Introduction to Psychodrama

Sandra Grieve

Advanced Professional Training is delighted to offer this five-day introductory training in Psychodrama. This course will be of interest to individuals and professionals who want to get in touch with their creativity and spontaneity as a means of reinvigorating their lives and working practice. Psychodrama is active, energising, healing and often fun.

What is Psychodrama and Action Methods?

The word 'Psychodrama' is often used as a generic term when talking about the range of action methods that J L Moreno developed.

Action methods are used to enable past, present and future life events to be explored. Issues or problems and their possible solutions are enacted rather than just talked about. Psychodrama offers the opportunity to practise new roles safely, see oneself from outside, gain insight and change. There is a director, an action area and group members. The director supports groups to explore a new response to a past situation and an adequate response to a future one, group members participate in the drama as significant others and share how they personally relate to and can learn from the presenting issue at the end of the session.

Psychodrama can be used in a group or individually for therapy and personal growth. It can also be applied to family and couples therapy.

Psychodrama is practised and taught extensively through the world.

Who is psychodrama for?

Psychodrama is for everyone and anyone who would like to experience the spontaneity and 'magic' of working with action methods. Whether your focus is personal, professional, therapy or training….. If you're interested in the creative exploration of yourself, your relationships and your life using action as well as words, then you might value and enjoy the psychodramatic method and the personal liberations, self expression and insights that it elicits.

This workshop will help participants to:-

• Be more creative and spontaneous, both for themselves and their clients • Establish and maintain psychological contact in non verbal ways • Understand the fundamentals of action methods

The course philosophy and theoretical approach is person-centred. We will explore the interface between configurations of self and psychodrama role theory. Attending to the core conditions, we will explore ways of integrating action methods into person-centred practice. This practice is relevant to a wide range of professionals: e.g. Counsellors, teachers, health-care workers.

Dates: Monday 10th, Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th November 2008, and Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th December 2008

Time: 9.30 am - 4.30 pm

Venue: Jordanhill Campus

Group size: 17 - 25

Cost: £425 (£50 deposit) or £375 if paid in full before Monday 15th September 2008

The course is affiliated with The Northern School of Psychodrama and is accredited by the British Psychodrama Association. While participation in this course does not offer any qualification, it will count towards any future course of study in Psychodrama at Certificate or Diploma level.

Facilitator: Sandra Grieve is a Person-Centred Therapist, Psycho-dramatist, Supervisor and Trainer. She is a staff trainer with the Northern School of Psychodrama, works as part of the team of school counsellors in East Dunbartonshire, and has a private practice as a therapist, supervisor and trainer. She contributed a chapter to the book Communicating with Children and Adolescents – Action for Change. She has a particular interest in and passion for young people with a learning disability and other people in the process of becoming.

Apply to Karen McDairmant, Professional Development Unit, University of Strathclyde (email: karen.mcdairmant@strath.ac.uk or tel: 0141 950 3734)

Deadline for applications: Monday 15th September 2008

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