The open access book explains the practical approach in psychodrama with the help of multidisciplinary theories of self-development, mentalization, play, and psychosomatic resonance. These theories help to structure the therapeutic experiences of Moreno and other psychodramatists and to compare them with experiences and theories of other psychotherapy methods. Against this background, the author develops models of a disorder-specific psychodrama therapy for people with personality disorders, borderline organization, trauma disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, grief reactions, suicidal crises, masochism, psychoses, addiction disorders, eating disorders, and behavioral addictions. The therapy models convey a deep understanding of these disorders and sometimes open up new ways of treatment. They can be used both in individual and in group therapy. The methods are explained with the help of more than 120 case examples. The theoretical explanation makes the psychodramatic action methods accessible and applicable to therapists from other schools of therapy as well as in counseling and coaching. This makes the practical work therapeutically more effective and creative. This is an open access book.

Psychodrama: Advances in Theory and Practice provides a comprehensive overview of developments in the theory and practice of psychodrama, integrating different psychodramatic schools of thought. Psychodrama is one of the pioneering approaches of psychotherapy and is practised by thousands of practitioners and in most countries of the world. The editors of this volume bring together contributions from Europe, South America, Australia, Israel and the USA to explain and explore recent innovations. They look at how psychodrama has contributed to the development of psychotherapy, introducing concepts that have had a profound influence on other therapies. These include concepts such as role theory, the encounter, the co-unconscious, the social atom, sociometry, action research, group psychotherapy, the cycle of spontaneity and creativity, role play and many related concepts and techniques. This book will be of great interest to all students, practitioners and trainers in the field of psychodrama. It will also appeal to professionals and students in the related fields of psychotherapy, counselling, psychology and psychiatry.

Psychodrama and other action methods are especially helpful in the treatment of the classic eating disorders as well as dieting struggles, body dissatisfaction and associated issues of fear, sadness, silence and shame. This book provides clinicians with sound theoretical information, practical treatment guidelines and a wealth of clinically-tested action structures and interventions. The authors describe how they have introduced action methods to work with a diverse range of clients, and suggest ways in which psychodrama practitioners, experiential therapists and others may integrate these methods into their practice. Offering fresh ideas for tailoring psychodramatic standards such as The Living Newspaper, Magic Shop and the Social Atom to eating disorder issues, they provide extensive examples of psychodrama interventions - classic and specially adapted for eating disorders - for both the experienced practitioner and those new to experiential therapies. They also explain how psychodrama can be used in combination with other expressive, holistic and complementary approaches, including family constellations, music, art, imagery, ritual, Five Element Acupuncture, yoga, Reiki and other energy work. This pioneering book is essential reading for practitioners and students of psychodrama, drama therapy, experiential psychotherapy, cognitive and expressive arts therapies and mental health professionals, as well as professionals interested in complementary health modalities.

This open access book outlines the intersections between social work and the methods of sociometry and psychodrama. Different sections offer essential practice wisdom for both trauma-focused and trauma-informed experiential work for individuals, groups, organizations, and communities. This text enriches the understanding of various action-based approaches and highlights how to enliven social work practice. The chapters include clinical vignettes and examples of structured sociometric prompts with diverse populations, topics, and social work settings to enhance the understanding of group practice, individual practice, and community practice. It provides social workers and other professionals with dynamic tools to improve assessment, intervention, activism, and leadership. Strength-based practical tools are offered to readers, along with guidance for theoretical conceptualizations. This integrative book is an essential read for students, practitioners, leaders, and scholars within the fields of social work, psychodrama, the creative art therapies, group therapy, community organizing, and social activism.

Drama as Therapydescribes and defines dramatherapy, providing in one volume a definition of the core processes at work in dramatherapy, a clear description of how to structure sessions, a thorough review of techniques and a wide range of examples from clinical practice. At the heart of the book is a definition of the nine core processes which define how and why dramatherapy can offer the opportunity for change. Also included are step-by-step breakdowns of the ways of working with a broad range of clients. Dramatherapy's approach to role, play, mask, ritual, performance and script are all described. The book includes extensive historical material from the 1920s to the present day, covering work in the US, the UK, Russia and the Netherlands. It challenges previous accounts of dramatherapy's history with details of Evreinov's Theatrotherapy, Iljine's work in Russia and interviews with innovators in the field, including Peter Slade, Sue Jennings and Marion Lindquvist.

This book offers a comprehensive guide to psychodrama, including the underlying philosophy, methodology, theory and applications. Taking readers through the process of staging a psychodrama session, from the contracting phase, exploration and enactment to closure and integration, the book also presents brief short examples to illustrate how to choose the best methodological approach for any context, and describes in detail the various psychodrama techniques and their application in practice, with indications, contraindications, typical pitfalls and FAQs. The book demonstrates that psychodrama is not merely a collection of methods and techniques and that the potential of psychodrama cannot be fully utilized without an in-depth knowledge of its conceptual foundations. With examples from a range of practices, it shows the broad applicability of psychodrama in therapeutic and non-therapeutic contexts alike, e.g. in educational contexts (school and adult education), social work, organization development, coaching and many other fields. This easy-to-read book uses jargon-free language and will appeal to psychotherapy researchers and practitioners, as well as non-therapeutic professionals like human resource consultants and life coaches. This is a translated and revised edition of the best-selling German book Psychodrama: Grundlagen (Springer, 2014, 3rd edition).

Democratic therapeutic communities have been set up all over the world, but until now there has not been a manual that sets out the underlying theories, and describes successful practice. Based on their own substantial experience and expertise, the authors of this new textbook explain how to set up and run modern therapeutic communities as effective evidence-based interventions for personality disorder and other common mental health conditions. Including detailed templates and practical information alongside a wider historical context, this encyclopaedic handbook will enable clinicians to develop and implement a democratic therapeutic community model with confidence. Highlighting the importance of belonging to a wider community, this book also shows how to ensure the needs of patients are considered and met, and that patients themselves can see in detail what this approach entails. This is an invaluable resource for clinicians and service commissioners working in the field of recovery from personality disorder, as well as those working in mental health and healthcare. This book also provides a useful model for professionals working in prisons and the justice system, long-term drug and alcohol rehabilitation and education, and students of group analytic, psychotherapy, and counselling courses.

One-to-One Psychodrama Psychotherapy: Applications and Technique will be an invaluable resource and manual to the field for those training in or practising psychodrama psychotherapy in a one-to-one frame. This book brings together for the first time current thinking and practice, developed and refined at the London Centre for Psychodrama Group and Individual Psychotherapy. Divided in two parts, this book provides a comprehensive background to the field and an exploration of the theory and techniques discussed, drawing upon the experience of practitioners in their one-to-one practice. Case studies are presented and discussed across diverse issues, such as anxiety, bereavement, shame, eating disorders, dissociative identity disorder, multi-agency work with children and brief interventions within an organisational setting. One-to-One Psychodrama Psychotherapy will appeal to all experienced practitioners as well as those wishing to work with psychodrama psychotherapy on an individual basis.

This workbook elucidates the techniques clinicians will encounter using the cognitive experiential (psychodrama) group therapy (CEGT) model. This model incorporates cognitive behavioral and psychodramatic interventions to help identify and modify negative thinking, behavior, and interpersonal patterns. Beginning with a brief overview of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodrama, the book highlights concepts and techniques that are most relevant to CEGT session content. The second half of the workbook provides a description of CEGT and what group members should expect through their engagement in this therapy. Featured throughout are tables and exercises that create pathways to challenge dysfunctional thinking along with blank worksheets to be used by group members located in the appendices. Readers will learn techniques to challenge negative thought patterns and increase engagement in positive and success-based experiences through clear guidelines for behavioral interventions to help move individuals from negativity to a more positive life space.

Peer groups have a great significance in children’s development. Since children express their problems through play and action, Alfons Aichinger and Walter Holl have developed the basic ideas and intervention possibilities of psychodrama for group therapy work with children in a process spanning over 35 years. Using vivid examples, they describe the appropriate composition of a group of children, the structure of a group therapy session, the group process, disorder-oriented and group process-oriented interventions and the demands placed on the leaders of these groups.