Ann Hale talks about the consciousness cycle

 

Ann Hale is the mistress of sociometry, and she consistently puts out great information about sociometry and groups. If you haven't seen her web site, you should check it out -- it's brimming with great resources and links  that relate to groups and other good stuff -- plus her original art work.

She also puts out books every so often. They are always sterling representations of how sociometry fits with other aspects of psychodrama.

If you want to know more about sociometry and her latest publication, check our her new monograph, "Three Cyclical Models which Enhance Consciousness of Interpersonal Connection."  The 57-page monograph  includes the origins, design and ways each cycle may be used in action. The three cycles are: The sociometric cycle, the harmonic-conflictual cycle and the interpersonal neurobiology cycle. 

Appendices include signage of each cycle for use in action explorations; a section on the three cycles and Moreno's Canon of Creativity; a section on the holographic nature of the cycles, and an update on consciousness related to brain research.

Find ordering info here.

ASGPP has a sparkling new web site!

 

The American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama has a brand new web site, with lots more information, photos and history, plus free books to download, classic articles and updated guidelines for making submissions to the journal. Take a look.

2013 psychodrama conference in Virginia

Save the date!

The American Society for Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama is planning its 2013 conference April 11-15 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Va., just minutes from Washington, D.C. The theme for the 71st annual conference is "Psychodrama; Being, Seeing and Acting that Connects Our Global Community."




More psychodrama blogs are out there!

Friends, this isn't the only psychodrama blog.

Oh, yes, there's a number of other psychodramatists who write about the method of psychodrama and how to use it. Others write commentary about life and emotional well being.

Some bloggers are funny and some are erudite. Some give advice. All give an interesting take on their thoughts about society, psychodrama and how to use the method to make the word a better place.

• Lives In Progress, from Jude Treder-Wolff and Nick Wolff, the psychodramatic-creative arts therapy couple in Smithtown, N.Y., with always interesting articles about creativity and psychodrama.
• The Psychodrama Companion, from William Wysong, a a longtime TEP in Colorado and popular presenter at our annual conference. 
• Words and Images from the Mind of Adam Blatner, from the author of so many books about psychodrama including the often-revised and popular Foundations of Psychodrama.
• Today's Drama, from Stan Smith, who writes about everything from group safety and ethics to Facebook and role theory.
• Ask The Therapist, an advice column from Daniel Tomasulo on Psychcentral, plus The Healing Crowd for Psychology Today.
• Psychodrama (just Psychodrama!) comes from Sue Daniel, one of the psychodrama pioneers  in Australia. A nice mix of pictures, poems, book reviews and more. 
• Psyberspace is the creation of Walter Logeman, Christchurch, New Zealand, who subtitles his blog "Exploring the psyche in cyberspace."
•  Krayna Castelbaum contains Krayna's thoughts on topics such as rest, love, joy and life, as well as the poem of the month and information about her practice in Oregon.
• Daily Affirmations from Linda is the blog offering of Linda Condon, a Florida psychodramatist.

You can subscribe to most by RSS feed, a format for delivering regularly changing web content. Read more here about RSS.

Am I missing any? Contact me and I'll write more in this future blog.

Psychodrama, on TV & on the web with Jean Campbell

Jean Campbell, a TEP who is the founder of the Action Institute of California, has been starring in a few videos as psychodrama director.

Here, she presents a psychodrama segment on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Although the site refers to Jean's work as "drama therapy," it really  is psychodrama. The snippet shows Jean requesting the protagonist reverse roles with his disease and then directing an anger release segment. The scene ends as Jean begins preparing the protagonist for a vignette. Let's watch:

Psychodrama scene on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew

Jean also discusses the magic and process of psychodrama at a recent program for TEDxConejo, which explores the always fascinating and often inspiring interconnectedness of our world, produced in association with the Conejo Valley Unified School District. Let's watch:

These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx; the TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.

Jean uses action methods in businesses, agencies, clinics, schools and hospitals to facilitate staff trainings, team building, strategic planning, crisis management and role training seminars. Her web site is here.

Tian Dayton's new book on adult children of alcoholics

Tian Dayton's newest book, The ACOA Trauma Syndrome: The Impact of Childhood Pain on Adult Relationships, takes a look at what it means to be an adult who grew up in an alcoholic home, the childhood pain that results from this experience and the way to find happiness in adult relationships.

Tian, who has a Ph.D. in psychology and is a sister psychodramatist, writes not from ivory tower research -- although she does offer plenty of research to back up her information about neurobiology -- but also from a very personal perspective:

"My father had two very distinct personalities. The same father who tenderly gave me café au lait on a spoon and fresh-squeezed orange juice in a baby glass, who listened to my childish sentences with such pride and pleasure, who dreamed impossible dreams for my future and worked all of his life to give me the best of everything—that same beloved father had a monster living inside of him. And that monster was as frightening to me as the other side of him was beautiful. And that monster grew stronger with each drink he took. At different times of the month, the week, and eventually the day, the monster would take over my father, and I would have no idea where my 'real' dad had gone."

Tian, who has been awarded the Scholar's Award from  the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, is the executive editor of the organization's journal. She has written a number of books about psychodrama and experiential therapy including The Living Stage and  The Drama Within, and has also documented much about pain and trauma associated with dysfunctional families, including Heartwounds, Emotional Sobriety and Trauma and Addiction.

Here she talks about emotional sobriety and growing up in a family that hurts:

A psychodrama rhyme!

What's your favorite psychodrama song?

(Wait a minute. Does psychodrama have songs?)

Well, kind of. This one comes from the Saturday night celebratory dance at the 2012 conference at the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama -- with a group of slightly revised lyrics -- popular since the founding the ASGPP in 1942.

This is my personal favorite, sung to the tune of "My Favorite Things":

High chair and low chair and concretization

Doubles and mirrors and showing creation.

Stand in the doorway and share your issue, 

then one of the members will give you a tissue.

When the protagonist cries

and the director replies

Role reverse right now.

we simply remember our favorite techniques and then

we can be in the  now.

Watch for our next conference April 11-15 in Arlington, Va.