One of the basic philosophical ideas is that man possesses an enormous dose of creativity that he cannot express because he is limited by a number of cultural roles imposed on him. It is those roles that prevent someone from being themselves and developing to their full potential. Psychodrama is best categorized within Humanistic psychology and has clear interfaces with Existential psychology on the one hand and Gestalt psychology on the other. Central thinking within these movements is that man as a social being strives to develop his own individuality, personal potential and responsibility.
In counseling with psychodrama, one is guided to a situation where challenges pose or problems arise. By creatively approaching these situations and multiplying the experience of them by using all the senses, the (re)experience becomes much richer. Where words fall short, psychodrama makes them more complete.
Unlike purely verbal counseling, psychodrama uses figuration and expression techniques to express internal and relational conflicts. Verbal exchanges are interspersed with improvised play scenes. In doing so, the place is divided into a “space to speak” and a “space to play. In the “psychodrama play,” we start from a scenario that succinctly accommodates a situation and various characters (often including objects, animals, a feeling, etc.). Through play, talk, and movement, the various characters then interact.
Psychodrama and hypnosis have many similarities and complement each other.
We speak of protagonist (client), group members, director (therapist), co-director (co-therapist). Not all roles are necessary for a psychodrama. It can also be done from therapist – client.
The phases of a psychodrama are warm-up, action and sharing.
During the warm-up, group members’ attention and energy are focused on a problem situation. The protagonist serves or is chosen. During the action, the protagonist plays out his life situation with the help of the group members. During the sharing, group members exchange their own life experiences by sharing what they were able to identify with during the action.
By listening to the other person’s experiences, insight into one’s own life events will emerge.
In psychodrama, we have the opportunity to explore the different “ego-states” according to what they mean to you. You are hereafter in a position to change their meaning so that you function better.
Grief counseling is a rewarding topic to accompany with psychodrama. We can enter into conversation with the no longer present and look into this one’s emotional world. This creates a communication with renewed insight which very positively affects letting go without forgetting.