Celebrating psychodrama at St. Elizabeths Hospital

  

In the history books of psychodrama, St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., has a special chapter.

The venerable Saint Elizabeths (yes, no apostrophe) Hospital Psychodrama Department received the 2013 Collaborators Award from the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama.

Psychodrama was introduced to the hospital decades ago by James Ennis, one of Dr. J.L. Moreno's first trainees, and Dr. Moreno visited there to demonstrate his method. Dozens of trainees learned the art and craft of psychodrama there before moving on to training centers and their own practices and businesses. The psychodrama department was dissolved in the early 2000s, although a strong creative arts department continues to function. There is behind-the-scenes discussion to bring psychodrama back to the hospital.

St. Elizabeths Hospital is a psychiatric hospital operated by the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health. Founded in 1852, it was the first large-scale federally run psychiatric hospital in the United States. Housing several thousand patients at its peak, St. Elizabeths had a fully functioning medical-surgical unit and offered and psychiatric residencies. It has since fallen into disrepair and the grounds are mostly abandoned, although the east campus is still operational and it opened a new facility in 2010. Well-known patients include would-be presidential assassins Richard Lawrence (who attempted to kill Andrew Jackson) and more recently John Hinckley, Jr. who shot Ronald Reagan, as well as the successful assassin of James Garfield, Charles J. Guiteau. Other notable residents were Mary Fuller, James Swann, Ezra Pound and William Chester Minor, former Civil War Army Surgeon.

Lots of great hospital lore at the Wiki site.

Karen's presenting at psychodrama conference in April

Do you want to write a book but have no idea about how to begin? I'll be presenting on this topic -- along with about 100 of my psychodrama friends -- at the 73rd annual conference of the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama April 9-12 in Philadelphia.

Here's the brochure blurb for "How I Wrote My Book(s)" for all aspiring authors and others.:

Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP, will share her experiences with working with a major publishing company and self publishing – along with recommendations for finding a topic, book proposals, working with a co-author and more. Bring your questions for this interactive presentation and warm up to getting your contribution out into the world.

Early registration deadline for the annual conference is Feb. 13. Join us in Philadelphia!

For more on my books about psychodrama, constellation work and other action methods, see this link.

2015 Systemic Constellations Conference -- save the date!

Save the date -- North American Systemic Constellation Conference will take place Nov. 12-15, 2015 in San Diego, Calif. A wonderful chance to learn more about this emerging alternative healing process and organizational change process for people, families, groups, communities and organizations. 

I have  a special fondness for systemic constellation work -- sometimes called family constellation work -- the alternative healing process that has been developed in the past 30 years by German therapist Bert Hellinger. My first book, Integrating Psychodrama with Systemic Constellation Work: New Directions for Action Methods, Mind-Body Therapies and Energy Healing, explored the similarities and differences of psychodrama and constellation work and how one enhances the other. I've come to look at constellation work, which focuses on the energy of the "field," as a kind of energized sociometry -- with the roles that we play as form of solidified energy. This approach as really impacted the way that I use psychodrama and alter it for various people and groups.

A call for presenters will be coming soon. In the meanwhile, save the date now and find out more about this conference with this video:

Q&A for Karen's newest psychodrama book

 

Thanks to the Racine Journal Times, which interviewed me about my newest book Show and Tell Psychodrama: Skills for Therapists, Coaches,Teachers, Leaders. I'm always happy to talk about psychodrama and action methods. Read the Q&A here.