery im"ortant that the lient atually han)es hairs or
s"ae with the si)ni#iant other when role re&ersin)( !his hel"s on#irm the
identity o# whom the lient is "ortrayin) at any )i&en moment( 3t also eliminates
the on#usion some indi&iduals e-"eriene when they be)in in "syhodrama
thera"y(

Armed with some basi diretorial s@ills, the thera"ist beomes ready to
reati&ely introdue &arious "syhodramati inter&entions into the indi&idual
ounselin) situation( 5e&eral "ossible inter&entions are desribed here( Most o#
them may be used to)ether durin) the "syhodrama session( !hey are listed
aordin) to the )eneral de)ree o# di##iulty and ris@ #or both lient and
thera"ist, the least threatenin) bein) listed #irst(
!nter"entions
1( Therapeutic intervie in role reversal(
!he thera"ist as@s the lient to role re&erse and beome a si)ni#iant "erson
or thin)( !he lient also ould ta@e the #orm o# a dimension o# the sel# or inner
&oie suh as a >&oie o# )uilt> or >s"irit o# ho"elessness(> !he lient mo&es
#rom where ori)inally seated to the hair re"resentin) the other( At this "oint
the thera"ist be)ins the inter&iew as i# the lient is the si)ni#iant other(
Eollowin) is an e-am"le o# how suh an inter&iew ould )et started(
$erry is a 20 yr( old student who om"lains o# bein) "am"ered by his mother(
?e li&es in a midwestern ity and #aes the "roblem o# where to attend olle)e
in the #all(
!hera"ist: $erry, it would be hel"#ul i# you would ta@e the role o# your mother(
3 would li@e you to sit in that hair and try to beome her(
($erry seats himsel# in the o""osite hair)
!: Hould you )i&e me some in#ormation about yoursel#I
$erry: Jhat do you want to @now about herI (as Mother)
!: 5tay in the role o# Mother( 4se the "ronoun >3(>
$ (M): 9K, 3<m =2 yrs( old, 3 lo&e to ba@e and 3 ha&e 6 hildren(
!: Jhat does your husband do #or a li&in)I
$ (M): 9h, he dri&es a tru@ (subdued)(
!: $erry is your youn)est, ri)htI
$ (M): Les, and 3 don<t @now what 3<ll do this #all( ?e<s tal@in) about )oin) on to
olle)e and that will lea&e me all alone( 3t was horrible last year(
!: ?a&e you tal@ed with $erry about thisI
$ (M): Many times, but this year he<s tal@in) about lea&in) the state #or a
olle)e somewhere in the west(
!: ?ow does your husband #eel about $erry<s lea&in)I
$ (M) ?e doesn<t are about anythin)( ?e<s always )one( 3<&e raised $erry
by mysel#( ?e<s all 3 ha&e ri)ht now(
!: Jhat will ha""en to you when $erry mo&es awayI
$ (M): 3 don<t @now what she would say( (#allin) out o# role)
!: 5tay in role as mother and do some thin@in) about that( Jhat will ha""en
to youI
$ (M): 3 mi)ht @ill mysel#, or maybe 3 would )et di&ored(
!: 3 don<t @now i# you are aware o# it Mother, but $erry is #eelin) a tremendous
res"onsibility #or your well bein) both in terms o# your "hysial sa#ety and in
your marria)e( 3t<s not only di##iult #or you to let )o o# him, but also #or him to
lea&e to ma@e a li#e o# his own(
$erry, 3 want you to return to bein) yoursel# as $erry in your hair here and lets
do some tal@in) about how you e-"eriened the last #ew minutes(
($erry returns to his hair)(
!he dialo)ue sto"s here #or our "ur"oses but ould ontinue muh lon)er
durin) the session( A#ter a #ew initial ad'ustments, $erry is able to ma@e the
transition into beomin) mother( !he thera"ist )uides the inter&iew so that
basi #ats are dealt with #irst suh as a)e, marital status, or ou"ation( *ata
about more emotionally har)ed sub'ets is wor@ed into the on&ersation
)radually as the lient warms u" to the role(
!his inter&ention has two main "ur"oses: (1) !he thera"ist reei&es
in#ormation about the si)ni#iant other throu)h the lient<s role re&ersed
"ere"tionA and (2) !he lient is allowed to e-"eriene beomin) the si)ni#iant
other at many le&els de"endin) on the diretion the thera"ist ta@es in the
inter&iew(
!he thera"euti inter&iew is used as a "art o# many inter&entions( !he au-iliary
hair, #or e-am"le, uses role re&ersals where the lient beomes the si)ni#iant
other, but the on&ersation is mostly between the lient and the si)ni#iant
other( Another use #or the inter&iew is e-"lained in the ne-t inter&ention:
e-"lorin) alternati&es throu)h hairin)(
!he inter&iew tehni;ue is usually non1threatenin) to thera"ist and lient( 3ts
&erbal style is similar to many styles o# "syhothera"y( 3t may be used as a
"re"aration #or other more om"le- inter&entions or as a meanin)#ul
e-"eriene itsel#(
!" Exploring alternatives through #chairing(>
Jhen a lient "resents two or more alternati&e diretions to ta@e with his or her
li#e, the thera"ist may wish to use the hairin) inter&ention( !he lient sets out
a hair to re"resent eah alternati&e( !he thera"ist will then as@ the lient to
role re&erse and beome eah hoie( !he thera"ist is able to inter&iew eah
hoie and in&esti)ate the "ositi&e and ne)ati&e e##ets o# eah alternati&e(
!he hoies also ould be instruted to tal@ with eah other( !he lient mo&es
#rom hair to hair )i&in) &oie to the alternati&es as they banter to)ether(
9#ten, durin) this "roess new more ae"table alternati&es will arise(
Another tehni;ue that is hel"#ul durin) this inter&ention is #uture "ro'etion(
!he thera"ist as@s the lient to beome the hoie but mo&es the lo@ ahead 3
year, : years, whate&er, so that the lient an s"eulate the #uture
onse;uenes o# hoies( Euture "ro'etion may be "artiularly e##eti&e when
stress and an-iety will be a result o# any o# the alternati&es(
3t hel"s the lient beome aware that the risis will "ass, and i# a""ro"riate
learnin) ta@es "lae, the lient may e&en #ind "ositi&e ways to eliminate or
more e##eti&ely deal with #uture rises(
An illustration o# e-"lorin) alternati&es throu)h hairin) #ollows as $erry returns
#or another session(
!: Jell, $erry, you<&e been disussin) some o# your hoies about what to do
this #all( 3<d li@e you to set out a hair #or eah hoie that you #eel has some
merit(
$: (Mets u" and be)ins to set out hairs) !his is )oin) to shool here in the
ity( !his one stands #or olle)e in 5outhern Hali#ornia (his eyes li)ht u")( 3
su""ose 3 ould
#or)et about shool and dri&e tru@ with my dad(
!: 5et out a hair #or it so we an he@ it out( Any moreI
$: Fo, those are the only hoies 3 an see ri)ht now(
!: 9K, set out one more hair to re"resent you, $erry, as a "erson( Fow,
whih hoie do you want to try out #irstI
$: /ea&in) home(
!: Jhat 3<d li@e you to do is to sit in that hair and beome the hoie( !hen
tell $erry in that em"ty hair o&er there why you do and do not want him to
hoose you(
$ as lea&in): (loo@in) at the em"ty hair) Jell #irst o# all you<d be better o##
doin) thin)s on your own away #rom your "arents( Lour mother wouldn<t be
bu))in) you all the time, and you wouldn<t ha&e to listen to them #i)ht when
dad does omes home( But you an<t hoose me beause there wouldn<t be
anyone to hel" your mother( Besides, your dad is ho"in) to turn o&er "art o# his
tru@in) business to you( Lou also made a years ommitment as a youth
leader in your hurh(
!: Jhen you are #inished in this hair, mo&e to others and ontinue with what
you are doin)(
($erry mo&es #rom hair to hair beomin) eah hoie( A #ourth alternati&e
emer)es 1 )o to shool loally but li&e in his own a"artment and wor@ "art1
time)(
!: $erry, you ha&e identi#ied #our "ossible o"tions #or yoursel# this #all( 3<d li@e
you to ta@e the hair that was set out #or yousel# and identi#y any o# the
"ossibilities that you would li@e to "ursue #urther( ( ( (
!he session may shi#t to a loser e-amination o# any o# the hoies( !he
thera"ist ould set u" a #uture "ro'etion where the date is established as late
9tober and see@ out answers to ;uestions suh as: Jhere are youI Jhat are
you doin)I ?ow is li#e )oin)I ?ow are mom and dadI !he use#ulness o#
hairin) is that it sets out alternati&es learly and, throu)h role re&ersal, hel"s
the lient e-"eriene the hoies(
$" %uture pro&ection(
!he #uture "ro'etion tehni;ue is a onsious mani"ulation o# time so that the
lient e-"erienes him or hersel# as e-istin) at a #uture date suh as one or two
months or "erha"s se&eral years( !he thera"ist inter&iews the lient about how
the "re&iously disussed on#lit is a##etin) his or her li#e now at this new date(
Jhat has ha""ened to the "roblemI ?ow has the lient been o"in)I Jhat
new issues are arisin)I
!: $erry, you were sayin) that you were intri)ued by the #ourth o"tion where
you attend olle)e here in the ity but li&e in your own a"artment( Jhat 3<d li@e
you to do is "retend that you are in a hair in your new a"artment and it is
about three months #rom now, let<s say late 9tober(
$: My &ery own hairI
!: Jell, let<s #ind out( 3s this a #urnished a"artment or did you buy the hairI
$: 3 bou)ht it #or N2: #rom a seond hand store(
!: Are you li&in) aloneI
$: Les, but 3<m loo@in) #or a roommate 1 someone to share the rent(
!: Jhat was it li@e #or you mo&in) out o# your house and away #rom your
"arentsI
$: 3t was terrible+ Mom ried the whole time( My dad wasn<t home, but 3 thin@
he ae"ted it 9K( 3 #elt so )uilty #or hurtin) Mom li@e that( 3 almost han)ed
my mind(
!: Are you ha""y with your hoie nowI
$: Jell, yes and no( 3 li@e the #reedom, but 3 ha&e to wor@ 20 hrs( a wee@ 'ust
to meet e-"enses( Plus Mom @ee"s allin) me all the time(
A#ter a "eriod o# ;uestionin) and ommentin), the thera"ist as@s $erry to return
to the "resent and disuss some o# the issues that sur#aed in the inter&iew(
!he #uture "ro'etion inter&ention allows the lient to e-"eriene the "ossible
onse;uenes o# his or her ations as they a##et the lient and the lient<s
si)ni#iant others( !his e-"eriene may be "artiularly &aluable #or the lient
who ats im"ulsi&ely or destruti&ely( !he lient may diso&er #rom the #uture
"ro'etion e-"eriene that li#e will "robably ontinue to be miserable unless
some "ositi&e han)es our(
'" Role reversal ith the therapist"
!he thera"ist in this inter&ention as@s the lient to re&erse roles by han)in)
hairs so that the lient beomes thera"ist and the thera"ist the lient( Eah
attem"ts to )et into the other<s role by mirrorin) the "osture, &oie tone,
mannerisms, and non1&erbal lan)ua)e o# the other( Eollowin) the e-"eriene it
is im"ortant that some time be set aside to tal@ about the auray o# the
"ere"tions that were enated(
!his inter&ention is o#ten use#ul when the thera"ist beomes the ob'et o# the
lient<s trans#erene( 9ne ommon theme that arises is the lient<s demand to
be hel"ed more( !his demand ould be stated an)rily by the lient or throu)h
&ery hel"less ty"es o# beha&iours(
Gole re&ersal with the thera"ist may also be e##eti&e i# the lient is dealin) with
beomin) more inde"endent and res"onsible( 3t is a way to #urther de&elo" the
internal >sel# 1 )uide> that "eo"le use to set )oals, ma@e deisions and
basially ontrol the diretion o# their li&es(
Another use is as a mirror #or the lient to obser&e what the thera"ist "erei&es
him or her doin) at that moment( !he re&erse may be true too where the
thera"ist is able to obser&e a mirrored ima)e o# him or hersel# as "erei&ed by
the lient( Part o# another session with $erry will be used to illustrate this
tehni;ue:
!: 5o #ar, $erry, by what you<&e been sayin), you seem "retty on#used and
stu@ today(
$: 3 am( 3<m so burned out< 3 don<t ha&e time to study, 3 an<t )et mom o##
my ba@, and 3<m bored doin) the same thin)s all the time(
!: 3<ll bet you<d li@e some ad&ie as to how to )et out o# this mess(
$: 3 was ho"in) you would be able to do that today(
!: Jell, 3 ha&e an idea that 3<d li@e to try( !rade hairs with me #or a #ew
minutes( Lou beome me, sit li@e me, twith li@e me, whate&er, and 3<ll try to do
the same in your roll(
$: *o 3 )et to send you the billI
!: 9nly i# it wor@s(
(!he two trade hairs and be)in the interation)
!(as $erry): 3 really #eel stu@ today( !here are so many thin)s )oin) on(
$(as !hera"ist): /i@e whatI
!: ($) Jell it seems li@e 3 ha&e no study time, my mother @ee"s allin) me( /i#e
is 'ust a bore(
$: (!) Jhat do you thin@ you an do about itI
!: ($) 3 was ho"in) you ould hel" me with that(
$: (!) Jell, you would ha&e more time i# you didn<t )o o&er to he@ on your
mother so o#ten(
!: ($) 3# 3 didn<t "ay attention to her, who wouldI
$: (!) Jhy don<t you let her )oI
(!his dialo)ue ould ontinue #or se&eral minutes, durin) whih there ould be
#re;uent role re&ersals i# needed( At some "oint, howe&er, the ation is sto""ed
and both return to bein) themsel&es)(
!: ($) $erry, 3<d li@e to brea@ out o# my role as you now and )et ba@ to my
hair( 3 ha&e some ;uestions and omments about what has ha""ened durin)
our role re&ersal( Perha"s you do too(
3m"ortant areas to disuss in the sharin) 1 inte)ration "hase are: (1) sharin)
how eah e-"eriened bein) the other, (2) identi#yin) distortions that need
orretin), and (6) e&aluatin) the ontent o# the disussion(
E-aminin) the distortions as to how eah re"resented the other may be hel"#ul
in on#rontin) the tran#erene and ounter1trans#erene "henomena( !he
thera"ist mi)ht say, >$erry, 3 don<t thin@ 3 would ha&e said <what do you thin@
you an do about it(< Jho in your li#e would res"ond to you in that wayI 3n that
role it seemed li@e you didn<t want to hear about my stu@ness (as $erry)( 3
thin@ 3 would ha&e res"onded with more arin)(>
A omment #rom $erry about the mirrorin) ould be, >3 didn<t realiBe 3 loo@ed at
the #loor so muh( *o 3 really do it that muhI> $erry mi)ht also omment on
his #eelin)s as thera"ist( >3 #elt stron) and sel#1on#ident, but 3 was really )ettin)
#rustrated with your hel"lessness(>
(" Scene setting"
5ettin) a sene in an o##ie should be @e"t as sim"le as "ossible( !he s"ae is
limited in most o##ies, and usually the lient is able to ima)ine himDher sel# into
a sene without too muh di##iulty( 5ene settin) ontributes )reatly to the
e-"eriene o# the >here and now(> 3t allows the lient to brin) the outside world
into the o##ie( 9ne there, that world may be e-"osed to the thera"euti
e-"eriene( 5ene settin) is es"eially use#ul with these inter&entions: #uture
"ro'etion, solilo;uy and aside, au-iliary hair, onretiBin), doublin), and use
o# au-iliary e)os(
!he basi in)redients o# a sene are where, when and who( !he thera"ist as@s
the lient to set u" the basi #urniture to establish the "lae that is to be
de#ined( !he lient sets u" hairs, a so#a, an o##ie, a bed, et( !he >where> o#
the sene may be #urther de&elo"ed by determinin) li)ht and dar@ness, smells,
a >s"irit> or >&oie> o# the room, olors and te-tures( Also, the thera"ist may as@
the lient to beome the "aintin) or the ar, and inter&iew the lient in this role
re&ersal(
?a&in) "resented the >where> o# the sene, the lient ontinues by deidin)
what time it is and what "eo"le he or she wants "resent( 3t is im"ortant to let
the lient do the settin) u" o# "ro"s( !he lient owns it more om"letely, and it
o##ers the lient an o""ortunity to )et "hysially mo&in) whih may hel"
diminish some initial an-iety(
$erry<s e-"eriene in another session may hel" illustrate how sene settin)
may be inor"orated into the thera"y:
!: !his is the #irst time you<&e really shared anythin) about your suiidal
im"ulses( Are these #eelin)s new to youI
$: Fo, 3 used to #eel it more ((( then it went away #or a while when 3 started
omin) here(
!: Lou mentioned #eelin) some o# these ur)es to @ill yoursel# while you are
dri&in) your ar(
$: Leh, 3 had to "ull o## on the side o# the road yesterday(
!: 3# you<d let me, 3<d li@e to be there while you are e-"erienin) these
#eelin)s(
$: Lou mean you want to ta@e a rideI
!: 3 would li@e you to ta@e some hairs #rom the orner and set
out #our o# them to re"resent your ar( 3t does ha&e two seatsI
$: Leh, it<s an old beat u" Pinto( (sets u" the hairs)
!: Jhat olor is itI
$: Kind o# a #aded yellow(
!: 3<d li@e you to sit in the dri&er<s seat( Jhat does it #eel li@e bein) thereI
$: 9@ so #ar, well, its startin) to #eel @ind o# lonely(
!: 3s anyone with youI
$: Fo
!: Jhat time is it and what day is it todayI
$: /et<s see( 3t<s 8:60 "(m( 3t<s a#ter shool and 3<m )oin) to my a"artment(
!: $erry, start the ar and while you<re dri&in), 3 want you to e-"eriene the
thou)hts and #eelin)s you usually ha&e, but this time s"ea@ them out loud(
$: (5tarts to "antomime dri&in))
!: 4nross your le)s and "ut them as they usually are when you dri&e(
$: 3<m on the e-"ressway( !here<s lots o# tra##i around me( ( ( !here are so
many "eo"le, but 3 #eel so lonely( ( ( 3 wish 3 had one )ood #riend( ( ( 3 wish 3
dared to as@ Karen #or a date( !hat would be stu"id beause she<d "robably
say no( E&en i# she did say yes, 3 wouldn<t @now what to do( 3 don<t ha&e
anybody( *ad<s )one( Mom 'ust han)s all o&er me when 3 see her( Maybe i# 3
smashed into one o# those abutments, 3 wouldn<t ha&e to worry about anythin)
anymore( !here must be somethin) wron) with me( ( ( 3 #eel li)ht headed( 3
thin@ 3<ll "ull o## the road(
!: Mo ahead and "ull o## to the side #or a moment, and when you<re ready,
ome ba@ to this o##ie where we an tal@ about some o# these issues(
!his e-am"le used the sene settin) inter&ention alon) with the solilo;uy (see
O= below)( $erry is able to share the e-"eriene as i# it is ha""enin), beause
he sees himsel# in the ar on the e-"ressway( !he thera"ist direts him
throu)h the where, when and who a#ter whih $erry "rodued the ontent o#
what he was thin@in) and #eelin)(
)" Solilo*uy and aside"
3n drama the solilo;uy is used by the ators to s"ea@ aloud the thou)hts and
#eelin)s that would otherwise be une-"ressed( !he same is true #or the lient in
"syhodrama( !he lient, rather than s"ea@in), to the thera"ist or au-iliary
hair, s"ea@s aloud the thou)hts and #eelin)s as they ome into awareness(
!he lient and the ator "retend that no one is "resent but him or hersel#( !his
"retended "ri&ay stimulates the lient<s ability to share #eelin)s( 3t also
hei)htens the lient<s awareness o# the #eelin)s beause it is e-"eriened in
the >here and now(>
An e-am"le o# the solilo;uy is used in the desri"tion o# sene settin)(
Many senes are a""ro"riate to stimulate the solilo;uy( !he lient will o#ten be
able to desribe se&eral "laes where thin@in) )oes on( Many ommon
solilo;uy senes are #ound in a ar, bed, an easy hair, a hair at wor@, a
beah or a "ath in the woods( 3t is &ery im"ortant that the lient s"ea@s the
solilo;uy as i# he or she is in the sene at that )i&en moment o# time(
!he aside is another tehni;ue borrowed #rom drama( 3t is similar to the
solilo;uy but o#ten shorter in duration( Eor e-am"le, i# durin) a lient<s
on#rontation toward an au-iliary hair, the thera"ist ;uestions the lient<s
auray at e-"ressin) his or her #eelin)s, the thera"ist ould say, >$erry, turn
your head aside a minute and say what you aren<t sayin) to your mother( Je<ll
"retend that she an<t hear you(> !he aside hel"s the lient beome redireted
toward e-"ressin) the #eelin)s that are there but ha&e )one une-"ressed(
+" Auxiliary chair"
!o use the au-iliary hair inter&ention, the thera"ist as@s the lient to identi#y a
si)ni#iant other that throu)h the use o# ima)ination may be "laed in the
em"ty hair (?as@ell 1%=7)( !he si)ni#iant other is de#ined as any "erson,
one"t, #eelin)s, or ob'et o# si)ni#iane to the lient( E-am"les o# si)ni#iant
others are a "arent, s"ouse, a "art o# sel#, one<s marria)e, sadness, or a
olle)e term "a"er( !he si)ni#iant others are most o#ten the "eo"le in one<s
li#e that a##et one "ositi&ely and ne)ati&ely( !hey may be li&in) or dead(
!he "ur"ose o# the au-iliary hair is to allow the lient to brin) to the o##ie
someone or somethin) that needs to be e-amined( 9#ten the theme is the
un#inished business between the lient and "eo"le #rom the "ast or "resent(
!he lient is as@ed to s"ea@ to the si)ni#iant other in the au-iliary hair sayin)
diretly what is not said or has not been said in li#e( 3t is im"ortant that the
lient s"ea@s to the hair as i# the "erson were atually "resent(
*urin) the au-iliary hair tehni;ue the thera"ist should as@ the lient to role
re&erse and beome the other( !he lient mo&es to the hair o# the other and
ta@es on the sha"e, "osture, mannerisms, )estures, and &oie tone o# the
other( !he role re&ersal may be done as o#ten as needed( !he thera"ist also
may hoose to inter&iew the lient in the role re&ersed "osition(
!he #ollowin) au-iliary hair sene between $erry and his mother will hel" to
illustrate this inter&ention:
!: $erry you<&e been tal@in) about some o# the #eelin)s you e-"eriene when
you are with your mother( ?a&e you &erbaliBed any o# them to herI
$: Fo, 3 try to a&oid her, but she @ee"s allin) me(
!: *o you want to be more o"en with herI
$: 3t sounds sary, but 3 thin@ 3<d #eel better )ettin) i# o## my hest(
!: 9K( Hhoose a sene where suh a on&ersation ould ta@e "lae( 3 would
"re#er not to do a tele"hone sene i# that<s alri)ht with you(
$: 5ure( Je<d be at mom<s @ithen table(
!: Jhen shall this beI
$: 9h, 5unday a#ter hurh(
!: 3s *ad here tooI
$: Fo, he<s )one as usual(
!: Alri)ht( !a@e some hairs and set u" the @ithen( ($erry sets out two hairs
#ain) eah other)
!: Jhih is your hairI ($erry "oints) Jhen you are in that hair you are
$erry( Jhen you are in the other hair, you are Mother( 3 want you to sit in your
hair and ima)ine your mother aross #rom you( Jho s"ea@s #irstI
$: 5he does+ 5he )oes on and on(
!: Gole re&erse and beome her( /et<s hear some o# the thin)s your mother
says(
$ (as Mother): 9h $erry, 3<m so )lad you ame #or dinner today( 3 was so
embarrassed a#ter hurh( !he minister as@ed how your dad was, and 3 'ust
ouldn<t tell him that *ad was wor@in) a)ain, so 3 told him *ad was ill, and 3 'ust
don<t @now what to do( Jhat will 3 do when the minister #inds outI
!: Mother is this the tone o# &oie you usually useI
$ (M): Fo, 3 thin@ she is whiney(
!: Mettin) ba@ in role, say a #ew more thin)s to $erry in that tone o# &oie(
$ (M): But $erry 3<m so )lad you<re here (said in a &ery nasal tone)( 3 )et so
lonely(
!: Ge&erse roles to $erry<s hair and beome yoursel#( 3 want you to listen
#or a moment to Mom s"ea@in) #rom that hair( Ges"ond to her when you<re
ready(
$: Han 3 say what 3 want toI
!: By all means, )o ahead(
$: Mom, 3<m so si@ and tired o# hearin) you whine all the time(
! (doublin) #or $) 3 hate omin) here+ All you e&er do is om"lain about *ad
and how embarassed you are( 3 an<t stand you anymore( 3 #eel li@e 3 ha&e to
hel" you, but there<s no end to it(
$ (Be)ins to ry)( !here<s no one in this #amily that ares about me( All you an
thin@ o# is your stu"id re"utation(
!: $erry, role re&erse and beome your mother( ($erry mo&es to the other
hair)(
$ (M): ?ow an you say those thin)s to meI Jhat did 3 do to deser&e thisI
(tear#ully) Fow you don<t lo&e me either(
!: Ge&erse roles and beome $erry(
($erry returns to his hair)
$: Mom, 3 do lo&e you, but 3 an<t @ee" tryin) to ta@e are o# you( 3t<s dri&in)
me raBy( 3<&e deided to lea&e town at the end o# the semester and ma@e a li#e
o# my own(
!: Home out o# the sene $erry and let<s do some re#letin) on what has
ha""ened in the "syhodrama(
$erry is able to e-"ress some o# the an)er, hurt and hel"lessness he
e-"erienes in his situation( ?e is able to e-"eriene this atharsis beause o#
the >here and now> ;uality o# the interation( !he au-iliary hair tehni;ue
hei)htens the "retended reality o# the atual "resene o# the si)ni#iant other(
," Concreti-ing(
!his is the "roess o# ma@in) &isible those in&isible and o#ten elusi&e ;ualities
o# the dynami inter#low that ours between the indi&idual and other "eo"le,
animals, ob'ets and one<s sel#( 3t brin)s to li#e ideas, #eelin)s, and one"ts by
)i&in) them substane (Moreno, 1%=%)( 9ur lan)ua)e is rih in "itures;ue
"hrases suh as >3 #eel li@e a rat,> >Lou always "ut me down,> >3t<s "ullin) me
a"art,> >Met o## my ba@> or >!here<s a wall between us(> Jords and "hrases
suh as these may be )i&en inreased reality by as@in) the lient to hoose
somethin) in the room to re"resent his or her )uilt, de"ression, sense o#
humor, et(
HonretiBin) in the o##ie settin) is somewhat limited beause there are usually
no thera"euti assistants or )rou" members "resent to assist( !his limitation is
es"eially #elt i# the thera"ist wishes to onretiBe themes suh as ambi&alene
or lin)in)( !here is no one there to "ull on the lient( !his should not be done
by the thera"ist beause ob'eti&ity may be lost(
HonretiBin) is usually most bene#iial in situations where both thera"ist and
lient may beome lost in &a)ue intelletual disussions( Jhen a lient
attem"ts to e-"lain a &a)ue yet "ain#ul sense o# )uilt, the thera"ist has the
o"tion to onretiBe the )uilt( !he lient hooses somethin) to re"resent the
)uilt( Fow it beomes &isible and the lient may be better able to e-"lore it
one it is brou)ht outside o# the sel#(
Gole re&ersal is &ery im"ortant to the onretiBin) "roess( By beomin) the
)uilt throu)h role re&ersal, the lient is able to share what the )uilt is in a more
om"lete way than i# the lient were to desribe it while in his or her own role(
5e&eral role re&ersals may be needed i# the issue is &a)ue and elusi&e(
Many #ators need to be onsidered by the thera"ist in the "roess o# hoosin)
whih way to )o in de&elo"in) a onretiBation(
1( Spatial: *oes it in&ol&e low and hi)hI ?i)h o#ten indiates "ower and
authority, whereas low re"resents smallness( Hlose and distant may be used to
onretiBe emotional distane(
2( Size: 3s it "erei&ed as in#initismal, )iant or somewhere in betweenI
6( Sociometric position: Jhere do "eo"le "osition themsel&es "hysially in
relationshi" to othersI Jho sits ne-t to whomI
8( Sounds: Foises o#ten are si)ni#iant to onretiBation either throu)h words,
sreams, )roans, hissin), et(
:( Color and light intensity: A "air o# lam"s are able to o##er )raduated de)rees
o# li)ht intensity( Eew o##ies are e;ui""ed with olored s"otli)hts with rheostat
ontrols( Holored li)htin), i# a&ailable, is e##eti&e to onretiBe a mood(
=( Texture: Gou)h, smooth, sti@y, "ri@ly, lammy, et(
7( Temperature: ?ot, old, lu@ewarm(
8( Body language: ?ow is the body sha"edI ?ow is it "ositioned or sul"turedI
Jhere is eye ontatI Jhat about #aial e-"ressionI Are "eo"le "ositioned
#ae to #ae, or are their ba@s turnedI
%( Symbolic language: *oes the lient ma@e statements that e-"ress issues
that an be "resented &isuallyI E-am"les are >au)ht between the de&il and
the dee" blue sea,> >s"irit o# doom,> or >3 #eel li@e a "iee o# )arba)e(>
!he thera"ist must listen throu)h ears that are able to translate a lient<s &erbal
and non1&erbal ommuniation into the "itures and ima)es that are "otential
onretiBations( Many as"ets o# "syhodrama are in e##et atual
onretiBations( !he au-iliary hair )i&es substane to who or what is ima)ined
in the hair( 3t loates it and seals it into the "artial reality o# the "syhodrama
e-"eriene( *oublin) is a onretiBation o# the sel# within( 5ene settin)
onretiBes the lient<s li&in) s"ae(
Another e-am"le with $erry may identi#y one way onretiBin) may be used
durin) a thera"y session:
$: 3t loo@s li@e 3<ll be lea&in) in two wee@s(
!: ?ow are you #eelin) with thatI
$: Jell, 3<&e had this twisty #eelin) in my stomah #or the last #ew days( 3
su""ose 3<m sared about what will ha""en(
!: $erry, let<s #ind out some more about that #eelin) in your stomah( !a@e
that lar)e "illow #rom the orner ((( ($erry )ets the "illow) ((( Fow beome that
twisted "art o# stomah as you sit or lie on the "illow(
($erry lies in a twisted mass on the "illow( 3n addition to his torso, his arms
and le)s are twisted unom#ortably)(
!: ?ow are you doin), stomahI
$: (as stomah) 3 #eel li@e a @not (((( li@e 3 want to han) on to mysel#(
!: Are you ;ui&erin)I
$: (5) Fo, 'ust all tan)led li@e 3 an<t mo&e(
!: Knot( 3<d li@e to @now what you ha&e to say to $erry( ?e<s sittin) in that
hair o&er there(
$: (5) 3 want to tell him he<s headin) #or trouble(
!: Mo ahead, tell him(
$: (5) Lou an<t )o away( Lou<ll ne&er ma@e it+ Lou<re a nothin)+ Lou an<t
sueed at anythin) you do+ Lou are desertin) your mother, and i# you lea&e
now, you will ne&er be #riends with your #ather(
!: $erry, ome ba@ to your hair and beome yoursel# a)ain( ($erry mo&es
o## the "illow to his hair)( Jould you are to res"ond to what your stomah
has 'ust saidI
$: My head tells me that it<s dumb(
!: Hhoose a "lae in the room where we an hear #rom that &oie in your
head(
$: (loo@in) around)( 9&er here, 3 )uess(
!: 5et u" a hair where it is( Are you sittin), standin)I
$: 3 #eel li@e 3<m standin) on one le)(
!: Mood, let<s do that( 5tand on one le) and let<s hear what you ha&e to say
as $erry<s head(
$: (as head addressin) the "illow as stomah)( Lou<re stu"id+ ?e<s si@ o#
you( All you e&er do is ritiiBe him( At least 3 an thin@ strai)ht o&er here(
!: !ell stomah your reation to what it says about your mother P #ather(
$: (?Q?ead) 3<ll ne&er be able to ta@e are o# her( Fobody an+ 5he<s a
bottomless "it( Maybe *ad ould try to )et somethin) )oin) with her( *ad will
ne&er be my #riend either( !he sooner you ae"t that, the better o## you<ll be(
!: Ge&erse roles with stomah and res"ond to that( ($erry returns to the
"illow)(
$: (5) All that mi)ht be true, but 3<m sared i# 3 lea&e, the situation will )et
worse #or e&eryone(
!: $erry, ome ba@ into your hair as $erry a)ain( ($erry mo&es to his
ori)inal hair where he was "re&ious to his beomin) his stomah)( Erom this
hair 3 want you to &isualiBe the disussion )oin) on here between head and
stomah( 5ee i# you an #ind a way to brin) some losure to this sene, or do
we lea&e it as it isI
!he symboli words suh as >head> or >stomah> are )i&en sha"e and &oies
throu)h the onretiBation( !he >one1le))ed> head shows its #eelin) o# wea@
su""ort( All o# these #ores may be e-amined outside the "erson when the
"rini"les o# onretiBation are a""lied(
." Doubling(
!he "syhodramati double is an au-iliary e)o that beomes the lient( !he
three#old tas@ o# the double in o##ie "syhodrama is the mirror, the soial
in&esti)ator and the e-"ander o# the role((Moreno, 1%=8)( !he tehni;ue
be)ins with a "hysial mirrorin) o# the lient<s body( !hrou)h interation in the
"erson o# the >3,> the double see@s in#ormation about who the lient is, and
what the lient is #eelin), so that the double an enlar)e on the role and s"ea@
what is not bein) s"o@en( *urin) this e-"andin) "hase, the double may
beome a &oie or "art o# the lient to whih a )reater "art o# the lient<s
ener)y is bein) direted(
*oublin) is use#ul #or wor@in) with the lient who needs su""ort, lari#iation o#
thou)hts and #eelin)s, and moti&ation to e-"ress hidden thou)hts and
#eelin)s( 3t is a di##iult s@ill re;uirin) trainin) and e-"eriene in "syhodrama(
9ne o# the di##iulties is that it re;uires the thera"ist to
beome both double and thera"ist( !his dual #untion "laes hea&y demands
on the thera"ist in @nowin) when to "ush and reede, in @ee"in) a sense o#
ob'eti&ity and timin), and in bein) aware o# the di##erene between the
thera"ist<s "ersonal issues and the lient<s( An illustration o# doublin) #ollows in
a #inal session with $erry(
!: 5o you<&e deided to )o( Jhen do you lea&eI
$: *ay a#ter tomorrow( 3 ha&e a bus ti@et to 5an *ie)o(
My Aunt li&es a #ew miles #rom there( 5he said she would "i@ me u" and let
my stay #or awhile(
!: Jhat are your "lansI
$: Jell, 3 don<t want to stay with her too lon), or 3<ll ha&e the same "roblems 3
had here with my mom( 3 thin@ 3 an )et a 'ob and #ind a "lae to stay in three
wee@s or so(
!: $erry, let<s run the lo@ ahead two days and set u" a sene inside the
bus( 5et out two hairs, one #or me, beause 3<d li@e to be your double( 3 want
to beome you alon) with you as we<re ridin) on the bus( Fo one an hear us(
($erry sets out two hairs)(
$: Jell here we are(
! as double: Jhere are we anywayI
$: 5omewhere around Kansas Hity(
! (*): 3s this how 3 sit with my le)s rossedI
$: Fo, 3 thin@ 3<ll streth out and "ut my head ba@ (both han)e "osture)( 3<&e
ne&er tra&eled li@e this be#ore(
! (*) 3 #eel e-ited yet @ind o# rela-ed(
$: More e-ited and sared than rela-ed(
! (*): Boy, 3 sure le#t a lot behind when 3 )ot in this bus 1 my mom, my dad,
some #riends, $oe my thera"ist( ?e<s a "retty )ood )uy(
$: (some lau)hter) Leah, 3<m )oin) to miss $oe( 3 told him 3<d write and maybe
all one in a while( ?e<s really hel"ed me #ind my way(
! (*): !hen there are Mom and *ad(
$: 3 )uess they<ll ha&e to learn how to ta@e are o# themsel&es 'ust li@e 3 am o#
mysel#( 3t<s hard to lea&e, but 3 #eel @ind o# relie&ed 3<m on my way(
! (*): But 3<m sared too( 3 ould #all on my #ae( !hen it would "ro&e that 3
an<t ma@e it without Mom and *ad(
$: Je<ll 'ust ha&e to see what ha""ens( 3 an<t belie&e 3<m sayin) this(
! (*): 3t almost sounds li@e there<s a sel#1on#ident "art o# me that is )rowin)
inside o# me( 3 really said <we<ll 'ust ha&e to wait and see(< 3<m not )ettin) all
u"set and o&erly worried about what<s )oin) to ha""en to me(
$: Leah, it<s li@e 3 an really ma@e a new start (((
!: $erry, 3<m )oin) to ta@e mysel# out o# the double role, but 3 want you to
allow yoursel# to ta@e a #ew minutes to be where you are in what you are
#eelin) and thin@in)( Jhen you are ready, "ut the hairs away and let<s do
some sharin)(
!he "roess o# warmin) u" #rom "eri"hery to enter may be #ollowed throu)h
the doublin) "syhodrama( !he thera"ist has the lient set the sene o# the
bus( 5ene settin) wor@s well with doublin) beause it loates the e-"eriene
and it )i&es the lient a onrete "hysial assi)nment( !his mo&ement
onsumes some o# the lient<s initial an-iety about doin) the doublin) e-erise(
9ne in the sene, the double mirrors the lient<s rossed le)s and as@s a
;uestion about it(
3t is at that "oint that $erry be)ins to see himsel# atually in the bus( !he
be)innin) dialo)ue is #atual and non1threatenin) but mo&es into more intense
issues as the "syhodrama un#olds( *urin) the #inal moments, the thera"ist
ta@es $erry ba@ to the "eri"hery a)ain, althou)h at a di##erent #eelin) le&el
than be#ore the "syhodrama(
!he thera"ist be)ins the doublin) #untions as a mirror o# $erry as he sits in the
bus( !he double ;ui@ly mo&es into the soial in&esti)ator sta)e as@in)
;uestions and ma@in) statements that "ro&ide him with in#ormation about
$erry(
!he e-"ander "hase is not used here as a se"arate #untion beause o# the
om"le-ity o# tas@s with whih the thera"ist is on#ronted( 3t ould ha&e
de&elo"ed as #ollows at the "oint that $erry said he was sared:
! (*) 3<m so sared (mo&es to a orner and sits in a huddled "osition) Jho
will ta@e are o# meI Jho will tell me what to doI 9h what will ha""en to meI
$: Jhat are you doin)I
! (*): Jhat are you doin), ta@in) me away #rom my mother and dad, my
thera"ist, all my #riendsI
$: 3 ha&e to ta@e you away so you an )row u"(
! (*) Lou<re )oin) to hel" me )row u"I ?ow do you "lan to do thatI
$: Jell 3 ha&en<t deided yet, but 3 do want to )et you a 'ob and a "lae to
li&e(
! (*): (whim"erin)) 3<ll ne&er be able to do it+
$: 3 belie&e 3 an ma@e it now(
! (*): Lou 'ust want to )et me on a road in a ar so you an dri&e me o## and
@ill me(
$: 3 don<t #eel that anymore( 3# it omes ba@ 3<ll )et someone to hel" us(
Home o&er and sit down here( 3t<ll be o@ay, really(
! (*): (mo&in) ba@ to the bus) 9K, but 3<ll be around #or a while bu))in)
you(
$: 3<m sure you will(
*urin) the e-"ander #untion, the double mo&es out o# the mirrorin) and into
the s"ei#i "ersona)e bein) brou)ht out( Fotie how the double onretiBes
the #ear by urlin) u" into a orner( 3t is usually im"ortant #or the e-"anded role
to be returned to the side o# the lient or be "syhodramatially remo&ed so
that losure may be)in(
!he thera"ist here also ould enoura)e $erry to beome his own double
durin) &arious "hases o# the ation( 3# $erry an learn to do some sel#1direted
doublin), he mi)ht be hel"ed throu)h some di##iult situations in his #uture(
!hrou)h this tehni;ue $erry ould learn how to nurture himsel# or "ositi&ely
on#ront himsel# so that he an beome the ma'or han)e a)ent in his own
)rowth(
*oublin) may be &ery e##eti&e when used durin) the au-iliary hair tehni;ue(
!he thera"ist sits or stands with the lient hel"in) the lient to e-"ress
une-"ressed thou)hts and #eelin)s( !he double also wor@s at hel"in) the lient
lari#y om"le- and on#usin) issues(
/0" Age regression1
!here are two ty"es o# a)e re)ression tehni;ues( 3n one the lient is as@ed to
set a si)ni#iant sene #rom the "ast( !he lient beomes a youn)er a)e and
e-"erienes bein) in the sene while ima)inin) the "resene o# si)ni#iant
others i# neessary( !he lient wor@s throu)h these issues at the time
("syhodramatially) o# his or her li#e when they were #ormin)( A)e re)ression
is similar to a hy"noti e-"eriene e-e"t that the lient<s body is in ation(
Hare must be used to brin) the lient ba@ to the "resent(
*urin) the seond ty"e o# a)e re)ression, the thera"ist 'oins the e-"eriene by
re)ressin) in a)e with the lient( !his is a rather unorthodo- a""roah and
re;uires a hi)h le&el o# s@ill to maintain a "artial #untion as thera"ist( !he
sene is set u" by the lient who then in&ites the thera"ist to 'oin him or her at
an a)reed u"on a)e le&el( Play#ul, s"ontaneous and om"etiti&e themes
emer)e de"endin) on the e-tent o# re)ression( !his tehni;ue is similar to a
doublin) e-"eriene at an early a)e( Let in this situation the thera"ist
maintains his or her identity( !he thera"ist must e-erise a s@illed sense o#
timin) #or returnin) to "resent a)e(
//" 2se o3 trained auxiliary egos1
9ne #inal o"tion the thera"ist has is to use indi&iduals who ha&e "syhodrama
trainin) as au-iliary e)os to "lay the roles o# the lient<s si)ni#iant others
andDor double with the lient( 9ne ad&anta)e o# this tehni;ue is that it #rees
the thera"ist to remain in an ob'eti&e "osition durin) the "syhodrama( 5ome
lients #eel more om#ortable with >a body> in the hair, others will be more
inhibited i# additional "eo"le are allowed into the session( 5e&eral #ators are
in&ol&ed suh as the a&ailability o# trained "ersonnel, the ability o# the thera"ist
to diret an au-iliary e)o, and the attitude o# the lient toward in&ol&ement o#
others(
Ca#tions
Beause "syhodrama an "rodue dramati e##ets on the lient, the thera"ist
will need to be aware o# se&eral autions( A thera"ist with little trainin) in
"syhodrama should use little o# it with the lient( A thera"ist an hurt and
on#use a lient by e-erisin) "oor diretin) s@ills( Jhat usually ha""ens in
those situations is that both thera"ist and lient beome lost in the ation and
to)ether "rodue on#usion and hel"lessness(
!he thera"ist must be &ery sensiti&e to the warmin)1u" "roess o# the lient in
order to @now how #ar to )o into ertain issues(
A rule statin) no "hysial harm to sel# or other must be stritly en#ored( 5ome
"ro"s that ould be used #or &entilation o# an)er are &ery use#ul in these
situations(
A lear line must be drawn between beha&iours that are "ermitted in the
"syhodrama and those ae"table in the lient<s outside world( 9#ten
beha&iours in the o##ie are allowed to ha""en "syhodramatially (suiide,
murder, et() so that they won<t ha""en in li#e( !he use o# "syhodrama as a
restraint is o#ten o&erloo@ed( Gestraint is de&elo"ed as a "art o# the lient<s
)rowin) awareness o# the onse;uenes o# beha&iour( Blatner su))ests in the
introdution o# his boo@ Atin) 3n (1%76), that >((( "syhodrama #ailitates not
<atin)1out,< but what should be alled <atin) in<: the a""liations o# ation
methods to the e-"loration o# the "syholo)ial as"ets o# human e-"eriene(>
Moreno bases his whole system on the one"t o# the role re&ersal where eah
"erson may e-"eriene loo@in) throu)h the eyes o# si)ni#iant others (Moreno,
1%=8)( 3deally a""lied, role re&ersal leads to understandin), ae"tane, and
mutual res"et(
Ad"anta$es and Disad"anta$es
Jhen "syhodrama is res"onsibly a""lied to a one1to1one ounselin)
situation, it has some )eneral ad&anta)es o&er &erbal analyti a""roahes:
1( !he ation is made a "art o# the >here and now,> there#ore a "ast or #uture
e&ent is brou)ht into the >reality> o# the "resent(
2( !he inter&entions hei)hten the >realness> o# the lient<s e-"eriene by
"syhodramatially brin)in) to the o##ie the lient<s si)ni#iant others, rooms,
#urniture, et(
6( 3t o##ers the lient the o""ortunity to e-"eriment with new beha&iours throu)h
"ratie enatments(
8( Psyhodrama #ouses on the lient<s s"ontaneity and reati&ity, not on
illness(
:( !ehni;ues suh as role re&ersal, doublin), and onretiBin) are use#ul in
dealin) with trans#erene and ounter1trans#erene issues(
!here are disad&anta)es and ontra1indiations in usin) "syhodrama:
3( !ehni;ues suh as role re&ersal, doublin), and in )eneral the >beyond
reality> ;uality o# "syhodrama may beome on#usin) to lient and thera"ist( 3t
beomes easy to lose tra@ o# who is in what role(
2( !he >here and now> ;uality may be e-tremely an-iety "roduin) #or the
lient, resultin) in dereased s"ontaneity and ri)idity(
6( !he s"eed o# han)e in a lient may be too abru"t #or the lient to inte)rate
into his or her li#e(
8( A lient may use the "syhodrama to &alidate his or her "osition o# >&itim>
in li#e( ?e or she will see@ to esa"e res"onsibilities #or inade;uate ations(
:( !he lient who is ati&ely suiidal or homiidal does not usually bene#it(
=( Psyhodrama, althou)h it a""ears sim"le at times to ondut, re;uires
e-tensi&e trainin)( *urin) the trainin) sessions the thera"ist, on#ronts
si)ni#iant others and sel# throu)h ation methods( !he trainin) re;uires a
siBeable emotional, #inanial and time in&estment(
1 1 1 1
Re%erences
Blatner, A( (1%76, 1%88, 1%%=)( Acting-In: ractical applications o!
psychodramatic methods (1st16rd ed()( Few Lor@: 5"rin)er(
?ale, A( (1%7:)( !he role dia)ram e-"anded( "roup sychotherapy #
sychodrama$ %&, 771108(
?as@ell, M( (1%=7)( The psychodramatic method( /on) Beah: Hali#ornia
3nstitute o# 5oianalysis(
Moreno, $(/( (1%8=, 1%=8)( sychodrama$ 'ol() (6rd ed()( Beaon, F(L(:
Beaon ?ouse(
Moreno, $(/( (1%=%)( sychodrama$ 'ol( *( Beaon FL: Beaon ?ouse(
Moreno, $(/( (1%76)( Fote on indiations and ontraindiations #or atin) out in
"syhodrama( "roup sychotherapy and sychodrama$$ %+ (112), 26128(
Moreno, $(/( (1%76)( Theatre o! spontaneity( Beaon, FL: Beaon ?ouse(
Moreno, $(/( (1%:6, 1%78)( ,ho Shall Survive- (6rd ed)( Beaon, FL: Beaon
?ouse(
Cander May, $( (1%7:)( A "ere"tual soial atom soio)ram( "roup
sychotherapy # sychodrama$ %&, 1281168(