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To cite this article: Connie Miller (2013): Integrating Two Models for the Treatment of Addictions:
Souldrama and 12-Step Recovery in Action, Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery, 8:2, 81-111
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1556035X.2011.614525
Building off previous theoretical research studies conducted on addictions, relapse cycles, and theories regarding group action methods and psychodrama in general, this article proposes to introduce
a new action method technique into the 12-step program guidelines that were originally set up for recovery from alcoholism. This
new technique will help individuals to reestablish their creative nature, connect them with others on a spiritual level, and through
their higher awareness, help them to heal on a much deeper level,
as well as to help them discover their greater purpose in life. The
new method of Souldrama combines elements of the rational, emotional, and the spiritual mind, and also uses creativity, spontaneity, and imagination, so that the ego and the soul become aligned.
Souldrama assists in helping relapses from occurring by putting
spirituality into action and then linking together its seven doors
of transformation with the guidelines of the 12 steps, which individuals will need to walk through to grow both personally and
spiritually. By doing this, individuals will hopefully be able to prevent the relapse cycle from continuing, and thereby, remaining in
their recovery.
KEYWORDS relapse, recovery, addictions, spirituality, Souldrama
How do we move from relapse to recovery? How do we help an addict
gain total recovery? In 12-step programs, people heal partly through the
experiential telling of their own stories (Miller, 2006, 2007b). It is through
this sharing of trauma and pain, and also through the subsequent healing
Souldrama is an intentionally registered trademark USA 903317.
Address correspondence to Connie Miller, International Institute of Souldrama, 620 Shore
Road, Spring Lake Heights, NJ 07762. E-mail: connie@souldrama.com
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that occurs, that helps people to form common bonds, uniting them on their
road to recovery (Miller, 2006, 2007b). To go beyond that initial connection
of pain and addiction, clients need to go further by sharing their soulful
moments, their hopes, their moments of understanding, and their dreams
(Miller, 2006, 2007b). This requires reestablishing a relationship with their
creativity and then, through their higher awareness, connecting with others
on a spiritual level, which is where they will connect on a deeper level to
start healing (Miller, 2006, 2007b). One of the new techniques that can help
to assist them in doing so is the action method1 of Souldrama. Souldrama
puts spirituality into action by linking the 12 steps to seven doors of spiritual
transformation, while aligning the ego and the soul (Miller, 2010, p. 33).
A 12-step program is a set of guiding principles for recovery from addictive, compulsive, or other behavioral problems, and was originally developed
by the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA, 2001) to guide individuals
into recovery from alcoholism. According to AA (2001), working the 12 steps
involves following these principles as a guide for recovery:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcoholthat our lives had become unmanageable (p. 59).
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to
sanity (p. 59).
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God
as we understood Him (p. 59).
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves (p. 59).
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact
nature of our wrongs (p. 59).
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
(p. 59).
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings (p. 59).
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make
amends to them all (p. 59).
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to
do so would injure them or others (p. 59).
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong
promptly admitted it (p. 59).
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact
with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will
for us and the power to carry that out (p. 59).
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried
to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all
our affairs (p. 60).
The way of life outlined in the 12 steps has been adopted by millions
of members in recovery from addictions (AA, 2001). The same principles are
found around the world (AA, 2001). What is common in every program is
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that each step requires taking action, learning new roles, and applying new
behaviors. However, to create total recovery, there is a need today to create
action techniques in counseling to help prevent relapses from occurring, by
releasing the feelings of fear, rage, anger, pain, and sadness, which are often
used to continue to maintain dysfunctional roles.
The Rational
Everything that appears in the universe has had its origin in an individuals
mind (Miller, 2010). The mind generates ideas, and then ideas become expressed through thoughts and words (Miller, 2010). This is referred to as our
rational intelligence (RQ), and it is often measured by IQ tests (Miller, 2010).
The word intelligence means to learn and to understand how to deal with
new situations (Langenscheidt, 1999).
The RQ is a persons capacity to acquire knowledge, such as the ability
to learn and to understand, to apply knowledge or to problem solve, and
to engage in abstract reasoning (Miller, 2010). The RQ is the power of an
individuals intellect, and therefore, it is clearly a very important aspect of
an individuals overall well-being (Miller, 2010). For more than a century,
psychologists have been attempting to measure this intellectual capacity in
individuals (Miller, 2010). Therefore, individuals who have a biological predisposition to being addicted must understand the addictive brain response
to alcohol and other drugs, the acute and postacute withdrawal effects, and
the roles that stress management, diet, and exercise play in recovery.
Lewis (2001) talks about two individual minds operating as if they are
one system. The defining word here is two (Lewis, 2001). J. L. Moreno
(1978), Buber (1995), Mead (1964), and Levinas (1985) believe that the concept of self is not an independent reality. It is a relational interdependent dynamic from which we cannot be divorced (Buber; Levinas; Mead;
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J. L. Moreno, 1978). Any intent therefore to study human behavior in isolation is not more than a laboratory exercise (J. L. Moreno, 1972). In other
words, addicts do not achieve total recovery simply by becoming more selfaware, more self-disciplined, and more knowledgeable about the 12 steps.
Many addicts in recovery cannot walk the talk for they are not conscious
of being able to do so. Just learning about the 12 steps may feed ones
cognition, but it does not contribute insight to behavior. Knowing is not
necessarily linked to knowing what to do or what role to play in a specific
situation.
The Emotional
A primary goal in recovery is to help people make a distinction between
addictive and irresponsible thinking versus sober and responsible thinking.
The most important elements are to teach individuals how to lower the
amount of stress they are experiencing in the moment and then to have
them stop to identify and challenge addictive and irresponsible thinking so
that they can replace it with sober and responsible thinking. This shows people how to identify and stop using drug-seeking behavior, which increases
stress and takes them away from people, places, and things that support
their recovery. To continue helping them, they should be put around people, places, and things that do not support using alcohol or other drugs.
Milton Erickson (1982) believed that people who are traumatized often get
stuck thinking about the world, themselves, and their difficulties in only
one way (as cited in Miller, 2010). Erickson (1982) referred to the fact that
it was this stuckness that imprisons individuals in this one way of thinking, because it knocks them out of connection with their bodies and emotions (as cited in Miller, 2010). This imprisoned way of thinking and lack
of connection to themselves is what leads people to feel as if they have
lost that sense of spirit from their lives (Miller, 2010). Humans are biologically programmed from birth to self-protect. It is vital to be able to rapidly
assess whether an encounter with another is safe or dangerous (Damasio,
2000; Squire, 2009). As mammals, humans are biologically programmed to
connect with others (Dawkins, 1976/1989; Lieberman, 2007; Lorenz, 1978).
This innate sense of dependence on others helps humans to comprehend,
through conscious and nonconscious processes, that one seems to understand the actions of others and helps them to moderate ones own status
to survive and thrive (Argyris, 1971; Lieberman). What we define as emotional intelligence, most of us know as empathy (Golman, 2002; Miller, 2008).
J. L. Moreno (1955, 1978) defines empathize as the identification with, and
understanding of anothers situation, feelings and motives. J. L. Moreno
(1955, p. 47) maintains that empathy is a two-way process wherein each
person interfacing has insight into the others feelings and behaviors, there
is a strong capacity for flexibility, and there is the creativity and the
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quality of the defense mechanisms, when, for a moment, they are absent,
you feel very insecure (as cited in Hartman & Zimberoff, 2006, p. 66).
Socially
It is important to teach people how to transform their social lives and families
from one that is centered on alcohol and drugs and incapable of meeting
their needs as sober and responsible people, to a social network that is
capable of meeting their needs. In recovery, people need to be challenged
to learn how to examine themselves through the process of reflectively
looking within themselves and the process of consciously and mindfully
looking outside of themselves. The purpose of this process is to learn and
to grow in their abilities, so that they can navigate both their complex inner
and outer worlds. Goleman and Boyatzis (2008) define social intelligence
as a set of interpersonal competencies built on specific neural circuits and
endocrine systems that inspire others to be effective. This means that when
group members exhibit empathy and become attuned to others, it literally
affects their own brain chemistry (Goleman & Boyatzis).
It is in a group that we see ourselves in relationship to others. We learn
about ourselves such as how we communicate fear, withdrawal, avoidance,
shutting down, conflict, and indifference, but without words and by action.
Every movement and nonmovement we make is a form of communication,
and there is a sense of group consciousness. Z. Moreno (1965) said we
were born in a group, learned our roles in a group and we can be healed
in a group (as cited in Miller, 2010, p. 62). In a group, there is a sense
of Holism where we can see larger patterns, relationships, and connections
(Miller, 2010, p. 62). The group acts as the double for life, meaning that the
group conscience reflects the spiritual and moral ideals and is the foundation
of our societys rules and laws (Z. Moreno). Z. Moreno believed that in a
group, we can expose our darker sides and experience the cathartic effect
of being re-admitted to the group (as cited in Miller, 2010, p. 63).
J. L. Moreno (18891974), the father of group psychotherapy and from
whom the 12-step groups originated, went against other traditional therapists such as Freud, stating that our personality is not hereditary but rather
develops by the roles we learn to play in life. J. L. Moreno believed that
there is no authority than that which comes from the entire group itself,
because each person of the group is a therapeutic agent of the other. The
ability to experience a connection with another is central to the healthy evolution of the self, and this can be done within a healthy group situation. To
achieve oneness, one must have the developmentally necessary connective
experiences to unify a cohesive self.
According to Yalom (1975), existential factors come into play as
group members gain an awareness of the universal nature of pain, death,
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Spiritually
The quest in recovery is to find a personal sense of meaning and purpose
in life. This is based upon an understanding that individual addicts are not
the entire world or the center of the universe, which is often called addictive
grandiosity. Instead, all human beings are born as part of a larger universe,
world, and social system that has been culturally indoctrinated both verbally
and through role modeling to establish a set of beliefs about the self, others,
the world, and whatever powers that are greater than the self and exist to
govern the way things are in the world. The ultimate goal of recovery is
to develop a sense of who am I and what do other people and the world
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require of me to survive and thrive? Recovery also asks the question of Why
am I here? Individuals need to decide for themselves what they choose to
do to improve themselves, help others, and leave the world a better place.
Many authors provide a common thread to define a spiritual journey
(Covey, 1989; Mitroff, Mason, & Pearson, 1994; Morris, 1997; Neal, 1997;
Peck, 1993; Roof, 1993; Stein & Hollwitz, 1992). In general, they refer to the
spiritual journey as a process of focusing within to gain an awareness of the
self. Only through this awareness of the self can individuals become truly
actualized and find both the meaning and purpose of their work and in their
lives. This is the individuation process, which produces both an interconnection with the self and a connection with others by fostering a sense of
order and balance (Miller, 2007a). Chandler, Holden, and Kolander (1992)
have a good definition in which they describe the spiritual experience as the
innate ability to transcend the point of view of the ego from which people
constantly experience and evaluate and judge their lives. When they can do
this, they can open up to a broader worldview, a greater capacity for loving, and an increased motivation to enhance the greater good. In addition,
there is another definition of spirituality that comes from the Latin spiritus,
meaning breath of life, which is a way of being and experiencing that
comes about through awareness of a transcendent dimension and is characterized by certain identifiable values in regard to self, others, nature, life,
and whatever one considers to be the ultimate (Elkins, Hedstrom, Hughes,
Leaf, & Saunders, 1988, p. 10). Elkins et al. define the common elements
people experience during a spiritual journey, such as transcendence, personal meaning and mission in life, sacredness, material values, altruism, high
ideals, awareness of the tragic, and fruits of spirituality.
The spiritual growth process is achieved by permeating the barriers
of the repressed Higher Unconscious, such as the fear of letting go and
surrendering, and then by embracing it, which was Maslows idea of selfactualization (Maslow, 1971). This represents an increase in the experience
of higher, mystical, and spiritual states of consciousness. Spiritual intelligence
is the ability to master a set of diffuse and abstract concepts about being and
also is the ability to master the craft of altering ones consciousness in attaining a certain state of being. It is an intelligence that explores the nature
of existence in its multifarious guises (Gardner, 1999, p. 60). An existential intelligence, is the capacity to locate oneself with respect to the furthest
reaches of the cosmosthe infinite and infinitesimaland the related capacity to locate oneself with respect to such existential features of the human
condition as the significance of life, the meaning of death, the ultimate fate of
the physical and the psychological worlds and such profound experiences as
love of another person or total immersion in a work of art (Gardner, p. 61).
Moments of shame and trauma in childhood affected our development,
and we sacrificed parts of ourselves to feel safe or loved (Zimberoff &
Hartman, 2007). Inner resources such as innocence, trust, spontaneity,
courage, and self-esteem were lost, stolen, or abandoned, leaving an
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immense empty space or that hole in the soul (Miller, 2007a). Spiritual growth
is achieved through the repair of the bond with our soul following that disconnection (Zimberoff & Hartman, 1999). Strength of character, resilience,
determination, and a deep trust all come from repair and realignment of the
separation between the ego and the soul (Miller, 2010). This repair results
from the authentic relationships we form with others and from the risks we
take, as well as our willingness to change our roles in relationship to them.
Decker (1993) stated, Trauma acts to increase spiritual development if that
development is defined as an increase in the search for purpose and meaning (p. 25). Carl Jungs theory of individuation states that the individual
strives to become whole and distinctive from the collective (Jung, 1933; Jung
& von Franz, 1964). For an individual to realize their specific purpose, a connection with ones unique self must be achieved (Eddinger, 1972; Harding,
1965). In this context, the self is the whole of the individual, including all
aspects of an individuals conscious and unconscious, often referred to as a
paradoxical union of opposites (Harding). The self is superior to the ego and
is experienced as the center of the personality (Jung). Although the path to
individuation is quite different for each person, the process tends to be similar (Singer, 1972). The individuation process occurs as ones ego is initially
developed, then challenged, and ultimately subordinated to a more comprehensive psychic entity, being that of the self (Jung; Singer). The process
constitutes the conscious realization and fulfillment of ones unique being
(Harding). Our early experiences are deeply embedded and profoundly fundamental in that the construction of a sense of self and the early mistaken
beliefs and conclusions, such as I am bad, or I am alone, or I cannot
trust my own perceptions, will continue to have a profound influence on
our choices for our life unless and until they are changed cognitively, somatically, and emotionally (Miller, 2010). We will deny ourselves spontaneity
and will choose experiences that will validate our preconstructed beliefs,
and thus, we remain rigidly committed to our old roles. We will remain in
our old roles and patterns of behavior and we will not know what to do
with certain new stimuli or learning. To become balanced, the individuals
self must transform the ego and achieve alignment with its individuality (Eddinger; Jung & von Franz). However, the ego fears the loss of what is known
as its identity and resists by struggling with the unknown aspect of self.
What seems to hold the 12 steps together more than anything else is the
sense of community and relationships, which gives off a feeling that we are
a large family rather than a large belief system. There is a common interest,
which links us to something more important than the ego and personal
opinions. The fellowship of like-minded people attracts grace when we are
around people who are committed to a spiritual awakening; and that is when
we will begin to resonate at the same energy level. Everything in our life
happens in relationship and that includes the relationship between the ego
and the soul. By growing spiritually, we can begin to reconnect with our
true spiritual identity by realigning and repairing the separation between
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the ego and the soul. Through this process, we are really dissolving the
strength of the ego and aligning it with the soul, as we start reconnecting
to intimate relationships (Miller, 2010). However, we are not eliminating
the ego (Miller, 2010). If we repair the bond with our souls following the
disconnection that occurs, we will be able to grow spiritually. If individuals
become conscious of their whole personality and the self, then they can
become great spiritual leaders by becoming aware of their higher purposes
and potential capabilities (Miller, 2010).
Wolman (2001) has researched the nature of spirituality and devised
the Psychamatrix Spirituality Inventory (PSI) to assist people in assessing
the focus and pattern of their spirituality. He suggests these seven factors
together comprise the spectrum of spiritual experience and behavior:
1. Divinity, the sense of connection to a God figure or Divine Energy
Source.
2. Mindfulness, an awareness of the interconnection of the mind and body,
with an emphasis on practices that enhance that relationship.
3. Intellectuality, a cognitive and inquiring approach to spirituality, with a
focus on understanding sacred texts.
4. Community, the quality of spirituality connecting to the community at
large.
5. Extrasensory perception, spiritual feelings, and perceptions associated
with non-rational ways of knowing.
6. Childhood spirituality, a personal, historical association to spirituality
through family tradition and activity.
7. Trauma, a stimulus to spiritual awareness through experiencing physical
or emotional illness or trauma to the self or a loved one (p. 2).
Some of the qualities of spiritual intelligence that imply responsibility to
one another are values such as courage, integrity, intuition, compassion, and
love. Developing our spiritual intelligence is critical today for total recovery
so that we can have a strong enough inner world to sustain on our need for
belonging, self-esteem, contribution, and love. If we develop our spiritual
intelligence, we can begin to ask ourselves why we are doing what we are
doing and then seek some fundamentally better way of doing it. As human
beings, we live by meaning and purpose, not by status or pleasure. This is
total recovery.
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The ego comes from recurring thought forms and conditioned mental and
emotional thought patterns that identify it as a form as well as an attachment
to something outside of itself (Miller, 2010). The ego speaks in terms of words
or only in the language of the RQ, such as in what I think (Miller, 2010).
Words reduce reality into something that the human mind can comprehend
(Miller, 2010). However, such words can never describe the in-depth nature
of the ultimate purpose of your life, your experiences, or who you truly are
(Miller, 2010). The ego is who you think you are, thus creating the false
I (Miller, 2010). The ego forms when we begin to define ourselves in
relationship to others and by the roles that we play in life (Miller, 2010).
We begin to define ourselves with labels, and we learn how to be clever to
survive, which then leads us to lose wisdom as we begin to learn RQ (Miller,
2010).
When we move through the RQ, we can disidentify from our thoughts,
and there is a feeling of the thoughts shifting from being the content in your
mind to being the content that becomes part of the background (Miller, 2010).
When we become locked in compulsive thinking, we cannot be present to
hear the voice of the soul (Miller, 2010).
Then, balanced midway between the ego and the soul resides the heart
(Miller, 2010). To repair damage and restore this balance, it requires attending
to the practical, the somatic, and the here-and-now experience (Miller,
2010). In addition, it also requires individuals to let go of old roles, patterns,
beliefs, and structures so that they can take on new ones (Miller, 2010).
Once we are able to do this, we experience an open heart, where we
allow the vulnerability of taking others in, as well as putting ourselves out
to others (Miller, 2010). Souldrama also teaches you to see your parents as
your spiritual teachers (Miller, 2010). It is here that we are able to reframe
the wounds from childhood (Miller, 2010). We now begin to recognize a
higher purpose and are able to stand back from a situation or problem
and see the bigger picture (Miller, 2010). For the first time, we begin to
see the problems in a wider context (Miller, 2010). This stage is in the first
level and must be completed before we can move on to Level 2 (Miller,
2010).
Door 1. Faith.
Purpose. To access our faith and to surrender to something higher than
ourselves (Miller, 2010).
Goal. To build trust among group members (Miller, 2010).
Corresponding steps
1. Admitted we were powerless over our addiction and that our lives were
unmanageable (AA, 2001; Miller, 2010).
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to
sanity (AA, 2001; Miller, 2010).
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Initial group. As with most group approaches, members are introduced and an overview of the group process, goals, and the Souldrama
process is discussed. During Souldrama groups, facilitators use warm-up
and trust-building activities to link commonalities between members, build
group cohesion, reduce anxiety, and encourage here-and-now interactions
(Miller, 2010). In another activity that is used to encourage group cohesion
and honest discussion within the group, Souldrama draws upon sociometric6
principles to illustrate here-and-now connections within the group (Weldwood, 1976). In this exercise, the leader draws an imaginary line down the
center of the room and defines the line as a scale from 1 to 10 representing
perceptions of comfort of group members within in the group.7 The criterion
question is: Stand somewhere on the line, between the numbers 1 and 10,
that represents your level of comfort being within a group today, in which
the number 1 represents being the least comfortable and the number 10
represents being the most comfortable. Once you have chosen your place,
share with the person closest to you. If the majority of the group stands
on the number 1, then the group leader knows that most of the group is
uncomfortable being in a group situation and can deduce that the group will
need more warming up. Sharing with others brings out similarities, which
can help to facilitate group cohesion. Group members are asked to share out
loud why they stood where they did, thereby taking responsibility for their
choices.
Still using the spectrogram, members are asked, How comfortable are
you with your own spirituality? Please stand on the line representing your
level of comfort, 10 being the most and 1 the least. As a tool for the
group leader, he or she is then able to ask those on the lower end of the
spectrogram to share, if they wish, what they would need from the group
to become more comfortable with their spirituality. After both exercises are
complete, the group shares with each other in dyads or in small groups
about their experience using the spectrograms.
During these developmental stages, the leader suggests prayer, meditations, or just plain asking as a method to encourage spiritual surrender and
to facilitate relaxation and trust among members. When surrendering, members realize that they are not omniscient and trust that they are connected to
a greater whole and a power that is greater than themselves (Miller, 2010).
Prayer and surrender offer the group themes of vulnerability and trust, which
are essential for members to commit passionately to their path (Miller, 2010).
These experiences are framed as members consider the concepts in the
Serenity Prayer: Lord, grant me the courage to change the things I can, to
accept the things I cant, and the wisdom to know the difference (AA, 2007).
The purpose of the first door is to surrender and have faith in a power
higher than themselves and trust that there is a God or the wholeness
of being (Miller, 2010). Here, the process of prayer or meditation is invoked, because prayer offers surrender and the ability to relax and trust
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(Miller, 2010). A high level of trust allows an individual to commit passionately to their path without attachment to the outcome (Miller, 2000).
Door 2. Truth.
Goal. Clarity of our lifes purpose; embrace the shadow (Miller, 2010).
Corresponding steps
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as
I understood him (AA, 2001; Miller, 2010).
4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of ourselves (AA, 2001; Miller,
2010).
This door helps us to discover the truth of how we see ourselves and
how we are seen by others (Miller, 2010). It enables us to understand the
roles we played in our familyto stay safe and be loved, as well as to understand our loyalty to that process (Miller, 2010). As we reframe the wounds
that we received from our parents and transform them into gifts for our souls
purpose, we begin to embrace the shadow side of ourselves (Miller, 2010).
The purpose of this door is for members to discover and clarify their higher
purpose (Miller, 2010). One measure of spiritual development is a purpose
in life, defined as the capacity to find meaning, satisfaction, and direction
in ones experiences (Miller, 2010). This has been shown to be profoundly
grounded in confrontations with adversity (Zimberoff & Hartman, 2007). At
this stage, group members become aware of roles they unconsciously play
in the world, which developed from their family of origin (Miller, 2010). As
they recognize the old roles they unconsciously play, they take responsibility for re-creating situations and dynamics in their lives that they no longer
desire (Miller, 2010). As the group begins to gain cohesion and as honest
dialogue is encouraged, members begin to hold one another responsible for
their behaviors within the group (Miller, 2010).
STAGE 2: EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, WHAT I FEEL
We often see our present situation through the emotional lens of the past,
in which we experience the feelings of the past and overreact to situations
through our old roles, feeding into the ego and becoming trapped in the
emotions (Miller, 2010). Souldrama allows us in Doors 3 and 4 to completely
experience the feelings and emotions in the here and now and then to
connect with those feelings. It is in this stage that we learn compassion for
others and ourselves (Miller, 2010). Then, the minute that we realize that
the pain is inside and not outside of ourselves, it slowly begins to disappear
(Miller, 2010). This means that we allow ourselves to accept whatever it is
that we need to feel and not judge ourselves for it (Miller, 2010). We need
to be who we already are, love made in the image of God (Miller, 2010).
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Door 3. Compassion.
Goal. Forgiveness (Miller, 2010).
Corresponding steps
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and another human being the exact nature
of wrongs (AA, 2001; Miller, 2010).
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
(AA, 2001; Miller, 2010).
In this stage, participants move through the third door called Compassion (Miller, 2010). It is within this stage that members develop empathetic
compassion and begin to celebrate the diversity and uniqueness inherent in
all people (Miller, 2010). Compassion is defined as having an experience of
feeling with, a deep empathy for self and others (Miller, 2010). By employing a social network to facilitate deep change, J. L. Moreno invited people
to live out the Golden Rule, which was to reverse roles and imagine what it
would be like to be the other person, and thus promote empathy, compassion, and self-reflection (Blatner, 2000). In this spirit, members of the group
could be asked to partake in the role reversal, experiencing and sharing what
they notice from this vantage point. Role reversal is a technique of inviting
one person to change places and play the role of another. Role reversals give
the protagonist insight into the position of others and the opportunity to see
himself as others see him. In an encounter or sociodrama, role reversal ensures that the protagonist has heard the other position and can place himself
temporarily in it. When we reconstruct the scene in time, place, and age, we
can take the pain out of ourselves and observe the present from outside and
not within us. When clients become trapped in their stories of the past, they
do not realize that there is a place from which they can observe themselves
and their pain in the present. It is through the psychodramatic technique
of mirroring that we can become the observer of our pain and then decide
what steps we need to take to move past it (Miller, 2010). In mirroring, the
director suggests that the protagonist come out of the enactment, and then
the scene is replayed by an auxiliary who portrays the protagonist, while
the protagonist observes from the sidelines or farther away in the room. The
protagonist may also then discuss what is observed with the director and
the group. Then she reenters and replays the scene having had a chance to
thus reflect. This stage also helps us to become conscious of our emotional
triggers. When we are able to become aware and conscious of them, we
shed light on our pain and unhappiness and then become capable of taking
the necessary steps to move forward (Miller, 2010).
Exploring different roles enables members of the group to see and
grasp the dynamics of the different relationships in their lives (Miller, 2010).
They could be asked to take the role of God, family members, friends, or
individuals with whom they struggle (Miller, 2010). To find ones unique
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is always reliable and always available to its children when they are in need
(p. 67). In research by Kirkpatrick and Shaver (1992), participants with a
secure attachment to God perceived him as more loving, less controlling,
and less distant than those with an insecure attachment. An adults attachment style and an attachment to God were strongly related for participants
who reported an insecure childhood attachment to their mothers. People
whose parental attachments were disrupted by separation or loss in childhood were less likely to turn to God as an attachment figure (Kirkpatrick,
1999). Resolving early disordered attachments in psychotherapy may well
result in removing the resistance or avoidance in an individuals spiritual
relationship (Miller, 2010). In our experience, Souldrama and this spiritual
reconnection quite commonly co-occur. Miller (2007b) defines spirituality
as an individuals relationship with a higher power. When God is seen
as being inside oneself, a greater sense of cocreative responsibility exists.
Then opportunity for a person to be authentic emerges, bringing the truth
of the inner world to the outer world and thus creating greater spiritual
leadership (Miller, 2007b, 2010). The technique of enacted dialogue, similar
to what Carl Jung called active imagination, is the technique employed
here for helping others find the course of their spiritual journey in their
life, which consciously becomes associated with the emerging sense of self
(Jung, 1933).
Souldrama builds on the idea of interactive conversations with a higher
power as a way to live consciously (Miller, 2010). Enacted dialogue synthesizes the functions of the ego ideal and the creative unconscious. When the
spiritual other is embodied as either the persons own subconscious higher
power or as the still, small voice, which is the link to an external, spiritual
authority, the creative unconscious is thus identified as a source of wisdom,
warning, comfort, and guidance (Blatner, 1998/1999, 1999). This process intensifies the idea that at some deeper level, clients often know what they
need and believe, and it is healing to put their superficial identities in touch
with this deeper knowing. Through interactive role-playing, individuals often find themselves saying things they ordinarily would not think or say
from the perspective of their ordinary or familiar egocentric positions (Blatner, 1998/1999, 1999, 2000). Therefore, individuals develop a relationship
with that aspect of their creative unconscious, which is formed through their
higher power, soul, or self (Blatner, 1998/1999, 1999, 2000). In enacting
the role of the higher self or some other benevolent spirit or entity, individuals find themselves embodying their own ego ideal, and as a result, the
statements made in the course of role-playing become affirmations, which
then consciously become associated with the emerging sense of self (Miller,
2010). When the ego ideal is wise rather than clever, loving rather than selfish, and giving rather than getting, individuals are helped to move toward
healthier goals (Miller, 2010).
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his friends instead of with him. I asked him to reverse roles back, and A
repeated back to B what he said in the role of his father. I then asked B to
tell his father what he wanted to tell him all these years. He began to cry and
told him he felt guilty for going with his friends instead of asking his father
to stay home and to go fishing. In fact, he felt guilty and felt he caused his
fathers death. This is when he began to drink. The role reversals continued
until the protagonist finished saying what he had kept inside all these years.
Many of the feelings that were buried for so long were finally purged. I then
asked B to choose someone to play the role of his higher power C. I asked
B if he was ready to turn his father over to his higher power, for as a child
he did not have that opportunity. B said to C, I cannot hand him over to
you because I love him and Im not ready. I told them to reverse roles as
God. I asked B, who was now in the role of God, how much love God has,
to which he responded softly by saying, God has limitless amounts of love
to give. C then stated, God, I can love my father more than you. B, as
God, replied, Do you think you are God? I asked him what kind of God
he was, and he said, I am a kind, omnipresent God that stays with you
always. I told them to reverse back. After they reversed back, I had the
person playing God, who was C, repeat the last line, and then I asked B,
who was now playing himself, if God could take better care of his father
and give him more love than he could. In tears, he said, Yes. Therefore, I
asked him to give his father over to someone who could love and care for
him more than he could, and he took A, who was playing his father, and
put him in Gods arms. Here, the protagonist was able to gain clarity and
discover the truth about his feelings. He runs a very successful construction
company today and has been responsible for putting in new and inventive
safety measures for his employees.
When B shared with the group later, he discussed that he thought he
was more powerful than God was and could not turn his fathers soul over
to a God who could not love his father more than he could. C shared how
the drama helped him believe that he could trust others and began to admit
that perhaps he had some difficulty with his higher power who he had
internalized as his father. A shared how his role helped him to see that
he needs to be home more for his son. Each member shared with B how
the drama affected them from the role of the observer. There were many
tears, and each person had much to relate to. B stayed sober and has never
returned to rehab and helps his employees get assistance for addictions.
Summary
It is difficult to show a client how to open his heart to experience love so that
he might be able to live with loving, healthy relationships while doing meaningful, creative work (Miller, 2010). A great deal of study in psychology has
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been done so that a client might understand the scars and abuses of childhood and help them heal and forgive those responsible for their wounding.
Although this helps individuals let go of the past, not enough attention has
been paid to their vision and to their ability to move forward and live a life of
joy, satisfaction, and purpose (Miller, 2010). When individuals nurture their
souls, they have a vision for themselves and for the world as a whole (Miller,
2010). By seeing how they all are connected to each other and to God, they
can then connect on a divine level. After a certain point in therapy with an
addict, vision seems to be more powerful in the recovery process than the
clearing away of baggage from past scars. A client without vision cannot see
far enough ahead to move forward toward a complete recovery. Without
this vision, many clients start losing their enthusiasm for life, their will to
live life joyfully and creatively, and their passion for interests and projects
(Miller, 2010). Many have lost the ability to appreciate the positives in life
and, more importantly, have lost a commitment to action. Complete recovery needs to involve the body, mind, and spirit (Miller, 2010). It involves
controlling compulsions, learning effective coping skills, removing abusive
relationships, learning new behaviors, and putting vision into what life could
be for them.
To support clients in identifying their vision and helping them move
forward in achieving their lifes purpose, we need new, creative therapeutic
tools. One way is to provide a structured, stable format for recovery, such
as the doors and stages in Souldrama but also including and working with
the 12 steps (AA, 2001; Miller, 2010). For the developing adult, a supportive
environment serves to create the transitional space for stepping from the
current level of functioning into a new, higher level, which offers sufficient
ego security to allow for acceptable risk, redefining of roles, order, and
simultaneously accepting chaos. Mayes (2001) stated, Order within disorder,
stability and instability side by sideherein lies the developmental riddle
(as cited in Hartman & Zimberoff, 2003, p. 168).
J. L. Moreno (1972) felt that we cocreate our lives, that we all have
the potential to be Godlike, and that spontaneity and creativity are those
qualities that can stream us into our Godlike natures. One recognizes in
this the honoring and the power of the present moment. It is the constant
goal of Souldrama to help individuals to define their relationship to a higher
power, and thus to themselves, as one that is all loving and not based on the
internalized image of their parents or other authority figures (Miller, 2010).
Recovery is as individual as the person who is attempting to achieve it.
Souldrama addresses the personal belief system in such a way that the client
resolves past issues, redefines their role for current issues, and addresses
and defines what the future holds for them (Miller, 2010). Souldrama gives
much-needed structure to psychodrama in 12-step recovery programs. It
gives them doors of opportunity and transitions to symbolize their recovery
as they actually see and experience spirituality in action.
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The ego can manifest a far richer consciousness in everyday life than
thought possible if brought into alignment with soul (Miller, 2010). Souldrama, which I developed as an adjunct to psychodrama in the treatment of
codependency, is an action-oriented method that includes both psychodramatic and narrative techniques (Miller, 2010). Action methods, or rather psychodramatic techniques, are experiential exercises under a general category
of techniques that might include physical action, imagination, theatre games
or creative drama techniques, nonverbal communications, and the use of
music, poetry, sculpture, song, dance, movement, and so forth. Souldrama
goes further by redefining an individuals relationship to God (Miller, 2010).
Rather than being subservient to God, we are a part of God. This recognition helps to establish a greater sense of psychospiritual and psychosocial
belonging. When we are aligned with the energy of Gods love, we reflect
this light to dispel the darkness (Miller, 2010). We can then see life as a
mystery to be embraced and not a problem to be solved (Miller, 2010). We
become cocreators in our lives so that we can access our divine purpose
(Miller, 2010).
Through this experiential group process, the client gets to relive traumatic events in a supportive, safe, structured environment in such a way
that it facilitates closure and healing. In becoming spiritually intelligent, we
live once again in touch with our soul, our inner strength, and our higher
power (Miller, 2010). We all function as a part of a greater whole, from family
to social systems, and it is only by establishing our new roles and identity
through the seven doors and the 12 steps that we can successfully learn to
live a life in total recovery with more meaning and an increased sense of
satisfaction. The soul exists only in the moment. Every moment, no matter
what the conditions, offers opportunities to touch and experience life in a
new way. Our egos, with their fears and desires, easily get trapped in the
past and the future, but the power to change exists only in the moment. If
we can experience our own humanity and learn how to transcend the past,
then we can reach for a more promising future. We heal because of who we
are and not what we do.
NOTES
1. Action methods: a synonym for psychodramatic techniques; experiential exercises; a general
category of techniques that might include physical action, imagination, theatre games or creative drama
techniques, nonverbal communications, using music, poetry, sculpture, song, dance, and movement, and
so forth.
2. Psychodrama: a method of exploring life situations by enacting them rather than talking about
them. Psychodrama was originated by Dr. J. L. Moreno around 1924. Its methods have wide application
beyond the realm of therapy. Psychodrama addresses its attention to the truth of each persons lifethat
unique complex and dynamism of interacting roles that makes up the individual in his or her relations
with others and the world.
3. Protagonist: the individual who enacts his or her life situation.
4. Coprotaganists: people participating in a shared drama or a structured encounter.
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5. Auxiliary: The auxiliary is like a supporting actor except that an auxiliary can play a wider
variety of roles: an inanimate figure in a dream, the unspoken or subconscious thoughts or feelings of
the protagonist or one of the other characters in the enactment, and, as noted above, even the role of
the person of the protagonist (while the protagonist watches from the sidelines). Auxiliaries can change
roles, also. In short, the auxiliary is a term used in psychodrama to refer to any person who helps the
enactment by playing an active role.
6. Sociometry: a group of methods for measuring some aspects of the interpersonal dynamics in
groups. More specifically, it notes the aggregate of preferences in terms of responses to a question such
as, Who would you prefer to work with on this project? The answers are charted and shared with the
group so as to respond to their needs to organize themselves more realistically. It can also be modified
in many ways, using written questionnaires, diagrams, or action techniques. A group of concepts are also
associated with the term, such as the general desirability of helping people to be with those with whom
they feel the most rapport, noting that different relations are constellated when different criteria are used,
etc. On a deeper level, sociometry is a way to more clearly identify preferences and to check out how
one is perceived by others.
7. Spectrogram: The group demonstrates how they feel about an issue in the group by placing
themselves on an invisible line in the room. It helps in objectifying and clarifying the problems.
8. Locogram: The group demonstrates how they feel about an issue in the group by placing
themselves on various spots in the room marked by scarves or other objects. It helps in objectifying and
clarifying the problems.
9. Psychodrama addresses its attention to the truth of each persons life. There is a unique
complex and dynamism of interacting roles, which make up the individual in his or her relations with
others and the world. This person would also help the group to reflect the central issue among the group
members so that not only would the protagonist experience a catharsis, but the group members would
experience a vicarious catharsis through the work of the protagonist.
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