May 30, 2025 • 14 mins
Have you ever felt stuck in traditional therapy, understanding your problems intellectually but still feeling emotionally disconnected? Psychodrama might be the missing piece. This dynamic, action-oriented approach bypasses our well-worn cognitive defenses and connects head with heart in ways that talk therapy sometimes can't.
Psychodrama isn't merely a theoretical concept for your licensure exam—it's a powerful therapeutic tool with profound applications. Developed by Jacob Moreno in the 1920s and popularized during the human potential movement, this approach treats personality as a collection of roles rather than a fixed entity. When we become rigid in these roles or overidentify with certain aspects while neglecting others, psychological distress often follows. Through techniques like role reversal, doubling, mirroring, and empty chair work, clients can safely explore traumatic memories, practice difficult social interactions, or say goodbye to lost loved ones.
The magic of psychodrama happens in its three-phase structure. The warm-up builds trust and group cohesion. The action phase allows the protagonist to enact significant life scenes with the help of group members serving as auxiliary egos. Finally, the sharing phase universalizes the experience as group members connect the protagonist's work to their own lives without analysis or advice. This creates what Moreno called "tele"—the empathic connection between individuals that forms the cement of healthy relationships. Whether you're preparing for your exam or looking to expand your therapeutic toolkit, understanding psychodrama's unique capacity to make the intangible tangible opens new possibilities for helping clients achieve meaningful change through spontaneity, creativity, and authentic expression. Ready to move beyond just talking about problems and start transforming them through action?
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This podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stacy Frost (00:01):
Hi everyone and welcome back to the Licensure
Exams podcast.
I'm your host, stacey Frost,and it's really, really great to
be with you all again.
The energy you bring, evenvirtually, is something I
appreciate as we go over thesecomplex but fascinating topics
together.
Today we're going to be lookingat something a bit different, a
(00:22):
bit more active than yourstandard talk therapy.
We're talking about psychodrama.
This is a topic that'sinteresting, especially for all
you hitting the books gettingready for your licensure exam.
It's one of those modalitiesthat might pop up and it's good
to have a real, solid grasp ofwhat it's all about Not just the
textbook definition, but how itactually works, what it feels
(00:43):
like and what its theoreticalunderpinnings truly are.
Most of you weren't around forthe 60s, but Dr Hutchinson used
psychodrama extensively whengroup work was just being
introduced in therapy and thehuman potential movement was
underway.
Esalen Institute played atransformative role in the
(01:03):
evolution of psychotherapy andpersonal growth by reintroducing
psychodrama, which wasdeveloped by JL Moreno in the
20s and if you're curious,linton says he didn't know
Moreno in the 20s, but I'm stillnot convinced they weren't
contemporaries.
I don't know, stacey, someoneis starting to sound a bit
delusional here.
Sure, linton Sounds likeprojection to me.
(01:25):
Well, moving on, psychodrama isso experiential, so in the
moment it's not just abouttalking about problems, it's
about doing something with them,acting them out, feeling them
in a really different way thatcan often bypass those well-worn
cognitive defenses we all have,can often bypass those
(01:46):
well-worn cognitive defenses weall have.
We're not dealing with aspecific diagnosis for this
discussion, so no DSM criteriato memorize for this podcast,
which might be a relief for someof you.
But we are going to get intothe nitty-gritty of psychodrama
itself its structure, its coretechniques, its unique
vocabulary and why it can besuch a dynamic tool in your
therapeutic arsenal.
When we talk about the clinicalpresentation of psychodrama,
(02:08):
we're not talking about how aclient with a specific disorder
presents.
Instead, we're looking at howpsychodrama itself shows up in a
therapeutic setting or when youmight think aha, psychodrama
could be really useful here.
It's typically a group method,though some techniques can be
adapted for individual therapy.
You'll have a group ofindividuals and one person, who
(02:29):
we call the protagonist, becomesthe focus of a particular
session, exploring theirpersonal issues through dramatic
action.
This means clients who areperhaps a bit stuck in
traditional therapy, the oneswho say I understand my issues
intellectually, but I still feelthe same way or who have
trouble accessing or expressingemotions, might really benefit.
Think of the client who cannarrate a traumatic event with
(02:51):
flat affect, or the one whointellectualizes every feeling.
Psychodrama offers a pathway toconnect the head and the heart,
the cognitive and the affect.
Imagine being able to replay ascene with your mother not just
recount it, but to actually havesomeone play your mother and
for you to respond in the moment, perhaps even try a different
(03:11):
response.
Consider trauma psychodramaoffers a way to re-engage with
traumatic memories in a safe,contained space, with the
possibility of creating a new,more empowering narrative.
Or think about social anxiety,where individuals can practice
social interactions andchallenge their fears in a
supportive environment.
It's also incredibly useful forgrief, where one might have an
(03:34):
opportunity to say goodbye orexpress unsaid words to a lost
loved one.
The clinical presentation of apsychodrama session itself is
dynamic.
It's not just clients sittingin chairs talking, though.
There are moments of reflectionand discussion.
There's movement, interactionand often quite intense
emotional expressions.
You'll see clients taking onroles, reenacting past scenes or
(03:58):
even trying out futurepossibilities on a designated
stage area.
It can look a bit like theater,but the goal isn't performance
for an outside audience.
It's all about theprotagonist's internal world and
their experience.
Now, psychodrama isn't just afree-for-all, an improvised
chaos.
It has a clear and deliberatestructure, a flow.
There are generally three mainphases to a psychodrama session
(04:20):
and it's really important youunderstand these, as they ensure
safety, focus, therapeuticeffectiveness and just might
show up on your licensing exam.
First we have the warm-up phase.
This is important.
You can't just throw clientsinto intense emotional work,
especially in a group settingwhere trust is paramount.
The warm-up is all aboutbuilding group cohesion,
(04:41):
creating a safe and trustingatmosphere.
You, as the director, thetherapist, might use various
exercises, games or structuredactivities to get clients moving
, interacting and starting totune into themselves and the
group.
During this phase, a theme orconcern often starts to emerge
from the group.
It might be a shared feelinglike anxiety about an upcoming
(05:01):
holiday or a common issue likecommunication difficulties
upcoming holiday or a commonissue like communication
difficulties.
From that, a protagonist, theclient whose story or issue will
be explored, is usuallyidentified.
Sometimes someone volunteers,feeling a strong connection to
the emerging theme.
Sometimes the group energy justsort of points to someone whose
need or readiness is palpable.
It's a very organic process,guided by the therapist's
(05:24):
sociometric awareness.
This phase sets the stage,literally and figuratively, for
what's to come.
Rushing this phase cancompromise the entire session.
After the warmup, you move intothe action phase and this is
where the magic, or the realwork of psychodrama happens.
This is the heart of thesession.
The protagonist, with your helpas the director, chooses a
(05:44):
specific scene or situation fromtheir life past, present or
even future to enact on thestage, which is just a
designated area in the room.
They don't do this alone.
Other group members are chosenby the protagonist, or sometimes
suggested by you, to play theroles of significant people in
the protagonist's life these arecalled auxiliary egos then
(06:05):
interacts with these auxiliaries, re-experiencing the event or
exploring the dynamics.
You, as the director, areactively involved, guiding the
(06:25):
action, introducing specifictechniques to help the
protagonist gain newperspectives, express
unexpressed emotions and maybeeven try out new behaviors in a
safe context.
This phase can be reallyintense, very emotional, as
stored feelings come to thesurface.
The director carefully monitorsthe protagonist's state,
ensuring the work remains withintheir window of tolerance, even
as it challenges them.
And this is just as importantas the action.
(06:49):
The sharing phase, or sometimesit's called the post-discussion
or integration phase.
After the dramatic actionconcludes and the protagonist
has hopefully reached a point ofcatharsis, insight or
behavioral learning, the focusshifts.
The auxiliaries are de-rolled,meaning they step out of the
roles they were playing, whichis a very important step to help
them separate from theintensity of the role and return
(07:11):
to being themselves.
Then the audience members andthe auxiliaries as themselves
are invited to share, but theydon't analyze or interpret the
protagonist's experience.
No advice giving.
No, you should have done this,or I think you felt that can be
very invalidating.
Instead, they share how theprotagonist's work touched on
(07:32):
their own lives, their ownexperiences, their own feelings.
Someone might say, when youwere arguing with your father,
that really reminded me of myown relationship with my dad and
I felt that same sadness andfrustration you expressed.
It's about universalizing theexperience, reducing shame or
isolation for the protagonistand reinforcing the group
(07:52):
cohesion.
How does psychodrama actuallywork as a therapeutic approach?
What are its philosophical andtheoretical roots?
Well, it's grounded in theideas of its founder, jacob
Moreno, a physician,psychiatrist, sociologist and
philosopher.
A contemporary of Freud, butwith very different ideas.
Moreno believed a lot inspontaneity and creativity as
(08:15):
fundamental forces forpsychological health and growth.
He theorized that psychologicaldistress often comes from being
stuck in rigid roles orpatterns of behavior, from a
lack of spontaneity.
So psychodrama aims to helpclients reclaim or develop their
spontaneity and creativity,allowing them to respond to life
(08:35):
situations in new and moreflexible, authentic ways.
It's also heavily based on hisrole theory.
Moreno saw personality not as afixed entity but as a
collection of roles the roles weplay in our families, at work,
with friends, and even ourinternal roles.
Psychodrama allows you toexplore these roles, to
(08:56):
understand them better, to seehow they might be limiting you
or how you might beover-identifying with these
roles.
To understand them better, tosee how they might be limiting
you or how you might beover-identifying with certain
roles at the expense of others.
It's about role expansion androle flexibility, increasing
one's capacity to inhabit awider range of roles effectively
and appropriately.
The goals of this therapeuticapproach are pretty broad and
multifaceted.
One is emotional release, orcatharsis.
(09:19):
By enacting a difficultsituation, clients can safely
express pent-up emotions thatthey might not be able to access
or express in ordinaryconversation.
But it's not just about blowingoff steam which can be
transient.
Moreno talked about anintegrative catharsis where the
emotional release is connectedto new understanding, cognitive
restructuring and often abehavioral shift.
(09:41):
So it's catharsis plus insightplus action.
Another goal is gaining newperspectives.
When you literally step intosomeone else's shoes using role
reversal, or when you see yourown behavior mirrored back to
you, that can really shift howyou see things, fostering
empathy and reducing egocentricbiases.
It's also a fantastic way forbehavioral rehearsal.
(10:03):
If a client is anxious about anupcoming job interview or a
difficult conversation with afamily member, they can practice
it in the psychodrama, try outdifferent approaches, receive
feedback and build confidenceand skills.
All right, this is where it getsreally interesting the specific
techniques used in psychodrama.
These are the tools, the actionmethods that bring the
(10:24):
psychodrama to life.
First off, there's role-playing, the absolute bedrock of
psychodrama, where theprotagonist or an auxiliary
takes on a role and acts it out.
This isn't just pretending in asuperficial way, it's about
embodying the role, trying tofeel and behave as that person
would.
Then there's doubling.
In this technique, an auxiliaryego stands beside the
(10:46):
protagonist and speaks aloud thethoughts and feelings that the
protagonist might be having butisn't expressing, or perhaps
isn't even fully aware of.
The double tries to tune intothe protagonist's inner world,
their subtext, their nonverbalcues.
The protagonist can thenconfirm or correct the double.
It helps to bring unconsciousor suppressed material to the
(11:08):
surface and can make theprotagonist feel really
understood and less alone.
Next up, mirroring here theprotagonist steps out of the
scene for a moment and becomesan observer.
Another group member thenreenacts the protagonist's
behavior, their words, theirmannerisms as they just
portrayed them in the scene.
It's like looking in a livingmirror, giving the protagonist a
(11:32):
more objective view of how theycome across to others.
And then role reversal this isprobably one of the most
well-known psychodramatechniques.
The protagonist literally swapsroles, with an auxiliary ego
who is playing a significantother.
This is amazing for buildingempathy and understanding
another person's perspective,what it feels like to be on the
(11:53):
receiving end of one's ownbehavior.
It also helps the protagonistsee themselves as others might
see them.
We also have soliloquy, wherethe protagonist speaks their
private thoughts and feelingsaloud, as if they're talking to
themselves, without directlyaddressing another character in
the scene.
It allows for a deeperexploration of their internal
(12:14):
state, their hidden dilemmas,their hopes, fears and internal
conflicts.
Their hopes, fears and internalconflicts.
And of course, the empty chairtechnique, where an empty chair
represents a significant person,a part of the self or even an
abstract concept.
The protagonist then speaks tothe chair, expressing what they
need to say unfinished business,unexpressed emotions,
(12:35):
confrontations or appreciation.
Like any specialized approach,psychodrama has its own lingo,
its own set of terms.
We've touched on many of themalready Protagonist, auxiliary
ego, director, the stage.
But there are others worthknowing.
Tila, for instance, is a uniqueMorenian concept referring to
the two-way flow of feeling orempathic connection, the degree
(12:59):
of reality in perceiving betweentwo or more individuals.
Moreno believed tele was thecement of all healthy
relationships and group cohesion.
And surplus reality this refersto the dimension of experience
that psychodrama allows you toenter, which goes beyond
everyday physical reality, intothe realm of psychological truth
(13:20):
.
In surplus reality you caninteract with people who are
deceased or talk to parts ofyourself.
You can enact future events ordreams or redo past events with
different outcomes.
It's this unique capacity tomake the intangible tangible
that gives psychodrama so muchof its distinctive character and
therapeutic power.
So that's psychodrama a reallyfascinating, creative and often
(13:44):
very moving way to work withclients.
I hope this explanation hasbeen helpful for all of you and
that you feel more prepared foryour licensing exam.
Thanks for tuning in and forsticking around to the end.
I'll catch you next week withanother riveting topic that will
keep you glued to the edge ofyour seat.
Keep up the great work withyour studies and remember, as I
always say, it's in there,you've got this.
Hi everyone and welcome back to the Licensure
Exams podcast.
I'm your host, stacey Frost,and it's really, really great to
be with you all again.
The energy you bring, evenvirtually, is something I
appreciate as we go over thesecomplex but fascinating topics
together.
Today we're going to be lookingat something a bit different, a
(00:22):
bit more active than yourstandard talk therapy.
We're talking about psychodrama.
This is a topic that'sinteresting, especially for all
you hitting the books gettingready for your licensure exam.
It's one of those modalitiesthat might pop up and it's good
to have a real, solid grasp ofwhat it's all about Not just the
textbook definition, but how itactually works, what it feels
(00:43):
like and what its theoreticalunderpinnings truly are.
Most of you weren't around forthe 60s, but Dr Hutchinson used
psychodrama extensively whengroup work was just being
introduced in therapy and thehuman potential movement was
underway.
Esalen Institute played atransformative role in the
(01:03):
evolution of psychotherapy andpersonal growth by reintroducing
psychodrama, which wasdeveloped by JL Moreno in the
20s and if you're curious,linton says he didn't know
Moreno in the 20s, but I'm stillnot convinced they weren't
contemporaries.
I don't know, stacey, someoneis starting to sound a bit
delusional here.
Sure, linton Sounds likeprojection to me.
(01:25):
Well, moving on, psychodrama isso experiential, so in the
moment it's not just abouttalking about problems, it's
about doing something with them,acting them out, feeling them
in a really different way thatcan often bypass those well-worn
cognitive defenses we all have,can often bypass those
(01:46):
well-worn cognitive defenses weall have.
We're not dealing with aspecific diagnosis for this
discussion, so no DSM criteriato memorize for this podcast,
which might be a relief for someof you.
But we are going to get intothe nitty-gritty of psychodrama
itself its structure, its coretechniques, its unique
vocabulary and why it can besuch a dynamic tool in your
therapeutic arsenal.
When we talk about the clinicalpresentation of psychodrama,
(02:08):
we're not talking about how aclient with a specific disorder
presents.
Instead, we're looking at howpsychodrama itself shows up in a
therapeutic setting or when youmight think aha, psychodrama
could be really useful here.
It's typically a group method,though some techniques can be
adapted for individual therapy.
You'll have a group ofindividuals and one person, who
(02:29):
we call the protagonist, becomesthe focus of a particular
session, exploring theirpersonal issues through dramatic
action.
This means clients who areperhaps a bit stuck in
traditional therapy, the oneswho say I understand my issues
intellectually, but I still feelthe same way or who have
trouble accessing or expressingemotions, might really benefit.
Think of the client who cannarrate a traumatic event with
(02:51):
flat affect, or the one whointellectualizes every feeling.
Psychodrama offers a pathway toconnect the head and the heart,
the cognitive and the affect.
Imagine being able to replay ascene with your mother not just
recount it, but to actually havesomeone play your mother and
for you to respond in the moment, perhaps even try a different
(03:11):
response.
Consider trauma psychodramaoffers a way to re-engage with
traumatic memories in a safe,contained space, with the
possibility of creating a new,more empowering narrative.
Or think about social anxiety,where individuals can practice
social interactions andchallenge their fears in a
supportive environment.
It's also incredibly useful forgrief, where one might have an
(03:34):
opportunity to say goodbye orexpress unsaid words to a lost
loved one.
The clinical presentation of apsychodrama session itself is
dynamic.
It's not just clients sittingin chairs talking, though.
There are moments of reflectionand discussion.
There's movement, interactionand often quite intense
emotional expressions.
You'll see clients taking onroles, reenacting past scenes or
(03:58):
even trying out futurepossibilities on a designated
stage area.
It can look a bit like theater,but the goal isn't performance
for an outside audience.
It's all about theprotagonist's internal world and
their experience.
Now, psychodrama isn't just afree-for-all, an improvised
chaos.
It has a clear and deliberatestructure, a flow.
There are generally three mainphases to a psychodrama session
(04:20):
and it's really important youunderstand these, as they ensure
safety, focus, therapeuticeffectiveness and just might
show up on your licensing exam.
First we have the warm-up phase.
This is important.
You can't just throw clientsinto intense emotional work,
especially in a group settingwhere trust is paramount.
The warm-up is all aboutbuilding group cohesion,
(04:41):
creating a safe and trustingatmosphere.
You, as the director, thetherapist, might use various
exercises, games or structuredactivities to get clients moving
, interacting and starting totune into themselves and the
group.
During this phase, a theme orconcern often starts to emerge
from the group.
It might be a shared feelinglike anxiety about an upcoming
(05:01):
holiday or a common issue likecommunication difficulties
upcoming holiday or a commonissue like communication
difficulties.
From that, a protagonist, theclient whose story or issue will
be explored, is usuallyidentified.
Sometimes someone volunteers,feeling a strong connection to
the emerging theme.
Sometimes the group energy justsort of points to someone whose
need or readiness is palpable.
It's a very organic process,guided by the therapist's
(05:24):
sociometric awareness.
This phase sets the stage,literally and figuratively, for
what's to come.
Rushing this phase cancompromise the entire session.
After the warmup, you move intothe action phase and this is
where the magic, or the realwork of psychodrama happens.
This is the heart of thesession.
The protagonist, with your helpas the director, chooses a
(05:44):
specific scene or situation fromtheir life past, present or
even future to enact on thestage, which is just a
designated area in the room.
They don't do this alone.
Other group members are chosenby the protagonist, or sometimes
suggested by you, to play theroles of significant people in
the protagonist's life these arecalled auxiliary egos then
(06:05):
interacts with these auxiliaries, re-experiencing the event or
exploring the dynamics.
You, as the director, areactively involved, guiding the
(06:25):
action, introducing specifictechniques to help the
protagonist gain newperspectives, express
unexpressed emotions and maybeeven try out new behaviors in a
safe context.
This phase can be reallyintense, very emotional, as
stored feelings come to thesurface.
The director carefully monitorsthe protagonist's state,
ensuring the work remains withintheir window of tolerance, even
as it challenges them.
And this is just as importantas the action.
(06:49):
The sharing phase, or sometimesit's called the post-discussion
or integration phase.
After the dramatic actionconcludes and the protagonist
has hopefully reached a point ofcatharsis, insight or
behavioral learning, the focusshifts.
The auxiliaries are de-rolled,meaning they step out of the
roles they were playing, whichis a very important step to help
them separate from theintensity of the role and return
(07:11):
to being themselves.
Then the audience members andthe auxiliaries as themselves
are invited to share, but theydon't analyze or interpret the
protagonist's experience.
No advice giving.
No, you should have done this,or I think you felt that can be
very invalidating.
Instead, they share how theprotagonist's work touched on
(07:32):
their own lives, their ownexperiences, their own feelings.
Someone might say, when youwere arguing with your father,
that really reminded me of myown relationship with my dad and
I felt that same sadness andfrustration you expressed.
It's about universalizing theexperience, reducing shame or
isolation for the protagonistand reinforcing the group
(07:52):
cohesion.
How does psychodrama actuallywork as a therapeutic approach?
What are its philosophical andtheoretical roots?
Well, it's grounded in theideas of its founder, jacob
Moreno, a physician,psychiatrist, sociologist and
philosopher.
A contemporary of Freud, butwith very different ideas.
Moreno believed a lot inspontaneity and creativity as
(08:15):
fundamental forces forpsychological health and growth.
He theorized that psychologicaldistress often comes from being
stuck in rigid roles orpatterns of behavior, from a
lack of spontaneity.
So psychodrama aims to helpclients reclaim or develop their
spontaneity and creativity,allowing them to respond to life
(08:35):
situations in new and moreflexible, authentic ways.
It's also heavily based on hisrole theory.
Moreno saw personality not as afixed entity but as a
collection of roles the roles weplay in our families, at work,
with friends, and even ourinternal roles.
Psychodrama allows you toexplore these roles, to
(08:56):
understand them better, to seehow they might be limiting you
or how you might beover-identifying with these
roles.
To understand them better, tosee how they might be limiting
you or how you might beover-identifying with certain
roles at the expense of others.
It's about role expansion androle flexibility, increasing
one's capacity to inhabit awider range of roles effectively
and appropriately.
The goals of this therapeuticapproach are pretty broad and
multifaceted.
One is emotional release, orcatharsis.
(09:19):
By enacting a difficultsituation, clients can safely
express pent-up emotions thatthey might not be able to access
or express in ordinaryconversation.
But it's not just about blowingoff steam which can be
transient.
Moreno talked about anintegrative catharsis where the
emotional release is connectedto new understanding, cognitive
restructuring and often abehavioral shift.
(09:41):
So it's catharsis plus insightplus action.
Another goal is gaining newperspectives.
When you literally step intosomeone else's shoes using role
reversal, or when you see yourown behavior mirrored back to
you, that can really shift howyou see things, fostering
empathy and reducing egocentricbiases.
It's also a fantastic way forbehavioral rehearsal.
(10:03):
If a client is anxious about anupcoming job interview or a
difficult conversation with afamily member, they can practice
it in the psychodrama, try outdifferent approaches, receive
feedback and build confidenceand skills.
All right, this is where it getsreally interesting the specific
techniques used in psychodrama.
These are the tools, the actionmethods that bring the
(10:24):
psychodrama to life.
First off, there's role-playing, the absolute bedrock of
psychodrama, where theprotagonist or an auxiliary
takes on a role and acts it out.
This isn't just pretending in asuperficial way, it's about
embodying the role, trying tofeel and behave as that person
would.
Then there's doubling.
In this technique, an auxiliaryego stands beside the
(10:46):
protagonist and speaks aloud thethoughts and feelings that the
protagonist might be having butisn't expressing, or perhaps
isn't even fully aware of.
The double tries to tune intothe protagonist's inner world,
their subtext, their nonverbalcues.
The protagonist can thenconfirm or correct the double.
It helps to bring unconsciousor suppressed material to the
(11:08):
surface and can make theprotagonist feel really
understood and less alone.
Next up, mirroring here theprotagonist steps out of the
scene for a moment and becomesan observer.
Another group member thenreenacts the protagonist's
behavior, their words, theirmannerisms as they just
portrayed them in the scene.
It's like looking in a livingmirror, giving the protagonist a
(11:32):
more objective view of how theycome across to others.
And then role reversal this isprobably one of the most
well-known psychodramatechniques.
The protagonist literally swapsroles, with an auxiliary ego
who is playing a significantother.
This is amazing for buildingempathy and understanding
another person's perspective,what it feels like to be on the
(11:53):
receiving end of one's ownbehavior.
It also helps the protagonistsee themselves as others might
see them.
We also have soliloquy, wherethe protagonist speaks their
private thoughts and feelingsaloud, as if they're talking to
themselves, without directlyaddressing another character in
the scene.
It allows for a deeperexploration of their internal
(12:14):
state, their hidden dilemmas,their hopes, fears and internal
conflicts.
Their hopes, fears and internalconflicts.
And of course, the empty chairtechnique, where an empty chair
represents a significant person,a part of the self or even an
abstract concept.
The protagonist then speaks tothe chair, expressing what they
need to say unfinished business,unexpressed emotions,
(12:35):
confrontations or appreciation.
Like any specialized approach,psychodrama has its own lingo,
its own set of terms.
We've touched on many of themalready Protagonist, auxiliary
ego, director, the stage.
But there are others worthknowing.
Tila, for instance, is a uniqueMorenian concept referring to
the two-way flow of feeling orempathic connection, the degree
(12:59):
of reality in perceiving betweentwo or more individuals.
Moreno believed tele was thecement of all healthy
relationships and group cohesion.
And surplus reality this refersto the dimension of experience
that psychodrama allows you toenter, which goes beyond
everyday physical reality, intothe realm of psychological truth
(13:20):
.
In surplus reality you caninteract with people who are
deceased or talk to parts ofyourself.
You can enact future events ordreams or redo past events with
different outcomes.
It's this unique capacity tomake the intangible tangible
that gives psychodrama so muchof its distinctive character and
therapeutic power.
So that's psychodrama a reallyfascinating, creative and often
(13:44):
very moving way to work withclients.
I hope this explanation hasbeen helpful for all of you and
that you feel more prepared foryour licensing exam.
Thanks for tuning in and forsticking around to the end.
I'll catch you next week withanother riveting topic that will
keep you glued to the edge ofyour seat.
Keep up the great work withyour studies and remember, as I
always say, it's in there,you've got this.
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